When I came across this discussion 
I said to myself to engage.
No matter the excuse to crime, it is still a crime. Publishing someone's work is even liken to robbery. Because tell me, how I will sit down and bring imagination, embark on research, burn candles, to publish a work. Only for me to realise that I earned nothing simply because my publications was duplicated. To be acces free or even at a cheaper rate, thereby rendering my original copy useless.
Because, me as a person will not leave a cheap and still quality materials to buy the same material at a high price.
So the issue of piracy should be treated with every necessity.
I came across the rule and punishment attached to anyone who published a work that doesn't belong to him, long time ago when I went IT at national library.
But looking at our society today, I think we're beginning to neglect the rule.
The government to reinforce that rule, at the same time provide a solution where both the author and the people who are not opportune to buy this book at that price will benefit too. By doing this, the two parties will be satisfied and the issue of piracy will be reduced if not stopped permanently.