[NVash]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Bah.

My novels are available in multiple formats (plus an RTF to "roll your own"), at $2.99, No DRM, No geographical restrictions, meticulously edited and proofed, with quality covers, at multiple online bookselling outlets, including my own site.

Yesterday, I received yet another Google Alert of another site giving away my books for free... and not even a torrent site, but a site that pretends they have the right to sell books "free to members."

Say whatever you want; people are going to keep stealing ebooks, just because they farking can. And other consumers turn a blind eye, or egg them on, at their discretion.

Okay, Ill bite. Why didnt you go to that site? Check out how many people clicked on it? Is the link alive or dead? Things like that? How many 'Likes' or 'Digs' it could have received? Youre pitching a huge fit and for all you know no one is interested. Just because its there doesnt mean someone downloaded it.

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

I realize you weren't referring to me. But you're right: I am being stolen from regardless. I made the changes the market demanded, and am still being stolen from.

Tell ya what: Don't bother. There are plenty of pirate sites to download it from... be my guest. You (and everyone else who reads this) have my explicit blessing... go steal my books. I've thrown in the towel, as of today... no more books from me for the foreseeable future. I'm tired of fighting the pirates.

Pirates win.

Again, how do you know youre being stolen from? And besides that, why are you fighting a battle that may not have anything to do with you but is a losing battle anyway?

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Nope: I'm a 50-year-old man, tired of wasting my time, and you haven't seen drama.

Please dont take this wrong but I expect a 50-year old man to be a lot more mature about this. This almost sounds like a child pitching a hissy fit.

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

I am under the impression I'm losing money. But the amount is absolutely immaterial; the point is that no one cares enough to address an obvious wrong.

Ultimately, it is my choice whether to accept being stolen from, or not. Faced with a world that clearly doesn't care if I'm being stolen from, since they can still get my work regardless... I choose not to accept it.

If I don't produce books... they can't be stolen. Problem solved.

Thats just it. Youre UNDER THE IMPRESSION. To some people writing is all they ever wanted to do. Its their dream and they wont give it up without a fight. I dont think youre one of those people. Thats like actors saying 'Alright were done' because they saw someone selling their movies bootleg on the street. Never mind the fact that no one bought it. Its the fact that one guy, ONE GUY, had the audacity to do try to make a buck off something that wasnt his. This person, in your case, had it up for free so they made nothing but I think the point is still valid. Its almost as if you walked in expecting multimillions from the job, saw you arent getting it, saw a download link and immediately yelled 'PIRATES! THEY ARE TO BLAME! I QUIT'. Thats not good.

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

The publishers have the greatest tools with which to deal with piracy: Money and influence. They've simply been using those tools in the wrong way, to create DRM systems that don't work and copyright extensions that don't solve the problem.

Instead, publishers should be going to governments and telling them how their industry is being threatened by a lawless, out-of-control system. Then they should be doing what every other industry does that wants government action: Bribery of their leaders.

Ultimately, the structure of the Internet itself is to blame; it was simply never designed for a commerce-based system, as the ease of piracy ably demonstrates. The Web needs to be restructured to allow for an amount of workable security. This is something every government and industry with a web presence should understand and support, so at least they wouldn't be alone in this.

Well agree to disagree. Publishers cant do a thing I dont think. They can do whatever they want but people will still pirate. Look at the music industry. Arent they still complaining about piracy? Look at the movie industry. I see people selling bootleg DVDs everyday.

And I think youre being a little over dramatic about this.

I dont understand. Im not going to walk in here and pretend Im knowledgeable. I dont know much of anything when it comes to the professional world but I do know about pirates. I do know this topic is the proverbial dead horse and man does it take a beating. My main point is this. I dont think pirating can be stopped. Honestly, it cant. People will find ways to do it no matter the outcome. However for the publishers, they need to put that money and time that they could use to stop pirating into chocking out a good product. If I buy one more Kindle book with crappy editing I might just scream. Books cost too much for that kind of mess. Now in your case Mr. Steven, I realize youre giving a good product at a good price. The problem is that you think that just because your book is up for download somewhere youre losing money. Theres a few problems with that. Another thing that might sound harsh but this isnt meant to be an insult. Sir, you arent well known. Before this thread I had no idea who you were. You arent Stephen King. If you were he, Id say the same thing but at least youd have a legitimate argument. Youre complaining because you got a note that someone put your book up for download. Fair enough. But I doubt you checked it out. I doubt many people downloaded it. And if they did, free publicity, because again, you arent well known. Some may just pirate to be jerks getting free books. Some may have genuine interest in you and pirate it then go back and buy your books. They are cheap after all. $3 isnt much. Who knows? Giving up does nothing for you honestly. You think youre losing sales now? Im pretty sure youll lose more just giving up because 'some' people may have downloaded your book. And take a look at all the people in this very thread that are talking of purchasing your book. Those could be sales later on down the road. Those could be sales tonight. Those people could like you and buy your next books the minute they come out. I dont know sir, I just think youre jumping the gun here and might want to sit down for a moment and reconsider. Or you could take up painting, thats good too.