Trading Books for the PDF

[Kem]

Any Method to trade in/exchange a book for a pdf version of it? Like I'd mail in the book in exchange for a PDF version of it? Either to the original publisher or to someone that provides it as a service? Even if its just a percentage off or whatever.

Trying google but its hard to get worthwhile keywords with "Trade" being part of the name of two types of book.

Worst comes to worst I'll look into scanning it myself. That's legal right? Heck if not I might end up ripping them apart anyways and reoginizing them and bindering them to take up less room. Even removing the covers will help cut it down.

 

[silvermane]

Any Method to trade in/exchange a book for a pdf version of it? Like I'd mail in the book in exchange for a PDF version of it? Either to the original publisher or to someone that provides it as a service? Even if its just a percentage off or whatever.

I highly doubt such a service will ever be available. The publishers won't care about it if they can rip you off again for the pdf. For any other entity, it would be illegal.

Worst comes to worst I'll look into scanning it myself. That's legal right?

Why not just save yourself the trouble and download a scanned copy? If you own a paper book, you can theoretically cite fair use, as long as you alter the file a bit (for example changing a few non-critical bytes, or better yet exporting as jpg and then rejoining them, which should give a different file length and checksum).

 

[Cergorach]

Are there pdfs of the book you want to trade commercially available?
What books are you looking to trade for pdfs?

 

[Kem]

I highly doubt such a service will ever be available. The publishers won't care about it if they can rip you off again for the pdf. For any other entity, it would be illegal.

Eh, Doesn't hurt to ask. I figured it might be illegal for another entity, I was just thinking of Kinkos in Reverse. I send them the book, they scan/OCR it and send the book back with a cd of the scanned contents.

No problem though, I am just going to snatch a scanner from a friend

Why not just save yourself the trouble and download a scanned copy? If you own a paper book, you can theoretically cite fair use, as long as you alter the file a bit (for example changing a few non-critical bytes, or better yet exporting as jpg and then rejoining them, which should give a different file length and checksum).

I'd feel better scanning them myself. I want it all to be legal and not worry about anything. So looks like I'll be hooking up a scanner.

 

[sckeener]

Any Method to trade in/exchange a book for a pdf version of it? Like I'd mail in the book in exchange for a PDF version of it? Either to the original publisher or to someone that provides it as a service? Even if its just a percentage off or whatever.

None that I know of.

Worst comes to worst I'll look into scanning it myself. That's legal right? Heck if not I might end up ripping them apart anyways and reoginizing them and bindering them to take up less room. Even removing the covers will help cut it down.

I ended up scanning in my collection (I'm still in the process.) Here's a link to a thread I started awhile back to find out if anyone else had done it...

For those that don't want to click on that link, I basically talked to 3 IP lawyers about how to do it. It all comes down to the receipt. You have to have the receipt to prove purchase. A scanned receipt is fine as long as it shows your name and the product. Basically you are making your own watermarked pdfs. One IP lawyer with 20 years in the software IP field told me a horror story about how you could have the original software CD, license #, have the software registered with the vendor, and you would still need to produce the receipt to prove ownership. Without the receipt it could be stolen.....

 

[Kem]

Are there pdfs of the book you want to trade commercially available?
What books are you looking to trade for pdfs?

Most of them are. Or well alot of them are.

Lots of Mongoose, SSS, Necromancer. To start anyways. Thats the bulk of what I have. Most/all are available.

Quint Books, Ultimate Guides, Encyclopedea Arcane, Player's Guide from SSS, and more stuff.

Some have very nice prices that I'll be considering depending on how painful the Scanner is.

 

[Cergorach]

Most of them are. Or well alot of them are.

Lots of Mongoose, SSS, Necromancer. To start anyways. Thats the bulk of what I have. Most/all are available.

Quint Books, Ultimate Guides, Encyclopedea Arcane, Player's Guide from SSS, and more stuff.

Some have very nice prices that I'll be considering depending on how painful the Scanner is.

You can sell the books on ebay and from that money buy the pdfs (legally) you want. Even if you have to add some csh the Original Electronic Format (OEF) pdfs are worth the added cost. Scanning them yourself is only a real option if there aren't any pdfs commercially available of the book, is short: Scanning is a hassle you can do without...

Sometimes Drivethrurpg has a sale (giving x% off a certain range), often around special days (such as haloween or DMsday...

 

[Kem]

None that I know of.



I ended up scanning in my collection (I'm still in the process.) Here's a link to a thread I started awhile back to find out if anyone else had done it...

For those that don't want to click on that link, I basically talked to 3 IP lawyers about how to do it. It all comes down to the receipt. You have to have the receipt to prove purchase. A scanned receipt is fine as long as it shows your name and the product. Basically you are making your own watermarked pdfs. One IP lawyer with 20 years in the software IP field told me a horror story about how you could have the original software CD, license #, have the software registered with the vendor, and you would still need to produce the receipt to prove ownership. Without the receipt it could be stolen.....

Yeah that was the thread that came to mind when I thought of it, but I couldn't find where it went. Thats how I knew the idea in and of itself was legal. But I forgot about the Receipt thing though. I'll have to see what I can do.

 

[Thanee]

As Cergorach said, there's a big difference between scanning a document and getting a professionally made PDF (unless that's just a scan of a book with no extra features).

Most important differences are ... readability and searchability.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Kem]

As Cergorach said, there's a big difference between scanning a document and getting a professionally made PDF (unless that's just a scan of a book with no extra features).

Most important differences are ... readability and searchability.

Bye
Thanee

Yeah true, but since I already own the book, and I have read all of them, I don't mind a small loss of readability. As for searchability, that will be an isue which is why I am thinking ebay & rebuying in a fashion. Its just another thing I have for my todo list. I'll try scanning one of the books though and see how far OCR software has gotten in the past 10 years