Ray's Books. And Copyrights!

by DwainBowman 75 Replies latest jw friends

  • slimboyfat
    slimboyfat

    Is cedars the guy in question?

    In a crowded field this has got to be one of his stupidest moves.

  • the girl next door
    the girl next door

    Nope not the guy in question. Twitter loud and proud. Maybe its the Romanian bootleg printer.

  • slimboyfat
    slimboyfat
    Oh right I don't know what's going on then.
  • oppostate
    oppostate

    Okay, so Sis. Dykstra was sick and now she's better, she fought a legal battle and now that's over (I hope) for her. She's got offers from people to help her with costs.

    I agree with breakfast of champions. It would be quite easy to start an account with Amazon.com and sell the books in their Kindle format which isn't so portable like a pdf and it can't be shared as freely. I can see people getting fed up that it isn't available anywhere and turning to bootleg copies.

    So, why wait to put it on Amazon.com in digital format? So, why wait for a printed copy? So, with all the techy know-how available on this forum aren't there plenty of us who would offer to lend a hand to see them be made available again, I know there's a lot of us here who would want to help out, I'm sure of it.

    When I bought my copies back in 2008, I was still an elder but awake, so having heard about the book I bought CoC and then ISoCF. They were a good price back then and after reading them I decided to get in touch with Ray.

    I told him how much I appreciated he'd written it and I offered to help translate it, he took me up on it, and was delighted to do so. I also purchased the digital copies from Commentary Press (which came with a pin code). I also offered to translate some of the articles that were posted on Commentary Press back then. (You can probably read them on the WayBack machine at archive.org I would think).

    But anyway, I want to believe that the folks who sold paper copies on Amazon.com weren't just out to make a quick buck. But I know too that there's a lot of people without scruples who'd would take advantage. And before that happens once more, let's make a commitment to support Sis. Dykstra in getting legal copies out there. Legal copies in print will take away the wind from bootleggers sails and make it easier to go after them legally.

    If they aren't going to be legally available then they would be better out there on the internet than out of print. Ray's books have helped so many people to be awake to the WT/JW organization's ways. They deserve to be in print and legally available. For the sake of Ray and Cynthia's memory it would be a privilege to help bring them back into print and help Sis. Dykstra.

  • Diogenesister
    Diogenesister
    Oubliette, there haven't been many advocating some sort of illegal activity in regards to the copyright of Rays books at all, you are looking at a mere tiny handful , the majority of us have expressed disbelief, frustration in regards to the availability of the books , and there has been an agenda driven reason these threads have appeared on here today and the copyright issue is a secondary one, you couldn't make this stuff up!
    /\/\/\/\ thisSorry but the books lack of availability is the primary reason for the illegal pdf's. In this small scale production/demand situation that is PATENTLY noone's fault. Hopefully it will be soon available, hooray! However to expect a nervous ,conflicted Jehovahs witness emerging from the darkness of cult thinking to instigate and collaborate in for eg a share funding endeavour to get it legally printed or payy £100 on amazon is naive. They will surreptitiously download the first PDF that comes up on a search and read it in the bathroom at night. I just don't think there is any nepharious intent going on and as soon as it is available I am sure it will sell well and illegals will disappear out of respect, I truly do.
  • under the radar
    under the radar
    Yes, I know Cynthia died a while back, but this crap was going on long before she did, so she did in fact suffer financial loss because of the bootlegging. Now it's more a matter of principle and secondarily, helping Ms. Dykstra recover her legal costs for protecting the integrity of Ray's work. It's only fair, and she deserves whatever gain she winds up with. She's not trying to gouge anybody.
  • Phaedra
    Phaedra

    Thumb's up on JeffT's post about the business of being a writer and Ms Dykstra's efforts at preserving the integrity for the author's work and wishes.

    On my journey out, I did what a lot of people did when they came across Ray's books online, but for whatever reason couldn't order them from his Web site. I requested both from the public library on an interlibrary loan.

    A couple years later, I bought my own set directly from Ray and included a letter about how his work impacted me. He responded with a kind, personal note. Now that he's gone, I feel so lucky to have experienced his presence in that unique way.

    A few years after that, when I felt I no longer needed them, I donated the books to my local public library, with the intent that whomever needed them would find and enjoy them. Kind of like paying it forward.

  • Simon
    Simon
    Sorry but the books lack of availability is the primary reason for the illegal pdf's

    Bollocks (or 'cobblers!' if that offends). the illegal pdf's are the primary reason for the lack of legitimate availability!

    A few years after that, when I felt I no longer needed them, I donated the books to my local public library, with the intent that whomever needed them would find and enjoy them. Kind of like paying it forward.

    Great idea! :thumbsup:

  • wannaexit
    wannaexit

    A few years after that, when I felt I no longer needed them, I donated the books to my local public library, with the intent that whomever needed them would find and enjoy them. Kind of like paying it forward.

    When Ray Franz was still alive and sending the books himself, my hubby ordered a number of them and donated them to the public and academic library in our town.


  • JRK
    JRK

    Excuse me, but I have a bit of schadenfreude with this situation. I feel bad for what Deborah has gone through, but am enjoying that certain people have egg on their face.

    Rule #1 for those who have grey matter above the brain stem: Do not post a YouTube bragging about violating copyright law.

    Rule #2: Do not have someone with a huge ego in the ex-JW community do it for you! You might get a Cedar up your hiney.

    I will chuckle myself to sleep now . . .

    JK

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