jackleg
You are amazingly close to what I've been trying to say.
I confessed to a situation and explained my intent, I can't do more than that. But at the same time I cannot buy into the idea that I've done a great wrong in that the borrowing and lending of materials is a constant and happens daily, without intent of malice or taking advantage of the author, etc. and this is where my issue takes focus.
If this is "wrong" who here is going to willingly cough up the lost revenue and mail it to the authors every time they loan or borrow a book or DVD from a friend? From the Magic Club Library? etc.
The anal retentive position of some... such as it has done within all of society on various levels and in address of numerous issues... has robbed us all of the innocence of friendly exchange -- a ritual that has been going on for thousands of years vs. the couple of short decades the internet has been contributing to our lives at both, positive and negative levels.
I counted it up the other night, the number of times I've asked someone for material by someone else over the past three years... the answer is that I've done so twice. As to lending material out that wasn't mine to give... maybe a dozen times and most typically with the blessing of the author... it is well known that I will do such if and when I believe what I share will be put to proper use by the recipient and within the parameters of the act/project we are working on at the time.
Whether this thread and the web site it discusses was intentionally or subconsciously posted with intent of placing me or anyone else in the hot seat is NOT the issue. The issue is where do things honestly fit when it comes to the real world.
I'm both writer and a noted contributor to numerous innovations in this craft. That's not my ego speaking, it is a fact of life that any number of people can attest to. Like every single person I know that stands in a similar position I've had ideas and material snatched and even had others sign their names to them. If I got my shorts twisted in a knot for every time that's happened I'd be more than just impotent.
The realities are quite simple; though they may not say it at the public level PEOPLE SHARE INFORMATION this is absolutely no way to stop that or change it unless we are to go back to some very brutal information control methods of the past. The second reality is the fact that someone is giving all the Torrent/File Share and Black Marketeers a reason to exist. Though you aren't likely to find many with the guts to admit to participating in such resources many do and do so on a regular basis; about every six weeks, as new things hit the market and they get curious about the newest trick of the month everyone is rambling on about.
I covered this in that "War & Peace" post I made earlier that no one wants to read all the way through and where I first asked just where the line exists that transmutes the act of occasional sharing amongst friends or club members to the level of criminal behavior?
I also have to ask just who is going to take on establishments such as public libraries or those owned and operated by various fraternal groups, when it comes to this issue; most of which end up with all materials released in the past year either via estate settlement or member donation or even club purchase. Regardless, it goes into a state of general access.
BTW... I can assure you that even the "big wigs" borrow and lend books though they could afford to buy them. Most of them however, wont just run out and drop $100.00 or so just to own a book that "might" have something worth while; they want to know that the
investment is going to pay off. One chum of mine has no problem dropping a few hundred bucks into a book or DVD set so long as he learns one single thing that will give him a hint of advantage. But we are talking about a guy the nets over a million a year... I don't think the majority of us fall into that category and thus, our expectation on material is must greater.... and the price at times can be as well...
... how many of us post a "Clearance Sale" here?
Technically... if we buy into the BS around
cutting into income, it is wrong to sell our used books and videos unless royalties are being sent back to the author and we aren't seeing any personal gain. Without making a copy of the product we are still making the information available to others who aren't giving the originator cash and kudos for the privilege...
Though its deliberately an innocent nit that I'm picking here, it still falls into that grey area that sustains the ritual of friendly sharing, which is the real victim to all this... the "soft target" some choose to pounce on vs. the real threat.
So I have to ask one more time for clarity... who and what is the real enemy of the writer/innovator and why?
Is there any such thing as innocent sharing any more?
If so, how are we to sustain and define this given the expanded sense of community we now have as the result of our technological age?
My position is the same as it's always been; either side must be defended for similar though likewise different reasons. Regardless, the fanaticism achieves NOTHING. It is unrealistic and denies the industry of effective focus.
I'm aware of at least a dozen copies of my EASY READING that's been circulated amongst members of this forum alone. I don't care! I know it's going to happen and I know it is not done out of spite (in most cases). What does tick me off is the $4,000.00 dollars of estimated lost revenue from that book because of one single Torrent posting... especially when you consider that I've not seen much more than that from that particular book in the six years it's been out.
I don't want to hear about how badly casual sharing hurts writers from those not wearing shoes similar to my own and of genuine need of income... government subsidy just don't hack it... I'm certain most of you would agree. But look at who isn't screaming loudest... and it's not just me, there are many others in far worse medical condition than I, who are being abused in the same way and yet, don't bitch nearly as much as the healthy "pump out the material" money grabbers of our industry.
Again, something to think about.
