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You are 100% correct. Perhaps this argument only stands true for movies.

There's only one way to compete with free: easy.

This is exactly what I do, which is why it frustrates me so much when some authors/publishers/wives of dead authors (like with the Wheel of Time series) won't allow the release of the ebook until well after the hardcover. Instead I resort to piracy because the whole reason I got a kindle was to avoid buying physical novels and particularly hardcovers, since I travel/move countries so much.

Publishers and authors and whatnot who do this are just insane. You should tap into the fact that many fans of popular fantasy/science fiction are also gadget freaks, and allow them to buy your books when they come out instead of losing sales due to piracy.