A data point on ebook piracy: based on the forums on the websites I
> frequent, a lot of the "customers" are third-world students
> (particularly from South Asia and Africa) who are unable to afford the
> mandatory textbooks. Textbooks are a racket and I fully endorse their
> piracy.
In Gaza, everyone pirates, even the universities, because in many cases, the siege doesn't offer any other options. Recreational readers who smuggle in actual, physical books cherish them, but that's an unusual scenario. I can't oppose this, even in the abstract/meaningless sense in which I might normally agree with Andie, Doug, Joanna, etc. (In practical terms, I'm unsure what their complaints are intended to accomplish; it's more likely for capitalism to fall than for everyone to decide to voluntarily pay for digital property again.)
-- "Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað."