First, I was not ranting. Second, the only person I directly replied to was
quantum gravity and it was a different separate reply.
As for what you write, I believe it was with you that I changed some emails
the other week, but if it wasn't here goes some information.
People who need audio books (because they are blind, or just because they
like to listen rather than read) are always up to download a pirate copy of a
audio book. They know the websites by heart, they know the software they need
to use and they will know how to use torrents better than even me! But you
talk to them about Librivox project, and they will say they never heard of
that! And keep in mind that Librivox has a perfect web interface which gives
you:
-all the different versions of each audio book;
-the gutenberg text links;
-images in public domain related to the audio book;
How can you say that piracy is not evil and harms people when it helps
preventing people to gain access and knowledge of free content like Librivox
recordings???
I could maybe agree with you that you may actually want to read up to date
books. But piracy will not solve that problem. When they bring piracy down
for good, with a law like SOPA or PIPA, the companies will have a total
monopoly and you will get stuck with that they give you. The solution would
be to fight NOW to get freedom from that. Encourage writers and companies to
provide free audio versions for blind people for example! Or just encourage a
system that allows people to make a living out of Creative Commons licensed
content. Make the world a better place, don't just sit back and enjoy piracy
while you can! That's my whole point!
