http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130429/07360222878/greenheart-games-trolls-pirates-with-altered-cracked-version-game-dev-tycoon.shtml#c237 Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:30:50 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130429/07360222878/greenheart-games-trolls-pirates-with-altered-cracked-version-game-dev-tycoon.shtml#c237 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130207/09265121910/controversy-over-anne-green-gables-cover-is-way-overblown-thats-great-sign-indie-publishing.shtml#c198 Thu, 7 Feb 2013 21:47:36 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130207/09265121910/controversy-over-anne-green-gables-cover-is-way-overblown-thats-great-sign-indie-publishing.shtml#c198
Seriously, that would be like ... I don't know, banning the phrase 'space marine.' Just ludicrous to even think about!]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130130/16434021830/two-more-politicians-claim-video-games-are-real-problem.shtml#c830 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:33:32 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130130/16434021830/two-more-politicians-claim-video-games-are-real-problem.shtml#c830 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130116/11385121704/hbos-one-attempt-standalone-digital-service-sucks.shtml#c87 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:43:29 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130116/11385121704/hbos-one-attempt-standalone-digital-service-sucks.shtml#c87 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130116/11385121704/hbos-one-attempt-standalone-digital-service-sucks.shtml#c64 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:42:35 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130116/11385121704/hbos-one-attempt-standalone-digital-service-sucks.shtml#c64
The fact of the matter is that HBO Go fits all those promises they made. The problem is that the thing they actually ended up offering is not HBO Go, which is not available without a cable subscription.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121220/12370621457/war-z-game-producer-lists-non-existent-features-blames-customers-eyesight-overactive-imagination.shtml#c248 Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:19:48 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121220/12370621457/war-z-game-producer-lists-non-existent-features-blames-customers-eyesight-overactive-imagination.shtml#c248
Promising multiplayer and delivering a single player game, for instance, would be a quantifiable false advertisement and grounds for a refund. Or in this case, promising multiple maps with large areas and delivering a single small one.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121204/01140521217/how-out-touch-is-copyright-office-it-thinks-authors-guild-is-leading-advocate-writers-interests.shtml#c798 Tue, 11 Dec 2012 09:59:59 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121204/01140521217/how-out-touch-is-copyright-office-it-thinks-authors-guild-is-leading-advocate-writers-interests.shtml#c798 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121206/17321021296/sega-goes-nuclear-youtube-videos-old-shining-force-game.shtml#c187 Fri, 7 Dec 2012 08:26:47 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121206/17321021296/sega-goes-nuclear-youtube-videos-old-shining-force-game.shtml#c187 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121204/01231921218/next-techdirt-book-club-book-cory-doctorows-pirate-cinema.shtml#c36 Tue, 4 Dec 2012 19:22:16 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121204/01231921218/next-techdirt-book-club-book-cory-doctorows-pirate-cinema.shtml#c36 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121006/15375020630/xbox-drm-punishes-more-paying-customers-actually-restricts-purchasing-options.shtml#c714 Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:03:35 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121006/15375020630/xbox-drm-punishes-more-paying-customers-actually-restricts-purchasing-options.shtml#c714 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120918/20503120423/french-court-detaches-itself-reality-demands-tabloid-turn-over-original-topless-kate-middleton-photos.shtml#c480 Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:41:21 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120918/20503120423/french-court-detaches-itself-reality-demands-tabloid-turn-over-original-topless-kate-middleton-photos.shtml#c480 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120918/02161220415/top-pirate-party-member-has-dmca-takedown-notices-issued-her-name.shtml#c340 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:47:13 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120918/02161220415/top-pirate-party-member-has-dmca-takedown-notices-issued-her-name.shtml#c340 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120916/23445720397/this-is-not-transparency-tpp-delegates-refuses-to-reveal-text-refuse-to-discuss-leaked-text.shtml#c558 Mon, 17 Sep 2012 17:46:08 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120916/23445720397/this-is-not-transparency-tpp-delegates-refuses-to-reveal-text-refuse-to-discuss-leaked-text.shtml#c558
EFF (I know that one, but still), TPP, USTR, SOPA, ACTA, DMCA (the linked article defines that one, imagine that). FFS, IDK WTF.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120830/13190220221/first-round-ebook-price-fixing-settlements-are-announced.shtml#c15 Thu, 30 Aug 2012 21:04:43 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120830/13190220221/first-round-ebook-price-fixing-settlements-are-announced.shtml#c15
Also, I'm not sure why you think $10 is unacceptable for a text file with a thumbnail, but it's acceptable for a paper book. There's not really much more inherently valuable with a paper book. It costs less than $2 to print a hardcover book (printed in bulk, of course). So it's equally valid to say "I refuse to pay $10 for ink on wood pulp."]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120824/05523420143/facebooks-lower-stock-price-means-saverin-doubled-tax-bill-leaving-country.shtml#c234 Sat, 25 Aug 2012 12:20:36 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120824/05523420143/facebooks-lower-stock-price-means-saverin-doubled-tax-bill-leaving-country.shtml#c234 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20120813/14074420011/people-who-pay-service-are-lot-nicer-than-those-who-dont.shtml#c319 Fri, 17 Aug 2012 19:52:55 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20120813/14074420011/people-who-pay-service-are-lot-nicer-than-those-who-dont.shtml#c319 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120814/06084420017/hachette-tells-authors-tor-to-use-drm-because-it-is-awesome-something.shtml#c192 Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:36:16 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120814/06084420017/hachette-tells-authors-tor-to-use-drm-because-it-is-awesome-something.shtml#c192 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120816/07425320074/us-uk-betray-basic-values-to-get-assange-any-cost.shtml#c289 Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:44:06 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120816/07425320074/us-uk-betray-basic-values-to-get-assange-any-cost.shtml#c289 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120801/21294019913/why-tragedies-result-overreactions-our-brains-arent-very-good-risk-analysis.shtml#c1488 Sun, 5 Aug 2012 14:43:21 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120801/21294019913/why-tragedies-result-overreactions-our-brains-arent-very-good-risk-analysis.shtml#c1488
Also, lol if you think your goddamn hunting rifle is going to mean anything if the US military comes knocking at your door.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120627/07050019506/indie-ebook-scene-is-growing-heres-over-170-authors-whove-sold-more-than-50000-copies.shtml#c124 Thu, 2 Aug 2012 14:46:38 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120627/07050019506/indie-ebook-scene-is-growing-heres-over-170-authors-whove-sold-more-than-50000-copies.shtml#c124
Also, if you're putting King and Patterson and Rowling at the high end, which they certainly are, you should also consider that these indie eBook authors are still outliers. The vast majority of self-published books sell fewer than 50 copies.

It's depressingly difficult to be a successful author regardless of the path you choose. The difficulty of finding a publisher has simply been supplanted by the difficulty of finding an audience.]]>