Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Merlin the Tuna" data-source="post: 4747684" data-attributes="member: 55638">Except WotC didn't actually lose anything.  Whether 12 people or 1200 people download a PDF makes no direct impact on their bottom line.  Such is the nature of the digital media.  When dealing with digital piracy, ultimately we're talking in terms of opportunity cost.  So we have the following subsets of downloaders.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">People who downloaded the PDF and bought the book.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">People who downloaded the PDF instead of buying the book.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">People who downloaded the PDF but would not have bought the book either way.</li> </ul>Of those sets, the first represent possible profits that were achieved (no opportunity cost), the second represent possible profits that were not achieved (here be opportunity cost), and the third represent profits which were not possible (no opportunity cost).  Those sets obviously aren't going to consist of equal numbers, but only the second represents a missing profit -- which again, isn't attainable at the moment anyway since the book isn't available.  So they're not even a present opportunity cost.Downloading a PDF is not tantamount to stealing a physical book.  That isn't to say that the former is something to be endorsed, but you're very obviously miscoloring the situation if you fall into the trap of "You wouldn't steal a car..."</blockquote>