Give authors the ability to let others download their work.

[gamernerd240]

I'm not sure if this option is already available, or if this is already a topic (I went through a few pages of suggestions) but it would be nice to be able to download a .txt of some of the larger stories, so I can put them on my ebook. I mean i could just copy paste it myself, but that would be rather tedious. I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to integrate into the site especially if someone uploads in .txt format. Anyone else think this is a good idea, bad idea?

[BronxWench]

Taking off my staff hat for a moment, and speaking just as an author, I would not be terribly comfortable leaving any of my original work up here if it were made easy to download it. My fandom stuff, well, it would be irritating as the hells to find it published elsewhere under someone else's name, but it's not something I could ever have published on my own for profit anyway. My original work, though... I'd be devastated. Seriously. Some of my oneshots in Originals are "outtakes" and character development bits for things I'd like to submit for publication.

I understand that the vast majority of people download something to read with no nefarious intent, and would no sooner plagiarize than they would kick a puppy. I know nothing's foolproof, and a determined thief can copy and paste just as well. I just don't see the point of a fiction archive making it easy for people to steal, not when that archive hosts original works.

That's strictly my opinion as an author, mind you, and it carries only as much weight as that of any other user here.

[gamernerd240]

I highly appreciate your input. But would you be against it being an option, even if you didn't use it yourself?

Actually never mind, I just re-read your statement

" I just don't see the point of a fiction archive making it easy for people to steal, not when that archive hosts original works."

Edited August 30, 2012 by gamernerd240

[WillowDarkling]

I have to agree with BronxWench on this completely. As an author of original works in the archive, I would be very uncomfortable knowing that readers could easily download my story without permission from me. (not that I'd give such a permission anyway).

And therefore I'd have to say that I'd be opposed to it being an option. Also, if it were made an option I would remove my original works, to be completely honest.

[gamernerd240]

I find it strange that you guys are so worried about plagiarism. Being a visual artist and musician for many years, the thought of someone ripping off my work has never really occurred to me. Perhaps It's just a writer thing.

[kagome26isawsome]

the problem with Plagiarizing is that there are people out there who work really damn hard at their writing, they spend many hours and days working on their characters and making their stories the best they can be. Writers take pride in their writing. As a writer (in the anime fandom), i would be really damn pissed if someone took my work, just changed the names or in some cases, just posted it without changes as their own. I wouldn't be comfortable having that option of people downloading my stories on here, I would just take them down and never post again.

[gamernerd240]

Don't get me wrong, I'd be pissed if someone stole my work as well. Perhaps I didn't explain myself clearly. IF the author chooses so (just like in the case of letting others add chapters) then you MAY make it available for download. I'm not saying every single piece of work will be available for download overnight.

[kagome26isawsome]

In the case of letting others add chapters to your own stories (round robins i assume is what they are called) then i guess...

[gamernerd240]

Now I could see why you wouldn't want the option at all as well, because if the security of your account (or the entire website) was compromised, then someone else could make your work available for download, even if you didn't want it to be. Oh well, I guess if I want to read in the comfort of my bed on an unlit screen, I'm just going to have to pull an old fashioned ctrl+c ctrl+v.

[BronxWench]

I find it strange that you guys are so worried about plagiarism. Being a visual artist and musician for many years, the thought of someone ripping off my work has never really occurred to me. Perhaps It's just a writer thing.

I think it's largely a writer thing, but I know my niece pulled all her pencil and charcoal work off dA because of rampant poaching of her CG dolls. She said that was bad enough, but her fine art stuff being swiped would have made her scream.

I've actually seen this on other archives, and it's not something that the author can opt out of, which does beg the question. Is it a coding thing, where the feature simply has to be all or nothing, or is it a philosophical choice made by the archive's owners? I know in one case it is definitely the latter, and I wouldn't be comfortable putting anything original on that site. If it were something where I could opt out, I wouldn't mind quite so much, but I don't think I'd ever be truly comfortable.

[gamernerd240]

I've used DA for entirely too long. (The way the site is structured is pretty poor, and i think it's really turned into a cesspool in the past three years or so) But I've never come across any duplicated works. There is so much content on most sites (and on the internet in general) the chances of you catching someone red headed is pretty nill I would think.

As far as the ability to download, I'd say if they are poor at coding, then that could be the issue, but most likely I assume the site owners feel if you can read/see/listen to it, it can be duplicated easily (Or they are hardcore "free-informationists").

The reason why I share my art?

To complete the artistic cycle. It is your obligation as an artist to share what you created. You draw from all sorts of sources, media, culture, friends, etc.(has anyone ever inspired you?) I think to keep all art to yourself is pretty selfish(particularly if you consider yourself a(n) "insert term for what you do") . To refine and polish something is fine, but you have to share it with the world, because that is where you draw your inspiration from. Who knows, you may inspire someone else.

That has always outweighed the constant threat of plagiarism(for me anyways). Nothing is safe really, at least on the internet anyways.

[JayDee]

They've caught loads of folks red handed. Hence, hall of shame. People remember the good shit. And get mad. MAAAA-AD. But, yeah, it's easy as pie to copy any story on here anyway, the extra functionality would make little extra difference to anybody who wanted to get copies. That doesn't include me, I'd have nowhere to keep them. My hard drive is full of pictures of Tilda Swinton in drag. It's a sickness I tells you.

...of course, as a pornographer I am freed from any constraints of the artistic cycle so I wouldn't know about that stuff anyway. Lacking any form of artistic merit is a freedom!

[Danyealle]

Actually, downloading a copy of a story is against TOS on AFF...

You agree as a user of AFF that you will not download or copy any of the content within without the express permission of the original user to post the content.

That alone will negate this coming into affect. There is a reason it's there and will remain so.

[Ayato]

As an originals writer it actually infuriates me when I hear that people have "ctrl+c" my work to keep their own personal copies. It's upsetting and unsettling for there to be copies of my work floating around when the only place that I've put them is here on AFF. It is one thing if I deliver a PDF copy to someone and say that they can hand it out if they please, it's quite another if someone takes what I've spent so long writing and keeps it on their computer where anyone could find it. The stories are on AFF, why is that not enough? I might want to distribute on a larger scale but if it came to that, what publisher would pick up a story that others have made copies off?

As for the artist cycle, meh, I don't believe in that. I create and if you insist that I need to share, I do share. I share on AFF and I only share on AFF for a reason. I don't write my stories so someone can copy them and keep a file of their own. Come to the site, participate in the community and yeah, hit up my story every time you want to read it so that I know that it is being read and enjoyed.

I might need to share my work but my ego still needs to be fed and it mainly sustains on hits. Hits which I cannot get if everyone copies the stories and keeps them on a hard drive.

It is encouraging to see that it's in the TOS itself and if I catch wind of someone or find the folk who had said they caught a copy for themselves, I will be reporting them. These are my works and the payment methods that are required are a bit unconventional but they are still cheaper than paying actual money.

[BronxWench]

The reason why I share my art?

To complete the artistic cycle. It is your obligation as an artist to share what you created. You draw from all sorts of sources, media, culture, friends, etc.(has anyone ever inspired you?) I think to keep all art to yourself is pretty selfish(particularly if you consider yourself a(n) "insert term for what you do") . To refine and polish something is fine, but you have to share it with the world, because that is where you draw your inspiration from. Who knows, you may inspire someone else.

That has always outweighed the constant threat of plagiarism(for me anyways). Nothing is safe really, at least on the internet anyways.

I've been hugely inspired by things I've read, but the artistic cycle for me never included copying and pasting large swathes of their work and squirreling it away on my hard drive. If it's for sale, I'll buy it if it inspired me that greatly. I have thousands of books in my home, literally. I celebrate what inspires me by supporting that writer and buying their work. The same goes for music and movies. If it inspires me, I give the artist my support where it counts, by paying for the product.

Have I loaned a book out? Of course. But it was a book I actually paid for, and I didn't offer it for mass reproduction. I lent it to a single person, who read it and returned it. Not at all the same as thinking that something I've written has been downloaded without my consent (you will note in my disclaimers for my original works that I reserve all rights, which includes copying). Sharing my art is not the same as giving it away like flyers on a street corner.

As far as nothing being safe on the Internet, I'm well aware. I was around for the birth of the Internet, and I remember the lovely idealistic hopes held out for it. I'm also cynic enough to have known it couldn't last, and that's why anything I intend to publish, aside from my outtakes and character development pieces, will never be published online until it's a Kindle that my publisher is offering for sale.

[pittwitch]

Dear gods of all that is sacred! Are you kidding? It's already WAY too easy to copy/paste things. I, as a writer, do NOT want to make it easier for someone to steal stories.

[gamernerd240]

I don't know about you guys, but staring at tiny font for hours on end on a LCD or CRT hurts my eyes. I do understand where everyone is coming from, and if you have no philosophical obligation to your art, or the people that consume it, that's fine. I'm still going to play devil's advocate though, simply for the sake of argument. I'd say people plagiarize for a few reasons. Firstly, to get recognition for something that they think is awesome, but are too lazy to imitate properly. It's actually sort of flattering when you think about it. Secondly, to be assholes. I'm sure there are plenty people out there who plagiarize simply for the sake of pissing hard working people off, because they can. And thirdly, and i think the least common(just an educated guess), is those who think they can profit from it by material gain. I think you guys are depending on that lazy streak that makes up most plagiarists(the semi-flattering kind) to defeat them. But that is only some of them. And yes, on this website I'm sure you've caught plenty of trolls. I'm sure this community is targeted by the scum of the internet, and I will not mention where they like to hang out in their spare time. Ive yet to find a single person that has ripped off my work, ever. But then again, I'm not paranoid about it and constantly combing the internet to find virtual thiefs, either. Luckily, you guys have mods that do that though. (I think?) And perhaps the nature of this site and the content may make you a little more protective of your work. Makes sense to me. I wouldn't want every Tom, Dick and Jane at the office to know I write the filthiest thing they have probably ever read in their vanilla lives. I'm going to shut up now. Lol.

[RogueMudblood]

It is in no way flattering to be plagiarised. It is degrading and demoralizing. It is a painful experience to have something you poured hours of time and energy and self into stolen - taken from you at someone else's whim. It is a violation.

I am speaking from experience. Mine wasn't fiction, it was academic. And it is one reason that nothing extended that I may ever write will ever be placed on the Internet for public consumption. I don't fancy myself a writer, or much of an artist. I have two photos on my dA - and if you really need to steal the photo of my cat or the geese fighting at the zoo, that's a level below depraved, honestly.

I was in no way impressed by the person who had the utter lack of scruples and complete audacity to claim my research and my writing as their own.

I know as offended as I was, as angry as it made me, as violated as I felt (which is where a good deal of the anger comes from) - how much more must creative writers feel violated? The authors on this site put their hearts into their work, not just their energy and effort. They display a piece of themselves in everything they post. If an author, individually, wants to give permission for someone to keep their piece, that's the author's choice.

But to ask the entire archive to subject themselves to that.... I can't reconcile it. I can't conceive of a reason it would benefit the archive to have that as an option. It would only exacerbate the already extremely prevalent practice of cobblefic plagiarism. It would increase the number of instances of "authors" claiming abandoned works for their own.

Like pittwitch and Bronx, I see no reason to make this any easier on the thieves. And Like Danyealle said,

Actually, downloading a copy of a story is against TOS on AFF...

You agree as a user of AFF that you will not download or copy any of the content within without the express permission of the original user to post the content.

That alone will negate this coming into affect. There is a reason it's there and will remain so.

[gamernerd240]

Actually, one more thing. Anyone who would give me permission to transfer their work to my ebook, it would be greatly appreciated. I will review it properly. Chances are 98% will get both good and bad aspects, if it's absolute trash, i wont lie, same if it is completely awesome. If it is completely awesome, I will even direct my more literary friends to it. I promise not to distribute it in any way, torrents, hard file transfer, or by printing it, etc. You have my word.

[sumeragichan]

Just to be fair, I do see where you are coming from Gamernerd. To be honest, many feel very strongly about this topic. I've never been considered decent enough at either art or writing to be plagiarized or copied from yet so I might be a bit more easier for me to deal with.

The nasties are the biggest concern more than those who make a quick copy for a book reader. As long as you aren't redistributing them... I'm not too worried. Then again, my deviant page might show my own views on copyright vs. copyleft. I'm usually all about choices on my end.

Then again, there are a few stories whose formatting is unreadable on my laptop if I don't attempt to do something. Usually not good for lappy.

Edited August 31, 2012 by Hopebringer Jem

[gamernerd240]

I seriously thought I was all alone on this one. Thanks for speaking up, Hopebringer Jem.

[DemonGoddess]

You're going to find where someone has been victimized in this manner before, that they will most likely be AGAINST any such an option. I'm not a writer, so I've not suffered plagiarism of my written stuff; but I have been victimized on the art end. Not pleasant, and yes, still testy about it. Like most artists, I'll share my stuff, if asked. Was I asked? Nope.

I'm glad we don't offer that as an option, personally. If it helps even in a small way to prevent someone's work being lifted, it's worth it to NOT allow downloads.