[Kevin WS]

My personal take is that I cannot see that the fact that a model is printed prevents or reduces piracy. And if anything, if you search on the Internet, there appear to be more pirated printed models then pirated download models!

Note also e-books are also easy to pirate, but this has not affected the production and sale of e-books.

For me, like many of the others here have also mentioned, living in lands far away and having to contented with terrible or non existant postal services, thefts and damage, delays and utterly ludicrous postal costs, the purchase of downloads is very attractive.

I have also found a couple of model shops who offer both options.

I recently contacted a number of model sellers and asked if they would make downloads available. A couple have said sure and that while they will not list them yet they will supply them if I ask, but most have come back with the "piracy" story.

I think it is an opportunity lost - while I prefer a printed model, I would have purchased many many more if they were available as downloads. As I have done from from the online suppliers.