Do you pirate books and why?

[xg4bx]

Originally Posted by sbroome

What's fascinating here is the things people actively complain about. "Awwww I have a handheld tablet that can be charged and let me read for days at a time while holding hundreds or thousands of books, and it lets me lend the ebook through the internet, but only to ONE PERSON." Wonder what our past selves would have said about all our whining.

i've gotta go back to this clip because it gets more true every day-

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by sbroome

What's fascinating here is the things people actively complain about. "Awwww I have a handheld tablet that can be charged and let me read for days at a time while holding hundreds or thousands of books, and it lets me lend the ebook through the internet, but only to ONE PERSON." Wonder what our past selves would have said about all our whining.

That is hilarious. I point folks to Project Gutenberg, and all my other favorite freebie and cheap sites, myself. I have a T1 which doesn't lend books. Any books I share, I share the old fashioned way. And yes, I have sent books internationally, that I was done with, and the recipient most of the time paid for the postage (even though they didn't have to, but i am glad they did. books are heavy and postage for a non business class is expensive).

Books are worthless unless they are being loved by someone. And for me, cost aside, it is an easier way to book share than worrying about whether it's legal.

Most of my books/movies are swapped anyway in person, without cost so while they are using one of mine, I am using one of theirs. It's really not "less convenient" to me than still keeping a copy (why would I need the copy right there if I'm reading something else?).

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

i've gotta go back to this clip because it gets more true every day-

<snip>

This is frigging brilliant. And so true.

[Giggleton]

We are only slightly annoyed because the technology is quite capable of lending texts to everyone simultaneously but certain "regulations" currently cripple the technology in various ways.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Originally Posted by HarryT

There would be only one set of circumstances in which I'd consider it ethically justifiable to pirate a book:

1. If no commercial eBook was available.

and:

2. I'd bought the paper book.

In those circumstances, I'd have no qualms about downloading a pirated eBook. However, if a commercial eBook did then become commercially available, I'd buy it.

So I'd have to answer "on occasions". Very rare occasions.

Exactly

[AlexGrama]

Originally Posted by Lizzie in Ma

Exactly

I think it's fair enough. If you have it in your shelf, you can have it into your e-shelf.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by AlexGrama

I think it's fair enough. If you have it in your shelf, you can have it into your e-shelf.

That is absolutely NOT what I said, Alex. I certainly DO NOT think that having a paper book entitles me to a free eBook, any more than buying a hardback entitles me to a free paperback. What I said, if you read my post again, was that I'd consider it OK to download a pirated book if I'd bought the paper book and no commercial eBook was available. If a commercial eBook was subsequently released, I would (and have) always bought it. I did this with "The Lord of the Rings" for example.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That is absolutely NOT what I said, Alex. I certainly DO NOT think that having a paper book entitles me to a free eBook, any more than buying a hardback entitles me to a free paperback. What I said, if you read my post again, was that I'd consider it OK to download a pirated book if I'd bought the paper book and no commercial eBook was available. If a commercial eBook was subsequently released, I would (and have) always bought it. I did this with "The Lord of the Rings" for example.

That's just as bad. If you own the paper book and a commercial ebook version isn't available, then you have no right to obtain a pirated version.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

That's just as bad. If you own the paper book and a commercial ebook version isn't available, then you have no right to obtain a pirated version.

No, you misunderstand me. If I want the eBook, I'll BUY another paper edition (new) so that the author gets compensated. I would never download a pirated eBook merely on the grounds that I've previously bought a paper book. I completely respect that the author has the right to decide not to release an eBook, but I will compensate the author for every copy that I obtain.

[ProfCrash]

I don't believe that Harry or I have ever argued that we have the right to own the book or have denied that it is piracy. We have both said it is the only set of conditions that we think about pirating a ebook. I know I have not pirated every book that I own in paper form that is not on ebook. I am assuming that Harry has not pirated every book that he owns in paper form that is not on ebook. It has been the rare exception.

When the books come available, I will happily pay for them.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, you misunderstand me. If I want the eBook, I'll BUY another paper edition (new) so that the author gets compensated. I would never download a pirated eBook merely on the grounds that I've previously bought a paper book. I completely respect that the author has the right to decide not to release an eBook, but I will compensate the author for every copy that I obtain.

That's better.

Personally, I feel the author/owner has the right to dictate format and I'll never obtain a format that hasn't been legally produced.

[Ninjalawyer]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I don't believe that Harry or I have ever argued that we have the right to own the book or have denied that it is piracy. We have both said it is the only set of conditions that we think about pirating a ebook. I know I have not pirated every book that I own in paper form that is not on ebook. I am assuming that Harry has not pirated every book that he owns in paper form that is not on ebook. It has been the rare exception.

When the books come available, I will happily pay for them.

I think I understand. To summarize, it's okay to pirate a book if the author isn't harmed?

[spindlegirl]

I can agree with the logic of format shifting, but when I do the format shifting I prefer to do it with materials I own. That is, taking my own actual CD, putting it into my hard drive, and creating the mp3 files myself.

I think that is hugely different than downloading it off a website....

[tompe]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Personally, I feel the author/owner has the right to dictate format and I'll never obtain a format that hasn't been legally produced.

I kind of agree with that. The conclusion is then that downloading without trying to compensate is as bad as downloading and trying to compensate. But I do not draw the same conclusion as you on how to act.

[Ninjalawyer]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

I can agree with the logic of format shifting, but when I do the format shifting I prefer to do it with materials I own. That is, taking my own actual CD, putting it into my hard drive, and creating the mp3 files myself.

I think that is hugely different than downloading it off a website....

Why? What is the functional difference?

Obviously your approach has the definite benefit of attracting no legal liability though, so from a personal perspective it makes total sense. I'm just curious why the source matters when you have the CD anyway.