GigaPedia/Library.nu Shut Down

[Astus]

News on:

Huffington Post
Torrent Freak
The Verge

[Indrajala]

Publishing companies really need to get their act together. It doesn't matter how much you complain about copyright infringement, people will share these books. With kindles and eBook readers, and even tablet PCs, becoming so popular, people will be all the more inclined to download books.

If they offered the pdfs on their websites at an affordable price (rather than just a marginal markdown from a printed edition), they might innovate a new business model for themselves.

[Mr. G]

If they offered the pdfs on their websites at an affordable price (rather than just a marginal markdown from a printed edition), they might innovate a new business model for themselves.

Yup, this is what Steam does with their video games. It's a successful business model that is effective against piracy.

[padma norbu]

I would certainly pay $3.99 (or less) for an e-reader version of any book I buy since I only buy books used from Amazon and their shipping is $3.99 minimum... or from Strand and other used book stores. Once I started reading a lot, the idea of paying $15 - $30 for a single book seemed frigging preposterous to me. In fact, as of late, I started going to the library once I realized the quality of books NYC libraries carry.

[Indrajala]

I would certainly pay $3.99 (or less) for an e-reader version of any book I buy since I only buy books used from Amazon and their shipping is $3.99 minimum... or from Strand and other used book stores. Once I started reading a lot, the idea of paying $15 - $30 for a single book seemed frigging preposterous to me. In fact, as of late, I started going to the library once I realized the quality of books NYC libraries carry.

Well that's just it -- the ebook editions are usually only marginally less expensive than the printed editions. Clearly the cost is not in the actual printing and binding, but all the overhead fees and so on. Authors of academic works often get paid beans. Royalty checks for $21. You put more money into a work than you ever get back.

Clearly the system is rigged.

If they instituted a model where books costs under $5 for digital versions, they might actually make more money rather than paying lawyers to combat piracy.

[Mr. G]

Other resources:

http://www.scribd.com/
http://ebookee.org/
http://en.bookfi.org/
http://free-books.us.to/
http://librarypirate.me

[Astus]

Copying sutras and other texts have been a major merit making activity among Buddhists. Digital media simply makes it easier to gain merit by spreading the teaching.

You can even roll a prayer wheel from home (Hungarian site, no English, button is at the bottom of the homepage, you can also leave a message above it): http://www.imamalom.hu/

[Mr. G]

Public Domain
http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.php?op ... iew&id=380
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/#
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/default.asp
http://www.historyplace.com/index.html
http://www.archive.org/index.php
http://librivox.org/
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/g/genpub/

Share
http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.php?op ... iew&id=380
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/#
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/default.asp
http://www.historyplace.com/index.html
http://www.archive.org/index.php
http://librivox.org/
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/g/genpub/
http://library.nu/ -RIP
http://gigapedia.info/lnu.html -RIP
http://www.alleng.ru/
http://www.eknigu.com/
http://ishare.iask.sina.com.cn/
http://www.jubad.com/
http://btebook.com/0-01a8edbf9d27cebe.htm
http://www.cnshare.org/
http://www.bookgo.org/
http://www.pdfchm.com/
http://2020ok.com/
http://bbs.topsage.com/index_121.html
http://www.ebookshare.net/
http://nips.djvuzone.org/index.html
http://www.zainbooks.com/
http://free-books.us.to/
http://www.freebookspot.es/Default.aspx
http://en.bookfi.org/

http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=00066 ... 1-kkiboeco

[Pero]

There are those of us who already have physical copies of books, but would like access to e-book versions.

Yup. For example I always thought I'd be great if Amazon offered free e-book versions of the physical books I bought, but since it doesn't, torrents are great hehe. I also like it because that way I can preview the whole book.

[pueraeternus]

There are those of us who already have physical copies of books, but would like access to e-book versions.

Yup. For example I always thought I'd be great if Amazon offered free e-book versions of the physical books I bought, but since it doesn't, torrents are great hehe. I also like it because that way I can preview the whole book.

I do the same - only downloading if I have already bought the physical book or if the book is out of print and no way I can buy it. Especially useful with books with lots of foot/endnotes - use both physical and electronic copy to reference back and forth.

[gyougan]

Little bit off-topic but I want to share this thought with you:

As expensive as book are, they are still dirt cheap compared to what is coming. Time to buy printed books is NOW! Price gap between printed books and e-books will go up and at some point many books will only be available in electronic form.