I have found numerous pirated ebooks for free online. Please tell me the benefits of

[leebase]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

For those who believe that copyright is simply a government granted monopoly, the question is what is the right balance between encouraging the artist and providing for the common good. That's the main driving force behind fair use in the US.

How about those of use who think Copywright is property with a government set time limit?

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by leebase

How about those of use who think Copywright is property with a government set time limit?

That would require an alternate definition of the word property. Copying something is an action. Copyright, i.e. the right to copy, is permission to perform a specific act. It's a pretty big legal fiction to consider an action property.

[gmw]

In fact, copyright - in its noun sense - is indeed a property. You can buy and sell copyright just as you would any other property. pwalker8, I think you are confusing what copyright covers (the act of copying) with what copyright is (the right given by law).

[stevieray]

I am brand new to ebooks, have owned a Kindle and only purchased through kindle. I downloaded my first purchase of a book on ebay.

First, how would you know if it wasn't legitimate?

Second, if the file was infected would Calibre pick that up when converting the format?

Thanks!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by stevieray

I am brand new to ebooks, have owned a Kindle and only purchased through kindle. I downloaded my first purchase of a book on ebay.

First, how would you know if it wasn't legitimate?

Was the book in the public domain? If not, you can be pretty certain it was pirated (unless you believe that the seller actually had permission to copy and sell the book?).

[issybird]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Was the book in the public domain? If not, you can be pretty certain it was pirated (unless you believe that the seller actually had permission to copy and sell the book?).

The seller could be the author.

That's the only reason I can imagine to buy a book on eBay (not that I'd want a self-pubbed book, especially one sold through that medium).

I hadn't realized that selling ebooks on eBay was a thing until I saw this post. EBay's policy of course restricts it to content either owned by or authorized to the seller, but eBay has also always been a conduit for bootleg and fake goods.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by issybird

I hadn't realized that selling ebooks on eBay was a thing until I saw this post. EBay's policy of course restricts it to content either owned by or authorized to the seller, but eBay has also always been a conduit for bootleg and fake goods.

Unfortunately eBay is full of pirated books and software. Caveat emptor.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Unfortunately eBay is full of pirated books and software. Caveat emptor.

While this is almost certainly true, how would someone new to e-reading know it?

Shari

[Deskisamess]

Second, if the file was infected would Calibre pick that up when converting the format?

Your anti-virus should alert you the second the file is placed on your computer. That said, no way I'd buy ebooks from anyone on eBay. It's a safe bet the book or books are pirated, and malware on the files could certainly be a side issue. It isn't worth the risk.

There are plenty of legitimate ways to buy ebooks.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by shalym

While this is almost certainly true, how would someone new to e-reading know it?

Shari

I'm not suggesting that they would. That's what the sellers rely on, of course.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by shalym

While this is almost certainly true, how would someone new to e-reading know it?

Shari

I simply can't imagine someone brand-new to ereading turning to eBay for their content in the first place. Side-loading is not something brand-new e-readers turn to immediately, IMO. Most are going to be rather ecosystem-bound until they learn the ropes. And after they learn the ropes, I can't imagine anyone not realizing that buying commercially published, popular e-titles for discount prices on eBay was hinky.

[gweeks]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

That would require an alternate definition of the word property. Copying something is an action. Copyright, i.e. the right to copy, is permission to perform a specific act. It's a pretty big legal fiction to consider an action property.

It's not the right to perform a specific act, it's the right to stop others from performing a specific act.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by gmw

In fact, copyright - in its noun sense - is indeed a property. You can buy and sell copyright just as you would any other property. pwalker8, I think you are confusing what copyright covers (the act of copying) with what copyright is (the right given by law).

If you want to think in property terms (and copyright, patent, and trademarks have their own, separate laws, because they are different) then you must think of them as a "wasting asset", something that goes away after a fixed time.

An example of a "wasting asset" is an option to buy an asset. I own a piece of land. I reach an agreement to let a person buy this land at a price (agreed to at the time of option) for a period of 1 year. I pocket a premium for that option. If the person who owns the option chooses to exercise that option in the defined year, he can buy the land at the agreed to option price. If he doesn't, I keep the land. Furthermore, if he doesn't exercise the option in that year, it expires, and I don't have to sell the land and I keep the option premium.

Note neither side can unilaterally change the terms of the option (either length or price) That is the problem I scream about with copyright extension. Unilateral extension of a "wasting asset". . .

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I simply can't imagine someone brand-new to ereading turning to eBay for their content in the first place. Side-loading is not something brand-new e-readers turn to immediately, IMO. Most are going to be rather ecosystem-bound until they learn the ropes. And after they learn the ropes, I can't imagine anyone not realizing that buying commercially published, popular e-titles for discount prices on eBay was hinky.

The keyword in your post was popular. It's possible that the guy was looking to see if some old obscure book was available as an e-book and it wasn't available on Amazon, but was listed on eBay.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

The keyword in your post was popular. It's possible that the guy was looking to see if some old obscure book was available as an e-book and it wasn't available on Amazon, but was listed on eBay.

Yes, that is possible. But then we're at "brand new to e-reading with a penchant for obscure, hard-to-find texts." Well on our way to what I would consider a negligible demographic. *shrug*