Ok here's my take on your situation. First of all I don't see why getting a salaried job would be so bad for you. You're an MIT Grad, that alone will get you a high paying job anywhere in the field. Second you know your stuff and you seem like a pretty smart guy.
Sorry about your royalties being cut short and I really do understand the "I have to provide for my family" situation. But here's where I stand, I'm actually glad people pirate ebooks. Let me tell you why. Consider my situation, I'm a CS Student with a part time job and my source of income sure enough is not even half of what you make in royalties. I simply don't have the money to pay for most of the books that are required for my classes. So anytime I find a pirated book on the internet that otherwise would cost $60/$100 I jump up with joy. After all I'm saving my cash. This last statement sounds a little selfish to most, but I believe is not. You have a degree David (From MIT) I've might add and I don't. If resources are available online, that are going to make me a better programmer and give me a chance to better my future from learning these skills I'm sure as heck going to download the book. Plain and Simple. I believe information should be free for those that are striving to achieve something. Lastly If anything that I said offends or ticks you off, I would simply advise you to look at things like this. Maybe your royalties are decreasing but your book is helping this individual secure a better a life for himself. So I would like to Thank you none the less for a wonderfully written book.
David Flanagan (JavaScript Definitive Guide author) on piracy
31–33 of 33 posts
Re: David Flanagan (JavaScript Definitive Guide author) on piracy
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I know that may not even cross many author's minds, but if there were messages like "95% of the profits from this eBook will be contributed to the author, so that they will continue producing high value content", I believe more people would be inclined to purchase. I doubt it. If they don't have the character to buy the book normally, an appeal to the authors needs won't help. You do know it takes more than an auth…
People aren't that black and white. Little statements like that definitely make a difference. A lot of pirates do it to avoid buyer's remorse, and finding a message inside appealing to them to support the author is hardly unnoticed.
I find it very interesting that the pirate would care about the author but not care about the other people who put in the effort to get the book in a clean and readable form.
Re: David Flanagan (JavaScript Definitive Guide author) on piracy
#33He makes a good point. Since Google recently went after the content farms that hurt their search results, it would be nice if they extended that to authors and legitimate content producers.
But wouldn't people looking for that full 'free' content, go look it somewhere else?
Maybe another search engine?