yeah i download what i have phsyical copies of atm. other stuff i will pay for.

 

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I'm still a paper book hold out, so I have yet to download a book other than a programming or computer book, but those are usually links in the books that I've already bought. I did pirate book one of the dresden files audio, but then bought the whole set.

actually, just the opposite is happening- at baen books, one of the first to offer free downloadable e-books, along with their fee based webscription service noticed something that suprised many people. their sales of new books, and old back catalog books by authors who had some of their book up on baen's free downloads section went UP, not down. people found it was great to be able to check out a author's work BEFORE shelling out money for a book they might not like. and also, there are many readers who, in addition to downloading a book, like to have a read "dead tree" copy of the book also. or do as Jurojin did-download a E-book and end up buying the book, or the entire series. so overall, E-books are actually GOOD for the market, not bad.

here's a link to their main site.
http://www.baen.com/

here is a link to the library.
http://www.baen.com/library/

i've been watching the book industry crumble for the last 5 years. i just don't buy into the idea that pirated ebooks are going to be good for the business. its also wrong to compare this to the music industry because musicians still make alot of money from touring. authors usually foot the bill for their own travels and the only profit they make from it is whatever extra books they encourage people to buy during the tour.

i'm sure some people do buy a physical book after downloading an ebook but i would bet the majority do not. theres really no way to predict for sure where things are going to go and we all have our own opinions. hopefully ten years from now things aren't as bleak as i'm afraid they'll be.

 

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I don't think the argument is that piracy is good for the industry, the argument is that despite piracy e-books are good for the industry.

 

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It costs $60 for an audiobook. That's crazy.

 

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I have to disagree with anyone seeing this as a positive in the long run. The only positive I see is PERHAPS more people reading. But in regards to Raiztlin's comment about user controlled content and lack of need for the "gatekeepers", thats great, but it happened in the music industry too. And in movies. And in games. There's room for independent artistry, but theres also no money anymore. Sure, people can read your book. While they order coffee from you at starbucks. "Free" has bankrupted the creative industries.

 

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I have to disagree with anyone seeing this as a positive in the long run. The only positive I see is PERHAPS more people reading. But in regards to Raiztlin's comment about user controlled content and lack of need for the "gatekeepers", thats great, but it happened in the music industry too. And in movies. And in games. There's room for independent artistry, but theres also no money anymore. Sure, people can read your book. While they order coffee from you at starbucks. "Free" has bankrupted the creative industries.

 

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Sorry for the double post! And on my first one too! Test...test...how do you work this thing? lol

 

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Everything goes with everything else in many ways. The outlook of literature I wouldn't say is bleak, but in the current economic times it is certainly tougher. If the economy continues on like this for a much longer, then matters will begin to look even dimmer.

When people have less money in their pockets, than that money has to go to necessities and not on enjoyments, which books and literature are enjoyments for those who partake in them. This unfortunately effects not only the book market, but also the number of publishers willing to give new authors a chance to come out with work. If they have less money due to less people buying books then this also effects literature. Less new authors equals no progress forward in the overall scope of literature to begin. Piracy only compounds this effect, and can also be attributed to the poor economy. I'm not overly concerned with Piracy of books, though it is an issue and one that shouldn't be ignored, it is not the same as pirating movies or even music.

These two medium types have other ways of being listened or viewed, burned to DVD, put onto an MP3 player. E Book readers are rather new and I don't see everybody rushing out to buy them like MP3 players so people can listen to their songs while jogging or driving down the road to pick up some milk. Audio books though are another issue when it comes to that. Anyway, the simple fact of the matter is that those of us who read do so for both the enjoyment of the story contained and to relax. It is difficult to relax while sitting at the computer desk with even a 300 page book, not to mention the money and amount of paper if you do decide to print it out so you don't have to do this. This is especially true for people who spend all day in front of the computer. Like wise even laying in bed with your laptop on your lap trying to read and "relax" is I would say counter productive.

Piracy isn't my concern overall when it comes to literature, but the current economic outlook of the nation is I would say is the greater concern when it comes to the future of literature.

 

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