I wonder how valuable that steam is when people just stop doing something because its not worth their time. What is so terrible about someone getting a value out of their work? He/She created a work of literary art and because of resale the author is getting nothing for that work while many people are enjoying the fruits of his labor.

But not to be completely blind on this issue - if the cost is prohibitive then I can fully understand people avoiding the full cost. Computer games come to mind here. When a company charges over $60 for a game, and then on top of that adds all kinds of ridiculous "anti-pirate" software that causes a lot of hassle for the buyers I can fully understand why peopl...

I wonder how valuable that steam is when people just stop doing something because its not worth their time. What is so terrible about someone getting a value out of their work? He/She created a work of literary art and because of resale the author is getting nothing for that work while many people are enjoying the fruits of his labor.

But not to be completely blind on this issue - if the cost is prohibitive then I can fully understand people avoiding the full cost. Computer games come to mind here. When a company charges over $60 for a game, and then on top of that adds all kinds of ridiculous "anti-pirate" software that causes a lot of hassle for the buyers I can fully understand why people would just avoid the hassle of the cost and the problems associated with the software activation and just pirate it.

Creators of both these mediums are suffering. Perhaps its because of too high cost - ironically its the publisher who sees the lions share of sales.

I feel for the authors because they should receive recompense for their hard work.

Look at it this way. 5 people read a book, but only one purchased it and then just passed it along, or even resold the book to the other people. The author got 1 sale yet 5 people enjoyed his work. Is that fair?

Look at it this way. 5 people read a book, but only one purchased it and then just passed it along, or even resold the book to the other people. The author got 1 sale yet 5 people enjoyed his work. Is that fair?

Well, when it's "one person purchased it and five hundred people read it" we call it a public library, and most authors are enthusiastic proponents of people accessing their work that way.

What is so terrible about someone getting a value out of their work?

That's a strawman argument, which is a logical fallacy that renders your argument invalid. Nobody in this discussion has suggested that authors should not get "a value out of their work" the way y...

Look at it this way. 5 people read a book, but only one purchased it and then just passed it along, or even resold the book to the other people. The author got 1 sale yet 5 people enjoyed his work. Is that fair?

Well, when it's "one person purchased it and five hundred people read it" we call it a public library, and most authors are enthusiastic proponents of people accessing their work that way.

What is so terrible about someone getting a value out of their work?

That's a strawman argument, which is a logical fallacy that renders your argument invalid. Nobody in this discussion has suggested that authors should not get "a value out of their work" the way you are trying to imply.

I wonder how valuable that steam is when people just stop doing something because its not worth their time.

Not worth their time? Let's see now – Eric Flint makes most of his work available online and has for years. Since 1997 he's authored or co-authored 36 published novels. He obviously finds it worth his time. In fact, he finds it worth the time to write essays about why authors should make their books available; try this and this for starters. Or there's just about everything Cory Doctorow has written on the subject, if you've got a while. If you don't, his essay in Forbes summarizes his thoughts.

The problem I think that alarms me most is that by charging this extra fee, how much damage are they doing to local book sellers? I mean would you rather go to Barnes& Noble, where everything is very non-personal or would you rather go to your local bookstore where there is feeling of safety, warmth, and community; where the bookseller knows you well enough to help you pick out a book, someone you can actually have chat with, without feeling that they're only talking to you because that policy and they have too? I'd pick the local bookseller every time.
There are quite a few of these bookstores in Seattle, and I worry about their fate, if they are forced to pay these extra fees. People usua...

The problem I think that alarms me most is that by charging this extra fee, how much damage are they doing to local book sellers? I mean would you rather go to Barnes& Noble, where everything is very non-personal or would you rather go to your local bookstore where there is feeling of safety, warmth, and community; where the bookseller knows you well enough to help you pick out a book, someone you can actually have chat with, without feeling that they're only talking to you because that policy and they have too? I'd pick the local bookseller every time.
There are quite a few of these bookstores in Seattle, and I worry about their fate, if they are forced to pay these extra fees. People usually go to B&N, so these bookstores don't get the amount of money they should because many people don't value them, but if they have to raise the prices...? Well, I shudder to think.

"one person purchased it and five hundred people read it" we call it a public library

So you advocate that an author should receive no return for their labor? Since libraries exist then the author has no right at all to see any return on his work through valid sales of his material? Perhaps you should look towards your own thoughts for any failure of logic.

Nobody in this discussion has suggested that authors should not get "a value out of their work" the way you are trying to imply.

But you just suggested that because of the precedence of library book usage an author has no right to complain when many people read his book and he is only paid by the initial buy...

"one person purchased it and five hundred people read it" we call it a public library

So you advocate that an author should receive no return for their labor? Since libraries exist then the author has no right at all to see any return on his work through valid sales of his material? Perhaps you should look towards your own thoughts for any failure of logic.

Nobody in this discussion has suggested that authors should not get "a value out of their work" the way you are trying to imply.

But you just suggested that because of the precedence of library book usage an author has no right to complain when many people read his book and he is only paid by the initial buyer.

Not worth their time?

So you'll pick out the few successful authors that have gotten their name out enough that they receive bonus advances for books they haven't even written yet and who's name will sell a book long before it even hits the stands?

Perhaps you should review some numbers : Some statistics of self employed authors and writers