Today there was a major copyright scandal on the lists. It seems that someone in the UK decided to get a bunch of downloads from various publishers and give them away. Like many download music sites it may not seem like much, but to an e-book author you’re taking away a chunk of livelihood. I’m sure that if the tables were turned and people demanded free items from this particular person they wouldn’t be too happy, not to mention it would bankrupt them. I think it’s easy to forget that when you take things like this from someone you really are cheating the person who spent weeks and perhaps months working their asses off to write these tales for public enjoyment. I’m not talking about simply sharing a book with a friend. I’m talking about blatantly putting up product to give away when those same items are for sale elsewhere. I’m going to give this person the benefit of the doubt and assume they’re simply stupid, that can be the only explanation for them ripping off authors like Anne Rice. Can you say vicious lawyers? I think you can.
May 23rd, 2003
