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Originally Posted by spindlegirl
I wish that DRM removal could be obvious for Linux users. I've found some work arounds under wine, but I find that blog that we're all supposed to google confusing, which leads to dead links, and simply saying "Linux users will find it easy to change the code to plug in"... well, no.
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Well, wishing won't make it so! (Homer to Barney) People could get money together to "donate" to people at XDA or something. It would be a bit of trouble to write and maintain after all.
Re. DRM I hope that DRM-free experiments like the Tor Books one become more popular. The ideal situation is like with the Humble Bundle indie games pack, where you pay what you consider fair and there is no DRM. This is actually very profitable but the scale is smaller. Also the audience has a bit more "civic responsibility" than the mass public. Would you make as much money releasing "Harry Potter" using that scheme as you do through a DRM edition? We don't really know but many would have doubts.
The other side of the coin is that the intellectual property industry, in its pursuit of private profit, causes social harms through draconian and questionably useful laws that it lobbies for. From what I understand, arguments that if you don't have strong IP law you do not get innovation are not well supported by evidence. We should be pushing for weaker IP protection, especially in areas like manufacture of generic medicines for countries facing disease epidemics, or right to freedom of speech and open public access on the internet.
Unfortunately the IP lobbying industry has been having a lot of success lately. In the end it is another aspect of the most pressing issue of our times, rich people using their money to influence politicians so that it is easier for them to become more wealthy. This is a feedback loop which has gotten out of control. But that is getting off the topic.
