E-Book Piracy
When my Ruby book came out in 2008 I was sad to discover that pirated copies were available within a week or so of the book’s release. When my jQuery pocket reference came out earlier this year, I was shocked to discover that Google was giving the ebook download sites higher placement than reviews of the book. And now JavaScript: The Definitive Guide is out. I don’t have a copy of it yet, but illegal copies are free for anyone who wants one. And Google will suggest those illegal downloads to anyone who tries to research the book (see the screenshot). I’ve worked really hard on this book, and I’ve got to say that this just feels like a kick in the gut.
He’s the author of some great programming books, but declining royalties are forcing him to seek a new job.
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It's a sad reality that piracy is becoming more common than legal distribution (whether it's books, music, films or games). Unfortunately, despite increased legislation and law enforcement, it looks as though the law and copyright owners are facing a losing battle.
It's an interesting subject though - how do you limit this? Some people seem to accept it is here to stay and are so turning to other revenue sources (such as giving talks or performing at events).
