3 ms·

My lord, this is all stupid as hell. Here we are, sitting in a world where every human being could possess every book they could ever want to read, forever, in

by jrm4 5y ago

My lord, this is all stupid as hell. Here we are, sitting in a world where every human being could possess every book they could ever want to read, forever, in a $30 device. And instead, here we are fully nodding our heads in agreement with this completely nonsensical and artificial "borrowing" metaphor. It's utterly ridiculous. Before anyone goes off on how will writers get paid, please have some imagination. I get books from the library and buy them when they're good. We also have Netflix etc etc. There has got to be a better way.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
OrvalWintermute 5y ago
Agree completely; we are perpetuating a system where rent collection is the norm, where IP "piracy" is fabricated and conflated, and novel creation is disincented. Would love to see how many sharky middlemen are taking their cut from this type of Overdrive system. Bet it is full of exploitation, and the authors are seeing very little from the wealth transfer anyways.
josho 5y ago
Our economic system is based on how to distribute scarce resources. We are applying this way of thinking to non-scarce resources. The consequence is previously unimaginable scale and for the owners/gatekeepers of these resources unimaginable wealth. You are right, we absolutely have to figure out a better way.
- space_fountain 5y ago
  IP has never been a scare resource in one way of thinking (it's always been way cheaper to copy than pay the right holder), but we recognize that we need to incentive the creation of new IP
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
boplicity 5y ago
If it is "stupid as hell" then you're free to propose an idea that is not "stupid." Instead, you tell people to "have imagination." Feel free to propose a better system, otherwise you just sound angry and judgemental.
- jrm4 5y ago
  - something like netflix - (more) copyright exceptions for libraries - bring public universities into the mix, don't allow them to pay for private journals - Go rogue, find the datahoarder people and give them money - Individually go rogue. Just pirate all day and tell your friends But also, don't let my responses detract from your absolutely correct charge. I am angry and I am judging :)
  - imgabe 5y ago
    There is software that removes DRM from ebooks. It works on borrowed library ebooks as well. Or so I’m told ;)
  - boplicity 5y ago
    > something like Netflix Isn't that, basically what Overdrive is doing? They license content (just like Netflix does), and then make it available to "subscribers", AKA library patrons? Or are you referring to things like "Kindle Unlimited", which offer a very similar service? > (more) copyright exceptions for libraries I'm not sure what you mean by this. The problem, as I see it, is that there needs to be a way to connect the value created to the income of the creators, otherwise the creators can't create. > Go rogue, find the datahoarder people and give them money I think the idea of "datahoarder" gets to the core of the disconnect here. You say "datahoarder", while other people say "publishers" and "authors." You're proposing giving them money -- which is exactly what Overdrive does! How is your proposal different? > Individually go rogue. Just pirate all day and tell your friends I fail to understand how piracy is a system that can support authors and publishers, who require income in order to produce books. Maybe you can explain this to me? Or are you just being facetious?
    - 5y ago
danielmarkbruce 5y ago
It's not anywhere near as stupid as it seems on the surface. It's just a way to do: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_discrimination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_discrimination Basically, allow some people to pay less. One way you can do it is somehow make the product/service less convenient for those paying less so some/most people will pay more.

by jrm4 5y ago

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

OrvalWintermute 5y ago

Agree completely; we are perpetuating a system where rent collection is the norm, where IP "piracy" is fabricated and conflated, and novel creation is disincented. Would love to see how many sharky middlemen are taking their cut from this type of Overdrive system. Bet it is full of exploitation, and the authors are seeing very little from the wealth transfer anyways.

josho 5y ago

Our economic system is based on how to distribute scarce resources. We are applying this way of thinking to non-scarce resources. The consequence is previously unimaginable scale and for the owners/gatekeepers of these resources unimaginable wealth. You are right, we absolutely have to figure out a better way.

space_fountain 5y ago
IP has never been a scare resource in one way of thinking (it's always been way cheaper to copy than pay the right holder), but we recognize that we need to incentive the creation of new IP

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

boplicity 5y ago

If it is "stupid as hell" then you're free to propose an idea that is not "stupid." Instead, you tell people to "have imagination." Feel free to propose a better system, otherwise you just sound angry and judgemental.

jrm4 5y ago
- something like netflix - (more) copyright exceptions for libraries - bring public universities into the mix, don't allow them to pay for private journals - Go rogue, find the datahoarder people and give them money - Individually go rogue. Just pirate all day and tell your friends But also, don't let my responses detract from your absolutely correct charge. I am angry and I am judging :)
- imgabe 5y ago
  There is software that removes DRM from ebooks. It works on borrowed library ebooks as well. Or so I’m told ;)
- boplicity 5y ago
  > something like Netflix Isn't that, basically what Overdrive is doing? They license content (just like Netflix does), and then make it available to "subscribers", AKA library patrons? Or are you referring to things like "Kindle Unlimited", which offer a very similar service? > (more) copyright exceptions for libraries I'm not sure what you mean by this. The problem, as I see it, is that there needs to be a way to connect the value created to the income of the creators, otherwise the creators can't create. > Go rogue, find the datahoarder people and give them money I think the idea of "datahoarder" gets to the core of the disconnect here. You say "datahoarder", while other people say "publishers" and "authors." You're proposing giving them money -- which is exactly what Overdrive does! How is your proposal different? > Individually go rogue. Just pirate all day and tell your friends I fail to understand how piracy is a system that can support authors and publishers, who require income in order to produce books. Maybe you can explain this to me? Or are you just being facetious?
  - 5y ago

danielmarkbruce 5y ago

It's not anywhere near as stupid as it seems on the surface. It's just a way to do: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_discrimination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_discrimination Basically, allow some people to pay less. One way you can do it is somehow make the product/service less convenient for those paying less so some/most people will pay more.