Piracy

[Echohawk]

I also downloaded the PDF at my own cost (internet service/bandwidth) and effort (finding it).

But you did not create the digital version from the paper copy that you legally owned. Therefore your earlier analogy does not hold up.

These two are comparable:
1. Buying the PDF and printing it yourself, for your own use.
2. Buying the book and scanning it yourself, for your own use.

These two are not:
1. Buying the PDF and printing it yourself.
2. Buying the book, and downloading a copy of a PDF which someone else has created by scanning their copy.

But these two are:
1. Downloading a copy of a PDF which someone else has created.
2. Being given (or buying) a printed copy that someone else has made from their digital version.

Note that this is in response to your question: "How is this fundamentally different from me buying the hard copy and then downloading the PDFs? In that case, I've paid for the print version of the book and possess both a digital and print copy of it."

 

[Nightson]

I think the idea that the effort put into something determines the morality of the action is something that needs explanatory support.

 

[Echohawk]

Which of the following situations would you consider morally acceptable?

1. I purchase the WSRPG PDF. I print it out, which takes negligible effort and cost, and have something which is indistinguishable from the official dead tree version.

2. I purchase the sheet of paper WSRPG. I scan it in, which again takes negligible effort and cost, and have something which is indistinguishable from the official PDF version.

3. I purchase the sheet of paper WSRPG. I download a pirated copy of the official PDF, which is indistinguishable from the scan I could have theoretically made instead.

For me personally, I would consider 1 and 2 morally acceptable, but not 3. I own both printed and PDF version of almost all 4e releases. But none of my PDFs are pirated. I purchased all of them legally.

 

[El Mahdi]

Which of the following situations would you consider morally acceptable?

1. I purchase the WSRPG PDF. I print it out, which takes negligible effort and cost, and have something which is indistinguishable from the official dead tree version.

2. I purchase the sheet of paper WSRPG. I scan it in, which again takes negligible effort and cost, and have something which is indistinguishable from the official PDF version.

3. I purchase the sheet of paper WSRPG. I download a pirated copy of the official PDF, which is indistinguishable from the scan I could have theoretically made instead.

Which of the following situations would you consider morally acceptable?

Me personally, all three are "morally" (and ethically) acceptable. However I do know that #3 is technically pirating. Personally, I don't care. Do I feel that I've stolen anything if I've paid for the hardcopy book? Nope! (And personally, I think most at WoTC feel that way also, or they wouldn't have initially tried to find a way to provide cheap pdf's for people who bought the books. The only reason they didn't is because they couldn't figure out an effective technical way to do it. But I think it's robbery to charge nearly full price for a pdf, especially after teasing with promises of lower priced versions).

 

[grickherder]

And what about for those of us who are outside the jurisdiction of the DMCA? Is it somehow immoral for us to buy the print copy and download the PDF if it is not a violation of the local law?

 

[Echohawk]

I think the idea that the effort put into something determines the morality of the action is something that needs explanatory support.

I don't think it is the effort involved that determines the morality. For me, it is the involvement of a third party which is key. In other words, if I scan my own printed copy for my own personal use, that's fine. If I print out my digital version, for my own personal use, that's also fine.

But the second I make my efforts available to someone else (either by handing them a copy I've printed, or by distributing a digital version I have made), then that is no longer "for my own personal use". Now there is intellectual property being distributed for someone else's personal use. And that, for me, has a significant impact on the morality of the action.

 

[Tewligan]

I bought the 4e books and then bought the PDFs. (Which isn't an option.)

Uh, if you bought the PDF's, isn't the option you want obviously "Never pirated any of the books"?

 

[Echohawk]

Uh, if you bought the PDF's, isn't the option you want obviously "Never pirated any of the books"?

Indeed, but given that "bought the book then pirated for pdf copy" is an option, it seems that "bought the book then bought the pdf" should also be an option. That reflects my situation far more closely than just "never pirated any of the books".

 

[grickherder]

For me, it is the involvement of a third party which is key. In other words, if I scan my own printed copy for my own personal use, that's fine. If I print out my digital version, for my own personal use, that's also fine.

What about if you had a print shop/service make your print copy of a PDF? There are some online ones where you can submit a PDF and the print copy will show up in the mail. Or you could go down to a local print shop. Or a company can supply you with computer equipment, a printer, ink, etc., and you can then produce a copy. A third party is always involved.

Now there is intellectual property being distributed

No, there isn't because intellectual property doesn't refer to the works itself but to the exclusive rights to works. A company's IP doesn't refer to their products but to their exclusive rights to reproduce, sell, license, etc., those works. What you have is a violation of their rights, not a distribution of their property. WotC does not own in any way shape or form, the print copy you might have made from a PDF you bought from them. They simply own the exclusive rights for distribution, sales, etc.,.

 

[Aristotle]

I can't imagine paying for both the physical and digital versions. I was really disapointed when the "nominal fee PDF" we were supposed to get when we purchased physical books got the axe.

That said I'm finding the searchability and portability of PDF's on a netbook alluring enough that I may just stop collecting physical books, buy up the legal PDF's, and go digital fulltime.