This is a rant of a slightly different color.

[lagilman]

Everyone knows that uploading illegal files is bad, right? That taking copyrighted files, things protected by law, is stealing, the same as if you'd taken the contents right out of the store without paying? And that if you download that file, you're in receipt of stolen property?

And that in doing so, you're hurting the chances of your alleged favorite writers/musicians/etc ever creating new material for you, because our contracts will be dropped for poor sales?

Right.

Then you should also know that a disclaimer like this:

To uploaders: You may not use this site to distribute any material when you do not have the legal rights to do so. It is your own responsibility to adhere to these terms. To downloaders: Contents shared by this site's users are only for evaluation and tryout, you'd better delete them in 24 hours after evaluation. If you like them, please purchase the copyright version.

is bullshit. Especially when it appears on a site that is filled with nothing but overtly illegal downloads*.

Why the HELL can people not take accountability? If you're going to host a site that is obviously there to exchange pirated files, don't bullshit about it. Be a goddamn pirate. Cry argh and dare the authorities to catch you, don't hide behind "oh but it's not ME doing it!" or promises to take it down if someone nails you to the wall.

If you're legit? Police your own gateway, and save yourself the time/energy of having to deal with takedown notices. Seriously, you'll come out ahead. And if you want to be a pirate (or pirate host) but don't have the cojones/ovaries to stand tall under your flag of piracy?

DON'T DO IT.


And to everyone out there who wants to read my books but can't afford them, and can't get to a library that has a copy/borrow from a friend? My offer still stands: send me an email and tell me what you're looking for and why you can't get hold of it. I'd rather GIVE you a copy than have copyright pirates get satisfaction.







*the only folk with the right to post "evaluation" material are those authorized by the copyright holder. In most cases that is a) the publisher and b) a legit retailer like Amazon or BN.com. Plus, of course, the author's own website.

Comments

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

EE Knight posted last week that his new Vampire Earth book is already up on one of those sites -- Two months before the publication date.

[isabeau.livejournal.com]

...

(hey, maybe someday books will be up on a site like that before it's *written*!)

[lagilman]

Yeah, I had seen/responded to that. Piracy is nothing new - I've had to deal with it since 2004, myself -- but the "well, we will mouth the vague words of a disclaimer and that will make it look okay" 'tude is even more infuriating than the bald-faced stealing, which is why I let out this little rant.

[rarelylynne.livejournal.com]

Also? Libraries borrow books from one another for their patrons. For free. So if your local library doesn't have a copy of the book you're looking for, they can still get you the book in less than a week, for free, most of the time. This is a service that most (like 85-99%) public libraries provide for their users.

It's not that hard to get a free copy of a book to read in a legal manner. Really.

[chickwriter.livejournal.com]

Just. Ugh.

I started experiencing the huge pirating of my books just with this release (book 4) - maybe I wasn't looking hard enough.

[mikaela-l.livejournal.com]

If you have a e-reader, Philadephia Free Library just got The Retriever series as ebooks. The charge for an out of state library card is 15 dollar, and it last a year. ( Yes, I got one. I am certainly out of state)

[allaboutm-e.livejournal.com]

Gah! Gah! Gah!

Want to sic Garcia on 'em all!