LaunchTransient t1_j5kzam6 wrote on January 23, 2023 at 7:21 PM

Reply to comment by NekuraHitokage in Is it ethical to pirate books I already own if I just want an E version? by whydoesyourbedsmell

>there is no law stating that you cannot reproduce it

I mean, there is literally a piece of text on the first or second page of most books that reads:

>No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

NekuraHitokage t1_j5l1s72 wrote on January 23, 2023 at 7:37 PM

That is a term of service and a generic statement of copyright.

Fair use and archival purposes allow for copies for use of many reasons, including educational and research, so long as the copies do not leave the premises.

I would argue "I made photocopies / downloaded an archived copy for the ease of reading on a screen for my own personal use" falls withon fair use when the person has no intention of distribution themselves. Indeed we are skirting an edge by just downloading a copy, but since they have a full copy themselves it is a shortcut and nothing more.

Now, egg on my face, it does seem copies for replacement of a damaged copy are actually limited to 3 in total so... No, no plastering a wall, but copies for personal use fall well within copyright.l imo. Obviously not a lawyer, but it seems fairly clearly stated.

There is more nuance to the law than some blurb on a page and it all has to do with commercial loss and context of use and status of distribution.

DwarfOfRockAndStone t1_j5n64m1 wrote on January 24, 2023 at 4:29 AM

Im surprised to see this so downvoted Its not even advocating for piracy, just using long-established AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER PERMISSIONED [READ: LEGAL] rights.

EDIT: The post as a whole is also downvoted, just for asking humbly. Hmmmm

NekuraHitokage t1_j5n8uyk wrote on January 24, 2023 at 4:54 AM

I figure many people here are aspiring authors as well. Many of these aspiring authors may also be looking to make it their living or make it "big" and may not have the same "You bought your ticket, you may pass" mentality as I have. A person forced to buy a second book is just more profit, after all.

Law and ethics are separate and they are forever arguable. For those that would profit from an extra copy sold or those that would advocate for the people that write those things which they hold dear... I can understand it.

But I still hold that this is harmless and ethically neutral... The copy is for one's own use and they already paid the author and publisher the asking price as you said.

whydoesyourbedsmell OP t1_j6kkbto wrote on January 30, 2023 at 11:54 PM

Oh gosh, I hope no one here thinks I'm their ticket to making it big. It was really more a am I reading these books now or in possibly a few years time question.(broke)

I do definitely agree that laws and ethics are seperate and should always be thus. there are to many possibilities in this world to account for in law. To many laws created by the well off.

Thank you for supporting that idea so strongly throughout this thread.

NekuraHitokage t1_j6kl2hh wrote on January 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM

Absolutely! I truly do think your purpose is justified and your intent good. That you worried about it in the first place is a sign of that and that you would worry so strongly on the thoughts of others is another. None of us are perfect and some of us would if we could... But we can't and, in some cases, shouldn't have to.