General question

[ruffy17]

I recently bought a biology book for like a $100 and then i downloaded this general biology ebook torrent and then as i went through it i found that exact same book! i was kind of pissed but a book is usually better than ebook (more comfortable) so....
but my question is, do all these people really pay so much many for free for so many people? and there were so many books in that torrent, and it must have cost a fortune. How do they compensate for it?

[inovayta]

The group that released it probably has access to the books, or works for the publishing company. I highly doubt they paid for the books to make that release.

It is the same thing as a group that releases computer software or games. They usually don't actually purchase the games, they have ways to get their hands on a copy.

[ruffy17]

The group that released it probably has access to the books, or works for the publishing company.

isn't it illegal then giving free products from the company itself when it actually costs?

[Mr. T]

isn't it illegal then giving free products from the company itself when it actually costs?

Yes.

It's why release groups receive such stiff sentences.