Why do you purchase books?

[Giggleton]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

Given that your poll was created to that end, it's not in the least surprising that it supports that conclusion. Whether an honestly-constructed poll would return the same findings is another matter entirely.

I have many motives for every action, it's just how I roll.

Here is a potential poll topic,

If all ebooks were freely available to download would you contribute to the author after reading a book?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Maybe so (depending on individually determined quality metric)

I could make this new poll, but I suspect the answer would slant heavily towards 3.

Perhaps a different type of poll is needed,

If all ebooks were freely available to download would you contribute to the author by marketing the author's book, if a revenue incentive was your reward.

1.Yes
2.No

The second poll depends on the first but if you can think of ways to combine them while allowing us to get an accurate metric for the state of mobileread opinion, that would be nice.



The color of the sky is whatever color I want it to be.

[stickybuns]

Most of the books I read are written by people who have been dead for a while and, in most cases, long enough to be in the public domain. So, option A is irrelevant.

Shakespeare is in the public domain. I can purchase a copy of the Riverside Shakespeare for $91.68... or I can download it for free from MobileRead or Project Gutenberg. While I do love my copy of the Riverside edition for its excellent annotations, I also appreciate that my copy of the free ebook version weighs much much much less. Not having to carry around an 8 pound book is very valuable to me. So, option B, is irrelevant since "value" is a very relative term.

If I wish to have my own copy of a book that is NOT in the public domain--one that I can write notes in and that I don't need to return to the library--than, yes, I'll purchase a copy. I don't really consider it "contributing" to the author (who is most likely dead, remember?). But, if I want something and it has a price tag, well I either pay or I do without. I suppose if we're going to phrase things in terms of right/wrong, C is the closest option, since I haven't really considered shop lifting paperbacks from the local bookstore and, well, stealing is wrong.

[bhartman36]

I think the poll has one problem:

I think "It is wrong to not contribute to the author" isn't a motive. It's a statement of morality. "It is wrong to not contribute to the author" can lead you to donate money to an author who isn't even selling a book, after all.

I think the other two are more relevant answers to the question.

[Anke Wehner]

Originally Posted by Giggleton

If all ebooks were freely available to download would you contribute to the author after reading a book?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Maybe so (depending on individually determined quality metric)

Now, that's one I can answer!

3. If I'd want to re-read the book.

I've got a stack of dead tree books which I bought my own copy of after first reading a copy borrowed from the library or from friends. The logic works for me, since I spend more time re-reading books I know I like than reading books I don't know yet.

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by Giggleton

It's mostly as I suspected, people pay for books to send monies to the creator.

I don't see what religion has to do with this.

[shanghaichica]

To read them. I also feel that the author should be compensated for their work.

[DiapDealer]

If all ebooks were freely available to download would you contribute to the author after reading a book?

If my aunt had testicles would she be my uncle?

[Giggleton]

Originally Posted by stickybuns

Most of the books I read are written by people who have been dead for a while and, in most cases, long enough to be in the public domain. So, option A is irrelevant.

If I wish to have my own copy of a book that is NOT in the public domain--one that I can write notes in and that I don't need to return to the library--than, yes, I'll purchase a copy. I don't really consider it "contributing" to the author (who is most likely dead, remember?). But, if I want something and it has a price tag, well I either pay or I do without. I suppose if we're going to phrase things in terms of right/wrong, C is the closest option, since I haven't really considered shop lifting paperbacks from the local bookstore and, well, stealing is wrong.

Would you contribute to the author's collaborator? Those who made the pbook available in ebook form? Some people are at the moment purchasing ebook public domain books when "free" versions are listed as links right next to the paid version. Some think it's a branding issue, people pay for the idea of a high quality Penguin Classic.

There's not much of a need to "steal" from bookstores anymore, and as more books go digital we might not even need bookstores.

I'll try to reformulate this poll because it obviously has issues.

[Xenophon]

I purchase books, because...

• I'm using $$ to send a market signal of "I want more like that"
• I'm using $$ to send a market signal of "more from this author, please"
• If it's worth my time to read, it's worth my $$ to pay for
• My income depends on functioning IP, so failing to pay would be rather hypocritical
• I fundamentally disagree with the "copyright is evil" "information wanna be fwee" "GPLV3 is the greatest thing evah" crowd. Yet another reason why failing to pay would be hypocritical
• I live in the real world, where authors who sell enough books can switch to writing full time. And writers who write full time produce... wait for it... more books for me to read. So paying gets me more of what I like.
• I live in the real world, where authors who don't sell enough books either write part time, or even just give up on writing entirely. For example, I'm never going to see books 3-N in Joel Rosenberg's Paladins series -- sales were terrible and he had to go back to programming for a living. (Sigh. I really liked those books. ) So not paying would get me less of what I like.

Your poll left out the "it's in my own best interest to pay for what I like" option.

Xenophon

P.S. If you really don't like copyright, there's a quite straightforward way to get rid of it (in the US, at least). All you have to do is amend the Constitution...

[leebase]

Originally Posted by Giggleton

It's mostly as I suspected, people pay for books to send monies to the creator. At least that's what we tell ourselves. As some have mentioned it is because they want to read the book.

I have been wondering if this thoughtfulness for the creator will hold up in a copyright free world, but perhaps that is for another poll.

In a copyright free world there will be FAR fewer professional quality books. Far far far far fewer.

Lee

[Billjr13]

The books I buy have a value to me and I am willing to pay for that book. I think Xenophon has it right. It is part of my entertainment value. I am willing to pay for the author/publisher/retailer to entertain me.

[theducks]

I buy them to read them (ranked):

1) on my schedule not the public libraries
2)My tastes may vary from the ones in the Public Library
3)I like to re-read some (usually just as new release in the series)
4)Keep the author slaving over a hot keyboard

[Joykins]

Because I want to read the book and

* can't legally get it any other way

or

* want to read it repeatedly

I have no problem with borrowing books or accepting free offers but I don't steal.

[crich70]

I agree. That is the best answer I could think of as well.

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Why do I purchase books ? To read them of course.

The author decide the price to be paid for the book, i decide if it is "worth it". If not I'll just go read something else.

[Giggleton]

Originally Posted by Xenophon

I purchase books, because...

• I live in the real world, where authors who sell enough books can switch to writing full time. And writers who write full time produce... wait for it... more books for me to read. So paying gets me more of what I like.
• I live in the real world, where authors who don't sell enough books either write part time, or even just give up on writing entirely. For example, I'm never going to see books 3-N in Joel Rosenberg's Paladins series -- sales were terrible and he had to go back to programming for a living. (Sigh. I really liked those books. ) So not paying would get me less of what I like.

I live in the real world too, just like everyone else. The problem with the current content economics model is that good books such as your Paladins series can go unwritten, Why were sales terrible? If the books are good I would say marketing is the issue. The reviews for Paladins 2 are average though on Amazon.com. 10 reviews with 2 reviews in each star category. I would say anyone wishing to pay for their daily bread with the words they write would need at least above average reviews.

All we have to do is not think in terms of content being sold, rather a method could be made for direct payments to the author. This would cover the two issues you list above, at least in regards to getting more of what you want from the creator.

Originally Posted by leebase

In a copyright free world there will be FAR fewer professional quality books. Far far far far fewer.

Lee

With no data, I can say the exact opposite with the same convictions.

Originally Posted by Joykins

I have no problem with borrowing books or accepting free offers but I don't steal.

Everyone of us is stealing from multiple people at all times.