Re: NY Times Ethicist Condones Ripping Off E-books

From: "Christopher R. Maden" 
> joseph harris wrote:
>> I know of no system that will achieve that other than control of
>> copies.
> 
> Control of copies is now *impossible*.
> 
> A speed limit sign on the highway does not prevent cars from traveling
> at more than the posted rate; it merely advises the driver of possible
> penalties if caught.  Copyright does not prevent copying; it provides
> penalties for copying, if caught.
> 
> However, the cost and effort of creating unlimited copies have now
> dropped so very low that both the penalties and the chance of getting
> caught are also extremely low.
> 
> Any system of rewarding and supporting creators that relies on copy
> control is doomed.  Educational efforts, such as your valiant ones,
> Joseph, are the only way to support that approach, and how well is that
> working?
> 
> Anyone interested in seeing that creators are rewarded for their work
> needs to take a huge step back from the status quo and take a fresh look
> at both old and new systems, such as patronage, tip jars, street
> performers, merchandising, premium editions.  A system predicated on the
> expense and difficulty of reproducing marks on slabs of dead tree is
> going to be as effective in this new world as a card catalog for
> searching the Internet.
> 
> ~Chris
> -- 
> Chris Maden, text nerd  <URL: http://crism.maden.org/ >
> “Four freedom boxes: / Soap, ballot, jury, ammo. /
> Use in that order.” — haiku after Ed Howdershelt
> GnuPG Fingerprint: C6E4 E2A9 C9F8 71AC 9724 CAA3 19F8 6677 0077 C319

Excellent points, Chris, and a good starting list for the marketing approaches needed. 

The counter to this is, in fact, that it is clear most people do observe the ownership of things. The best example of this is the success in selling ebooks. All the evidence is seemingly anecdotal, since the figures offered tend to be argued against. And it is clear that there are a large number of ebooks that are free through all selling sites and in sales to device owners.

However, actual publishers/authors of ebooks are quite clear about their sales and receipts.

My own efforts in arguing the case are small and confined to a few lists. What  is clear is that the great clamour, that free was the new sales, over much of the past five years has fallen to a somewhat muted sulk. Even Doctorow has recognised that it is far from a simple matter. Recently he acknowledged that, while he made a very nice penny or two from ads, it is unlikely that more than a handful can get the visits for that to work.

Legislation to tighten up illegal copying across IP fields is advancing in a lot of places, and the seemingly unstoppable steamroller that is Google, is currently trying to see if a paint job  will enable its agreement to build up steam again.

One way and another the battle to stop 'theft' has gone on through the ages. A change in technology does not change the principles, or the means to ensure compliance.

About the only matter than needs a bit of tidying up (though I think the blind eye is about the only workable way), in the new technology,  is the issue of the detailed use of a purchased digital copy. I am not convinced that 'use on any device' is actually right, nor that use on only one is even a starting position. But the room for misuse with any relaxation is so great that the debate needs to be very intense. A big move away, in other words, from just saying 'this!' 'no that!'.

Joseph

Joseph Harris - Debt Control Man
http://www.controlyourdebtcrisis.co.uk
Author: Control Your Debt Crisis on Your Own Terms



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