“Piracy” here is used in the context of books and all sorts of manuscripts.

r/books have three main arguments against it:

  • It is technically theft
  • It damages the author’s job and income (as well as the publisher, illustrator…etc.)
  • Why go through the tedious path of pirating books when you can borrow the books from a library legally and for free.

What’s your reply to those arguments? Are they satisfactory?

  • onlooker@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    2 years ago

    Nothing to say about the last two arguments, but this:

    • It is technically theft

    …is just bullshit. Theft is illegaly taking a property or service from a person with the intent of depriving them of it. When you’re pirating, you’re essentially making a copy for yourself. In doing so, you’re not taking the original book, nor are you depriving the original owner of said book.

    “Piracy is theft” is just some heavily regurgitated nonsense from the early 2000s that has been debunked many times over. It needs to die, because it is just objectively not true.

    • Tatar_Nobility@lemmy.mlOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      2 years ago

      Haha I knew this statement would generate furious reactions. But yes what you said is true and is the general consensus.

    • Qualanqui@lemmy.nz
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Not to mention that people that pirate that material are still going to talk about it, so even though they’re loosing one sale to piracy they may be getting an extra 10 sales through word of mouth.

  • linkert@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    edit-2
    2 years ago

    Well, release your god damn books DRM -free with localized prices on some service along the likes of Bandcamp.

    It’s pure, it’s easy and God damn fair for both parties.

    Yes, libraries are great.

  • Neshura@bookwormstory.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    If I can’t get a DRM free (as in no restrictions which devices/apps can open the file) epub file of your book, I ain’t buying it. I will not spend money purchasing a product that can then just be stolen from me again because the seller decides to discontinue their drm, abandon support for the device I read on or simply for not liking me.