Vavroom's Bits & Bobs

They Are Forcing Me To Piracy

I must admit, there are many times when I am extremely tempted to
download illegal material. I'm not much into piracy, and it's not
about cost either. But the companies offering the products I am after
are almost forcing my hand!

Some movies are available for paid download by the studios. I'd pay
for that service, happily. But no, they block non-US IP addresses. If
you're not in the US, you can't even pay for the movie.

Some books are also available as downloadable e-books, which you have
to pay for. But again, only to US residents.

For me, e-book is an ideal format. It doesn't take much space, and it
isn't heavy. That means I don't get sore just holding the book, which
I otherwise would (due to arthritis in my hands). Some books are still
not available in electronic form, not officialy. If it comes down to
the choice between paying NZ$40 for a hard copy which will leave me
aching for days when I hold it, or downloading an illegal electronic
copy, you can imagine the temptation being there. Now, if the
publishers were to offer me an electronic version for, say, $10, I'd
use that option.

And what about the out-of-print book, which is available as a
second-hand copy for US$350? I'd rather buy the book, but the
publisher hasn't deemed worth it to re-print. Could they, justifiably,
get upset that I would aim at getting a bootleg electronic copy, as
there is no other reasonable option to acquire the material? Again, I'd GLADLY
pay for electronic copies, for my own use.

There was a recent study (which I'm too lazy to find now) that said
that the people who downloaded the most pirated files were also the
ones that spent the most $$ in purchasing "legit" books, DVDs, CD's,
etc.

So people in the publishing industry, "LISSSENUP!" - Don't bitch at
people who are looking at illegal alternative if you don't give them
any legal alternatives!

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