More Eric Flint on DRM - salvos 6 excerpt - Page 2

nekokami · 02-28-2007, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Of course, Flint didn't mention one more point: That copying for a friend or relative is a popular e-pastime, is not done for profit or gain, and still constitutes "piracy." Sure, a friend can recommend an e-book to someone they know. But if they can send a copy, they just saved their friend a couple of bucks.

And if the friend likes the book, they'll probably buy another one or more directly from your site, earning you at least as much money as you've lost. I wouldn't worry about it. Rather than thinking of this as "piracy," think of it as "free advertising."

rlauzon · 02-28-2007, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

And if the friend likes the book, they'll probably buy another one or more directly from your site, earning you at least as much money as you've lost. I wouldn't worry about it. Rather than thinking of this as "piracy," think of it as "free advertising."

Yup. Case in point: I just finished reading Boundary by Eric Flint, Ryk E. Spoor as an eBook.

The paper book is on my Amazon wish list right now with a note to buy a copy for my dad who will also like the story.

Cthulhu · 02-28-2007, 07:53 PM

I think that the point Steve was trying to make is that a legal, rigid definition of "piracy" condemns us all to lives of criminality. Not to put words in an author's mouth, but if his notion is that some "gray" piracy, for lack of a better term occurs with electronic texts--as it does with physical ones, not to mention physical music and video discs--that is not a bad thing, it is part of the system operating as it will.

Of course, one of the big problems in the debate about DRM, and the crippling software that comes with it, is that 1. the producer's stance is based on assuming apriori that the customer is a thief and 2. it is easy for the most virtuous consumer to become a thief.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 02-28-2007, 10:10 PM

Cthulhu, you pretty much covered it. "Piracy" has got a lot of grey areas, some intentional, some not. Not that the intentional piracy is okay, but you have to be able to accept some loss and move on.

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02-28-2007, 07:53 PM	#18
Cthulhu Technologist Posts: 488 Karma: 585237 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: I'm between Cities Device: SONY Reader PRS-500	I think that the point Steve was trying to make is that a legal, rigid definition of "piracy" condemns us all to lives of criminality. Not to put words in an author's mouth, but if his notion is that some "gray" piracy, for lack of a better term occurs with electronic texts--as it does with physical ones, not to mention physical music and video discs--that is not a bad thing, it is part of the system operating as it will. Of course, one of the big problems in the debate about DRM, and the crippling software that comes with it, is that 1. the producer's stance is based on assuming apriori that the customer is a thief and 2. it is easy for the most virtuous consumer to become a thief.

02-28-2007, 10:10 PM	#19
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Cthulhu, you pretty much covered it. "Piracy" has got a lot of grey areas, some intentional, some not. Not that the intentional piracy is okay, but you have to be able to accept some loss and move on.