Do you pirate books and why?

[Ladyrixx]

I do occasonally. Usually it's something like a book I bought when I had a Nook, and it's easier to find a copy on the Dark Net then breaking B&N's DRM. Or else it's a copy of a book that I have in hard copy, but it's easier to carry my reader than a whole bookcase of old books.

[sameekou]

Yes I pirate books!
Right now I'm scanning a good one, which I borrowed from a friend.
Why? Well, reasons are plenty!

- I live in Brazil and ebooks are definetly something rare here. I don't remember seeing any oficial one being sold in a proper online store (except from Apple store which offer classics public dominion books - from portugal - and they are free)

- Paper books here are sooo expensive (like anything else). Taxes are abusive and you can easily pay around 35 US$ for a good one!

- I don't see myself buying a paper one and having to scan the whole book for the convenience of reading on a ereader.

So, when I want a book, I check Google first, alternative sources second and if I really don't find them, then I buy the paper and scan that.

No conscience crisis at all!

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by sameekou

- I live in Brazil and ebooks are definetly something rare here.

Welcome to Mobileread.

Yours is a different situation from from that of people who live in countries where public libraries typically have tens of thousands of books and there is a highly developed interlibrary loan system.

Historically, developing countries do not find it in their interest to respect foreign copyright. I think that's understandable.

Now, it could also be that you mostly read Portuguese books, and are right down the street from a big city circulating public library with hundreds of thousands of them. In this case I might look at it a bit differently.

if I really don't find them, then I buy the paper and scan that

And you really find all those scan errors preferable to reading the paper book?

On the other hand, perhaps you require large print. I prefer large print myself.

I personally prefer to look at threads like this in terms of general principles rather than special situations. Even if your personal situation makes it hard to respect copyright, I'd hope you would consider at least respecting the copyright of Brazilian authors and publishers.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Anyways, my "true" answer is that with books and as well as with games is that I don't need to pirate anymore. Thanks to Kobo and Steam, prices have moved into the realm of 'why bother going to the trouble of pirating?' levels. I bought 6 books in July and 3 so far in August. How many of those books would I have bought had they been at their normal, traditional prices? 0. The sooner publishers and authors wake up and realize that the sooner piracy will be dead.

[MrsKravitz]

There's no rational explanation of why I draw the lines where I do, but when I download a book from my local library, and it becomes due (and is thus disabled on my device) before I finished it, I'll sometimes look for a download so I can finish reading it.

I guess the rationalization, if it makes sense, is that if it were a hardcover book, I'd be able to renew it, and even renew it online. Downloadable media can't be renewed. The only option is to go through the whole process again.

[Synamon]

Ugh, if someone is offering you a bundle of 42 of Agatha Christie's Poirot mysteries for under $20, DO NOT BUY FROM THEM. If you are going to download pirated books at least don't give the pirates any money. /end rant

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Synamon

Ugh, if someone is offering you a bundle of 42 of Agatha Christie's Poirot mysteries for under $20, DO NOT BUY FROM THEM. If you are going to download pirated books at least don't give the pirates any money. /end rant

I agree with the sentiment, but I'm not sure why it's in this thread. Without any quoted text, I couldn't find the post you're referring to.