As explained in this article from the Consumerist magazine, it's completely ethical to download the eBook versions of books you already own, but it's illegal in the US.
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Legality of downloading eBooks for free if you own the printed copy
- Thread starter moonman239
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Ethics may get you a hung jury. Laws will put you in the defendants seat. Digital media should be treated just like print/"real" media. And it is treated that way from a legal perspective.
If you have a paper back book and now you want a hard back, you walk into Barnes and Noble and buy the hardback version. If the situation was reversed and you owned the digital copy, and then decide later you want a paper back, then you got to the store and buy a paper back copy. You don't just walk into the store put the book in you coat and say, "well I already own the digital copy, so it's ok." Right now, downloading pirated media is illegal. If you want to change the law, write your congressman or run for congress yourself.
Disclaimer: I fully condone downloading copies of media you already have. However I know that doing so is illegal.
If you have a paper back book and now you want a hard back, you walk into Barnes and Noble and buy the hardback version. If the situation was reversed and you owned the digital copy, and then decide later you want a paper back, then you got to the store and buy a paper back copy. You don't just walk into the store put the book in you coat and say, "well I already own the digital copy, so it's ok." Right now, downloading pirated media is illegal. If you want to change the law, write your congressman or run for congress yourself.
Disclaimer: I fully condone downloading copies of media you already have. However I know that doing so is illegal.
Here's where it gets sticky. You own the US version of the Harry Potter series, and you download a torrent of the Harry Potter series so you can enjoy the same media on your iPad. The torrent comes with the UK version, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone instead of the US version, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Or how about 2nd editions of biographies?
If you buy the print copy of a book and you want to read it as an e-book, the only legal and ethical way is to scan it yourself.
If you buy the print copy of a book and you want to read it as an e-book, the only legal and ethical way is to scan it yourself.
Ethically, you should only download the exact e-book version of the copy you own.
Yes, but how do you verify that before you download? Most sources for pirate e-books don't have ISBN numbers listed.
Look up the ISBN in a Google search. I would prefer that people download the e-book from a guy who is only willing to give the copy to someone who owns the book.
Please don't encourage the unethical copyright infringers by downloading anything from them.
WARNING: I am not implying that you should violate the law. You shouldn't. I am not liable if you do.
I know that is illegal to download e-books even if you own the printed edition, but when you have a 1300 pages book is much more likely that you search for ebooks versions, like I do. Carry such things with you is just a pain in the ass.
So, from my point of view, it would be nice to this to be legal
So, from my point of view, it would be nice to this to be legal
So, from my point of view, it would be nice to this to be legal
This. Like I said before it doesn't make sense that it's illegal.
Sure it doesn't, but currently in the US it is, so... What can we do? At least if the book editor put a serial number in each book so we can download a digital version of it, but they make more profit selling separately.
Sorry to threadromance, but there is a glaring flaw in the analogy that I'd like to comment on.
Just to get this out of the way, I am of the opinion that if you own a physical copy of a book, that you should be allowed a digital copy of that book, similar to how CD's are handled.
The flaw in dickdaney's analogy is that if you buy an eBook, you should be entitled to make, not steal, your own personal, print copy - for yourself. This does not mean getting a 5 finger discount over at a BN brick and mortar. Instead, you print it out, bind it yourself in hardcover if it means that much to you, gut another book for parts if you have to, etc.