Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks • Hacker News Board

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#11

Post by vibrunazo » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 8:41 PM UTC

moistgorilla wrote: post #2

I'm tired of this. I am not going to pay for any product I can pirate anymore. I don't even feel guilty about it. If the artist wants money he should set up a donations account so I can pay him directly. I'm tired of these middlemen. I'm also tired of people preaching about how piracy is unethical. A copied piece of data is not equivalent to a lost sale. People cannot own information. You cannot own an algorithm or i…

> If you think piracy is unethical you are either a dolt or benefiting from current copyright and patent laws.

People used to think freeing someone's slave was unethical property theft as well. As soon as the economic interest shift, so does the mainstream ethics. Same will happen to piracy, as soon as authors cannot make money off copyright and patents. Then it's the monopoly of ideas that will become unethical, and not the other way around.

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#12

Post by cheeze » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 8:43 PM UTC

moistgorilla wrote: post #2

I'm tired of this. I am not going to pay for any product I can pirate anymore. I don't even feel guilty about it. If the artist wants money he should set up a donations account so I can pay him directly. I'm tired of these middlemen. I'm also tired of people preaching about how piracy is unethical. A copied piece of data is not equivalent to a lost sale. People cannot own information. You cannot own an algorithm or i…

I Don't have a problem with it if I can get an ebook for a reasonable place. That being said, throughout college many of my books were ~$150. No way I'm paying that.

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#13

Post by vezycash » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 8:45 PM UTC

Hilarious - your education system is getting similar to those in Nigeria congrats. Nigerians professors/lecturers have implemented this for years - you don't need a patent for this kinda crap and you can see for yourself where its led them.

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#14

Post by anigbrowl » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 8:54 PM UTC

moistgorilla wrote: post #2

I'm tired of this. I am not going to pay for any product I can pirate anymore. I don't even feel guilty about it. If the artist wants money he should set up a donations account so I can pay him directly. I'm tired of these middlemen. I'm also tired of people preaching about how piracy is unethical. A copied piece of data is not equivalent to a lost sale. People cannot own information. You cannot own an algorithm or i…

You cannot own an algorithm or idea. Imagine if Newton owned the laws of motion, imagine if he owned calculus.

And you can't copyright them either.

How can someone own an arrangement of words or sounds.

Because that person made it? Are you saying people have no right to own the things they make?

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#15

Post by mathattack » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 8:55 PM UTC

I'm struggling to figure out how this can't be a hoax that the professor is pulling on the system. But after closer reading, he does seem serious. And he'll likely give his cause more harm than good.

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#16

Post by comex » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 8:57 PM UTC

The patent itself doesn't stop students from sharing textbooks, it stops publishers from implementing systems to stop students from sharing textbooks without paying this guy a fee...

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#17

Post by joelhaasnoot » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 8:58 PM UTC

jrubinovitz wrote: post #7

I really wouldn't mind paying for a textbook access code for every class I take, if the price was actually reasonable (unlike new textbook prices). In an ideal world: go around the print publishers and digitally publish books with an access code at a low price with nearly all proceeds going to the author. I have teachers that won't actually use textbooks because kids at my school cannot afford them. Professors will a…

In addition to issues such as books being "print on demand", out of print, 5 new editions every year, etc. Didn't need many textbooks for CS, but the ones I did need were a pain to get.

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#18

Post by vibrunazo » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 8:59 PM UTC

anigbrowl wrote: post #14

moistgorilla wrote: post #2

I'm tired of this. I am not going to pay for any product I can pirate anymore. I don't even feel guilty about it. If the artist wants money he should set up a donations account so I can pay him directly. I'm tired of these middlemen. I'm also tired of people preaching about how piracy is unethical. A copied piece of data is not equivalent to a lost sale. People cannot own information. You cannot own an algorithm or i…

You cannot own an algorithm or idea. Imagine if Newton owned the laws of motion, imagine if he owned calculus. And you can't copyright them either. How can someone own an arrangement of words or sounds. Because that person made it? Are you saying people have no right to own the things they make?

> Because that person made it? Are you saying people have no right to own the things they make?

"I can only see so far because I'm standing in the shoulder of giants."

Imagine if you had to pay for every one of the thousands little concept that your own idea (inevitably) derives from. That system would be unsustainable. We can only make progress because we can expand and improve on what were created before.

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#19

Post by pdeuchler » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 9:00 PM UTC

Unfortunately, this is nothing new for students.

I have been forced to buy institution specific versions of my books (which simply means they regenerated the practice problems), preventing me from seeking cheaper bookstores like Amazon or the mom & pop down the street. I have been forced to purchase physical CD's with serial codes to access lecture notes (of course, only provided at the school bookstore). But worst of all, I'm very often forced to purchase WebAssign keys. Web Assign is a service that allows professors (in my case, in the math/physics departments) to create online quizzes and homeworks that are graded automatically. Usually the keys cost $45-$60 and they only work for one semester per class, and while they come free with new books (which are exorbitantly expensive, might I add) any used book purchase must be supplemented with these keys. Of course, the professor is glad to tell us we have the option not to buy the key, however we will then get a 0 on the respective assignments.

In my very humble opinion, the greed has gotten so out of control that it's hard for the publishers to see what is even wrong with forcing students to PAY TO DO HOMEWORK.

Something desperately needs to be done. My hope is that e-books slowly democratize the process, but that could be long after I have graduated.

Re: Anti-Piracy Patent Aims to Stop Students from Sharing Textbooks

#20

Post by vibrunazo » Sun, Jun 10, 2012, 9:01 PM UTC

jrubinovitz wrote: post #7

I really wouldn't mind paying for a textbook access code for every class I take, if the price was actually reasonable (unlike new textbook prices). In an ideal world: go around the print publishers and digitally publish books with an access code at a low price with nearly all proceeds going to the author. I have teachers that won't actually use textbooks because kids at my school cannot afford them. Professors will a…

> I really wouldn't mind living in a world where you can have a monopoly over ideas, if I am one of the few who can afford paying for those ideas.

I would. It has much further and deeper implications in the bigger picture than just that one textbook that you could afford.