The Internet is expanding into the book industry as well. Google has a new feature which allows you to sample books online, sometimes displaying whole sections of books. I've even found full textbooks for my classes this semester, allowing me to read my books online without buying them from the bookstore.
Is this copyright infringement? Oh, definitely. But I'm not worried. I figure Google runs everything and will get in trouble before I do for using Google Books. (Google books can be found at books.google.com).
As a user of Google Books, I enjoy the access that I have to textbooks that I would otherwise have to buy, I definitely recognize how harmful posting books online can be to their ability to make a profit.
Non-fiction books can also be found online. Dan Brown's newest book, "The Lost Symbol", was released online before it was published. Authors and publishers alike are outraged by this.
For those of you "Twilight" fans, Stephanie Meyer's copyrights were violated as well when she released another installment in the Twilight series, "Midnight Sun." Upon the pre-release of "Midnight Sun", which was only partly finished, Meyer announced that she was post-poning the writing and release of the book. I believe that this shows just how hurtful creators can be when their work is released before they are ready or without their knowledge.
Sources:
Frisch, By Matt. "Digital Piracy Hits the E-book Industry - CNN.com." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Web. 19 Apr. 2010.
"StephenieMeyer.com | Twilight Series | Midnight Sun." StephenieMeyer.com | The Official Website of Stephenie Meyer. Web. 19 Apr. 2010.
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