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| Are we due a wave of book piracy? | Are we due a wave of book piracy? |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Kindle is here. But will the arrival of Amazon's much-hyped e-book reader prompt a wave of book piracy? | The Kindle is here. But will the arrival of Amazon's much-hyped e-book reader prompt a wave of book piracy? |
| The Kindle has landed. That is to say, the first Kindles are being sent out by Amazon today. Some may find their way into excited, sweaty palms by tomorrow. | The Kindle has landed. That is to say, the first Kindles are being sent out by Amazon today. Some may find their way into excited, sweaty palms by tomorrow. |
| It's a big moment for the e-reader. While the US has had the Kindle for a while, many will be hoping its global launch will be an "iPod moment" where the new technology becomes mainstream. | It's a big moment for the e-reader. While the US has had the Kindle for a while, many will be hoping its global launch will be an "iPod moment" where the new technology becomes mainstream. |
| No-one knows the impact the rise of e-readers will have | No-one knows the impact the rise of e-readers will have |
| The Kindle isn't the first e-reader. Sony, Bookeen, Elonex, Samsung and iRex are also among the firms fighting to win this particular consumer technology battle. But it is backed by Amazon, perhaps the most powerful bookseller in the world. | The Kindle isn't the first e-reader. Sony, Bookeen, Elonex, Samsung and iRex are also among the firms fighting to win this particular consumer technology battle. But it is backed by Amazon, perhaps the most powerful bookseller in the world. |
| It's hard to sit on a bus anywhere in the country these days without seeing the ubiquitous white bud headphones that signal the presence of an iPod. | It's hard to sit on a bus anywhere in the country these days without seeing the ubiquitous white bud headphones that signal the presence of an iPod. |
| And while music downloading didn't start with the arrival of Apple's player, it gave many otherwise law-abiding customers another reason. | And while music downloading didn't start with the arrival of Apple's player, it gave many otherwise law-abiding customers another reason. |
| So it is perhaps understandable that there will be more than a little trepidation in the publishing industry as the Amazon Kindle becomes available outside the US for the first time. | So it is perhaps understandable that there will be more than a little trepidation in the publishing industry as the Amazon Kindle becomes available outside the US for the first time. |
| Brownsploitation | Brownsploitation |
| Even without the proliferation of the e-reader there has been piracy of authors such as JK Rowling, James Patterson and Dan Brown. | Even without the proliferation of the e-reader there has been piracy of authors such as JK Rowling, James Patterson and Dan Brown. |
| "It took three days for the latest Dan Brown to be widely available illegally," says Alicia Wise, digital consultant to the Publishers Association. | "It took three days for the latest Dan Brown to be widely available illegally," says Alicia Wise, digital consultant to the Publishers Association. |
| No retailer has ever had to promise they wouldn't come into your house and take a book away Cory Doctorow class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2009/10/reading_the_kindle.html">Dot.life - review of the Kindle | |
| But it's also everything from expensive academic textbooks to modestly priced dictionaries. | But it's also everything from expensive academic textbooks to modestly priced dictionaries. |
| "All different kinds of publications are being distributed [illegally] online. That drives sales away from publishers and deprives authors of their living. | "All different kinds of publications are being distributed [illegally] online. That drives sales away from publishers and deprives authors of their living. |
| "In some cases you can get very high quality counterfeit e-books and people even pay full price for them." | "In some cases you can get very high quality counterfeit e-books and people even pay full price for them." |
| Of course, there is a practical obstacle to book piracy. You can become a music pirate in about five minutes. Get a CD off the shelf and rip it on to your computer. With a book it isn't so simple. | Of course, there is a practical obstacle to book piracy. You can become a music pirate in about five minutes. Get a CD off the shelf and rip it on to your computer. With a book it isn't so simple. |
| Laborious process | Laborious process |
| "It's incredibly difficult for someone in their bedroom to digitise a book and put it online," says Graeme Neill of the Bookseller magazine. | "It's incredibly difficult for someone in their bedroom to digitise a book and put it online," says Graeme Neill of the Bookseller magazine. |
| Most pirates don't type the whole thing out, but it is still laborious. | Most pirates don't type the whole thing out, but it is still laborious. |
| "They seem to originate from scans of print copies," says Ms Wise. "Somebody has had to sit there and scan it. Quite a lot of effort goes into creating the first pirated copy. | "They seem to originate from scans of print copies," says Ms Wise. "Somebody has had to sit there and scan it. Quite a lot of effort goes into creating the first pirated copy. |
| KINDLING Still unavailable in some countries, including CanadaE-books cost more in the EU, partly because of VatAmazon primarily uses .azw formatFiles cannot be transferred to other devicesOther non-proprietary file formats can be used - txt, Audible, MP3, unprotected mobi, prcpdf, html, doc, jpeg, gif, png, bmp through conversionAmazon's Digital Text Platform allows self-publishing authors to sell their work | KINDLING Still unavailable in some countries, including CanadaE-books cost more in the EU, partly because of VatAmazon primarily uses .azw formatFiles cannot be transferred to other devicesOther non-proprietary file formats can be used - txt, Audible, MP3, unprotected mobi, prcpdf, html, doc, jpeg, gif, png, bmp through conversionAmazon's Digital Text Platform allows self-publishing authors to sell their work |
| "Occasionally, an electronic proof file ends up being pirated. | "Occasionally, an electronic proof file ends up being pirated. |
| "They often scan the copyright information which makes it easier for me to detect the infringing content." | "They often scan the copyright information which makes it easier for me to detect the infringing content." |
| In some markets, like China, there has been circulation of pirated books in paper. But in the traditional world of Snipcock and Tweed - Private Eye magazine's archetypal fusty book publisher - pirated e-books represent a radical new threat. | In some markets, like China, there has been circulation of pirated books in paper. But in the traditional world of Snipcock and Tweed - Private Eye magazine's archetypal fusty book publisher - pirated e-books represent a radical new threat. |
| "There is definitely fear," says Neill. "They don't want to make the same mistakes the music industry did." | "There is definitely fear," says Neill. "They don't want to make the same mistakes the music industry did." |
| Like the music industry in the early days, many in the publishing industry will want to use digital rights management (DRM) safeguards embedded in content to stop copying. | Like the music industry in the early days, many in the publishing industry will want to use digital rights management (DRM) safeguards embedded in content to stop copying. |
| Amazon says it leaves it to publishers whether they want to apply DRM. But books in its main proprietary format, .azw, cannot be transferred to other devices. | Amazon says it leaves it to publishers whether they want to apply DRM. But books in its main proprietary format, .azw, cannot be transferred to other devices. |
| There are some who think DRM represents a blind alley for authors and publishers, and risks alienating readers. Cory Doctorow, novelist and co-editor of the Boing Boing blog, is one. | There are some who think DRM represents a blind alley for authors and publishers, and risks alienating readers. Cory Doctorow, novelist and co-editor of the Boing Boing blog, is one. |
| "[Anyone who believes in DRM] has never met a typist," he says. | "[Anyone who believes in DRM] has never met a typist," he says. |
| Proscriptive measure | Proscriptive measure |
| The ability to specify you will read a book in one way on one device is unreasonably proscriptive, Doctorow believes. | The ability to specify you will read a book in one way on one device is unreasonably proscriptive, Doctorow believes. |
| "DRM is not an effective way of preventing copying nor is it a good way of making sales. There isn't a customer out there saying 'what I need is an electronic book that does less'. | "DRM is not an effective way of preventing copying nor is it a good way of making sales. There isn't a customer out there saying 'what I need is an electronic book that does less'. |
| "It's as if Borders do a deal with Ikea and say you can only read this book under an Ikea bulb and have it on Ikea shelves." | "It's as if Borders do a deal with Ikea and say you can only read this book under an Ikea bulb and have it on Ikea shelves." |
| Once upon a time books were expensive and cumbersome luxuries | Once upon a time books were expensive and cumbersome luxuries |
| No-one in publishing is putting all their faith in DRM. Wise says that the Publishers Association liaises with counterparts and music in film, runs a portal for reporting illegal sites and aids legal action against pirates. | No-one in publishing is putting all their faith in DRM. Wise says that the Publishers Association liaises with counterparts and music in film, runs a portal for reporting illegal sites and aids legal action against pirates. |
| But Doctorow has a more radical solution for the piracy threat. | But Doctorow has a more radical solution for the piracy threat. |
| "My books are Amazon bestsellers and are given away free as downloads. | "My books are Amazon bestsellers and are given away free as downloads. |
| "My problem isn't piracy it's obscurity. Most people who didn't buy my book, didn't because they had never heard of me, not because they got a free book." | "My problem isn't piracy it's obscurity. Most people who didn't buy my book, didn't because they had never heard of me, not because they got a free book." |
| The model is even in use at an imprint at one of the big publishers. The Friday Project at Harpercollins exclusively gets its books from the internet, putting everyone from popular bloggers to exotic meat chefs into print. | The model is even in use at an imprint at one of the big publishers. The Friday Project at Harpercollins exclusively gets its books from the internet, putting everyone from popular bloggers to exotic meat chefs into print. |
| Their biggest seller is Tom Reynolds, the pen-name of an ambulanceman responsible for the Random Acts of Reality blog. | Their biggest seller is Tom Reynolds, the pen-name of an ambulanceman responsible for the Random Acts of Reality blog. |
| Present for mum | Present for mum |
| "We are contractually obliged to give his electronic version away for free," says publisher Scott Pack. | "We are contractually obliged to give his electronic version away for free," says publisher Scott Pack. |
| "People do download it, say I love it, I'm going to buy the physical book it will make the perfect present for my mum." | "People do download it, say I love it, I'm going to buy the physical book it will make the perfect present for my mum." |
| And apart from the free e-books that Mr Pack has at his imprint, the paid-for ones sell for only £2.99, less than even the cheapest Amazon e-book. | And apart from the free e-books that Mr Pack has at his imprint, the paid-for ones sell for only £2.99, less than even the cheapest Amazon e-book. |
| The likes of Dan Brown are regularly pirated | The likes of Dan Brown are regularly pirated |
| Amazon's titles will cost $11.99 (£7.37) to $13.99 (£8.60) for bestsellers and new releases in the UK. In the US the charge is only $9.99 (£6.14). Amazon explains the discrepancy by saying that Vat has to be applied on e-books in the EU - paper books are Vat-free - and that there are other additional costs. | Amazon's titles will cost $11.99 (£7.37) to $13.99 (£8.60) for bestsellers and new releases in the UK. In the US the charge is only $9.99 (£6.14). Amazon explains the discrepancy by saying that Vat has to be applied on e-books in the EU - paper books are Vat-free - and that there are other additional costs. |
| Mr Pack acknowledges the free model works best while e-books are a relatively new concept. If in 10 years time, 70% of all books sold are e-books and the accepted price is £1.99, the publishing industry is going to be in trouble, he says. | Mr Pack acknowledges the free model works best while e-books are a relatively new concept. If in 10 years time, 70% of all books sold are e-books and the accepted price is £1.99, the publishing industry is going to be in trouble, he says. |
| As well as costing almost as much a paper version, when you buy an e-book you don't completely control it. Doctorow thinks Amazon committed an extraordinary public relations own goal recently when - in a twist of irony - users found that George Orwell's 1984 had been remotely deleted from their Kindles because of legal issues. | As well as costing almost as much a paper version, when you buy an e-book you don't completely control it. Doctorow thinks Amazon committed an extraordinary public relations own goal recently when - in a twist of irony - users found that George Orwell's 1984 had been remotely deleted from their Kindles because of legal issues. |
| The company rapidly apologised and gave users new copies, | The company rapidly apologised and gave users new copies, |
| "They restored the books. The problem was at the bottom of the apology was the statement 'we won't do this again unless a court tells us to'. | "They restored the books. The problem was at the bottom of the apology was the statement 'we won't do this again unless a court tells us to'. |
| "No retailer has ever had to promise they wouldn't come into your house and take a book away. | "No retailer has ever had to promise they wouldn't come into your house and take a book away. |
| "Designing book readers that allow books to be deleted without their owner's decision is a design mistake." | "Designing book readers that allow books to be deleted without their owner's decision is a design mistake." |
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