Posted by AnthonyR on 11/03/05 17:33

"Bill Van Dyk" <trash@christian-horizons.org> wrote in message
news:r_WdndNtGZU1rvfeRVn-qw@golden.net...
> I'm not sure, but a reasonable person might consider that you probably
> would not have sold those additional copies anyway, and if your work is so
> good that people are copying it for their friends and family members, they
> are, in fact, promoting your marketability.
>
> The paradox of copy protection is that the more likely it is that your
> work is going to be ripped off, in all probability, the more likely it is
> that you don't need the lost income anyway.
>
> There are a lot of young videographers and artists and singers out there
> who could only dream of being so successful that people would steal copies
> of their work. How happy would a band be if they made their music
> available for free download from their website... and nobody downloaded
> it? Do you think that would be because so many people were buying their
> CD's instead?
>
> Do you think they would be attracting large paying audiences to their
> performances if nobody was "stealing" their music? Or that they would be
> attracting people to showings of their films?
>
> In the 1960's, piracy might just have been called "radio play", in a
> slightly different guise.
>
> I suspect that many of us don't understand what is actually going on in
> today's electronic marketplace. I don't, but I have an inkling.
>
> In short, how I wish I could complain that people were stealing my work...
> I honestly think I would be making more money if they were.
>

interesting perspective...not that it would change any legal opinons.

I just started reading this book on the wall street journal best seller list
and in the beginning of the book
the author tells you to highlight and markup the book and make it personal,
then says not to loan it or give it
to a friend after you read it because it's all marked up and private
comments inside.
Also says how is he going to make money if people don't buy new copies for
their friends?

The reason i commented here is close to your point, after I read a legally
bought book, if I decide to share it with someone
who never intended to buy this book to begin with, I am actually promoting
the book and author by telling friends that this was good, worth my time and
effort to want to share it with them. That tells people it's worth their
time to actually read it, and word of mouth spreads and them others who hear
of it but don't have a book go out and buy it.

So like your point was, the author should be so lucky to have a piece of
work worth of reading, and stealing or loaning to friends.
Then he will have something that will also actually sell well enough to make
him some money.
It's like a paradox, no?

AnthonyR.

[Back to original message]