For reading free books

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by bigmoney

Don't forget the helicopter

if DRM is evil, who is non DRM ?

[bigmoney]

Originally Posted by Kris777

if DRM is evil, who is non DRM ?

Unfortunately, not many. Fictionwise.com and baen.com sell a few titles DRM-free, but not many, and no popular titles.

But as I said previously, it is important that the customers make it clear to the publishers that DRM only punishes honest people, when for example their device dies and they have all those ebooks tied to a specific device ID. Dishonest people don't have this problem because they just download .txt files from torrents.

I sent an email to BooksOnBoard these days, asking them what is their policy regarding device IDs, if they would let me re-download all my purchases with a new ID if needed be, and they never answered me (which is weird because my previous inquiries where answered within 12 hours).

[gwynevans]

Originally Posted by bigmoney

Unfortunately, not many. Fictionwise.com and baen.com sell a few titles DRM-free, but not many, and no popular titles.

Well, regarding Baen, as I understand it they sell all of their titles in DRM-free formats!

As for popular titles, that rather depends on your view - I'm guessing that when all fiction books are considered, they could be said to have 'no popular titles', in that SF&F, which is their market sector, may not have enough overall sales to bulk to feature highly on the combined charts, but within the sector, they publish some major authors... In fact, they even give away substantiatal numbers of novels!

[bigmoney]

Originally Posted by gwynevans

Well, regarding Baen, as I understand it they sell all of their titles in DRM-free formats!

As for popular titles, that rather depends on your view - I'm guessing that when all fiction books are considered, they could be said to have 'no popular titles', in that SF&F, which is their market sector, may not have enough overall sales to bulk to feature highly on the combined charts, but within the sector, they publish some major authors... In fact, they even give away substantiatal numbers of novels!

You're right, I had fictionwise in my mind when I said those things about only a few titles being DRM-free. By popular titles I mean "hot" titles, so if you look for any recent book that is selling a lot in the SF genre, I don't think you will find anything DRM-free at fictionwise.

[mosteo]

This DRM thing is maddening. I'm just refraining from purchasing the new Dan Simmons book (Drood) because I can't find it DRM-free, and hardcover editions online are (besides shipping) only slightly more expensive than the DRM-ed ebooks I have found (mobipocket or sonyconnect).

I'm Spanish, so I would, ideally, purchase now the eBook (I can barely restrain, I'm sure I'll love this book), read it in English (which I do not master outside my technical field, so I miss lots of subtleties), and then the hardcover when it comes out translated here. I don't want to have both hardcover, so this way they're losing one sale and I'm losing my sanity

(BTW bigmoney: I soooo much liked the Hyperion cantos. I envy you if it's your first reading.)

[bigmoney]

Originally Posted by mosteo

This DRM thing is maddening. I'm just refraining from purchasing the new Dan Simmons book (Drood) because I can't find it DRM-free, and hardcover editions online are (besides shipping) only slightly more expensive than the DRM-ed ebooks I have found (mobipocket or sonyconnect).

I'm Spanish, so I would, ideally, purchase now the eBook (I can barely restrain, I'm sure I'll love this book), read it in English (which I do not master outside my technical field, so I miss lots of subtleties), and then the hardcover when it comes out translated here. I don't want to have both hardcover, so this way they're losing one sale and I'm losing my sanity

(BTW bigmoney: I soooo much liked the Hyperion cantos. I envy you if it's your first reading.)

Yes it's my first read, I just started (page 100 or so) but it looks very promising..I love this kind of books where the author develops a whole universe. I've read zillions of sci-fi books but for some reason I've never had the chance to read this classic as well as Revelation Space. Will fix that now

Regarding DRM, my position so far (considering that I cannot put paper books in my apartment, all shelves and boxes etc are full of books) is to buy them and run one of those programs that remove DRM, like mobiDeDrm.py. And on top of that I bug the stores from time to time. It worked with music (Amazon and now iTunes are DRM-free, and they are not losing buyers), so one day I am sure that DRM will die for ebooks as well, it's just a question of when.

[HarryT]

Not everyone shares the views the DRM is an "issue". I don't give two hoots about it personally, any more than I do about iTunes DRM. Neither interferes with my enjoyment of the products that I've bought. Not everyone regards either a music download or an eBook as a "lifetime investment"; personally, I very rarely re-read books, and the ones that I do read tend to be out-of-copyright classics.

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Not everyone shares the views the DRM is an "issue". I don't give two hoots about it personally, any more than I do about iTunes DRM. Neither interferes with my enjoyment of the products that I've bought. Not everyone regards either a music download or an eBook as a "lifetime investment"; personally, I very rarely re-read books, and the ones that I do read tend to be out-of-copyright classics.

I think you and I are in a very small minority. I just don't care all that much. I read them and I'm done.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I think you and I are in a very small minority.

I'm not so sure. I think that it might be a case of a vocal minority and a silent majority who just don't care about it.

[bigmoney]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Not everyone shares the views the DRM is an "issue". I don't give two hoots about it personally, any more than I do about iTunes DRM. Neither interferes with my enjoyment of the products that I've bought. Not everyone regards either a music download or an eBook as a "lifetime investment"; personally, I very rarely re-read books, and the ones that I do read tend to be out-of-copyright classics.

Good for you, different people, different minds. I enjoyed immensely all the hundreds of wonderful books and records that my parents had and that I could discover on my teen years, and I would love my kids to have the same opportunity.

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm not so sure. I think that it might be a case of a vocal minority and a silent majority who just don't care about it.

Or that...

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by bigmoney

Good for you, different people, different minds. I enjoyed immensely all the hundreds of wonderful books and records that my parents had and that I could discover on my teen years, and I would love my kids to have the same opportunity.

I certainly wouldn't disagree with that. One has only to look at the commercial success of machines like the Kindle, however, to realise that a DRM bookstore is not a barrier to commercial success.

[bigmoney]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm not so sure. I think that it might be a case of a vocal minority and a silent majority who just don't care about it.

As long as people is aware of what is DRM, no problem being "for" it. But I believe that most people is not in one group or the other you mentioned, they just don't know what is DRM. Not knowing is not the same as not caring.

One example: my sister had an iPod for years, and spent more than 500 dollars at the iTunes store during those years. Then her iPod died and she decided to buy a Google Phone (Android), because she preferred its features. She naturally thought that she could move her music to the new device, they are just music files after all, and then she learned what is DRM. I guess this bad surprise happens thousands of times every day.

I am not sure if, having the question "do you mind that you probably won't be able to re-read your ebooks when your device die?", most people would answer "I don't care". AFAIK people like to see stuff they buy as their property, not a temporary thing like you do. But as I said, as long as you are aware of the issues, fine, your position is as valid as mine.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by bigmoney

I am not sure if, having the question "do you mind that you probably won't be able to re-read your ebooks when you device die?", most people would answer "I don't care".

But, with respect, that is not generally the case. If you buy books for a Kindle and your Kindle dies, buy another one and you can carry on reading your books. Yes, of course you're locked in to that manufacturer, but that's a deliberate ploy on the part of Amazon. Go with MobiPocket and you can choose pretty much any device on the market (except Sony) and be able to happily carry on reading your books.

I really have to disagee with the somewhat "melodramatic" assertion your signature makes that DRM is "evil". DRM is simply a marketing technique - it is neither "good" nor "evil", any more than the fact that, say, if I buy a lens for my Canon DSLR I cannot subsequently use it on a Nikon camera is "evil". Every manufacturer tries to lock you in to their products; it makes sound commercial sense to do so.

[bigmoney]

Originally Posted by HarryT

.. Yes, of course you're locked in to that manufacturer, but that's a deliberate plot on the part of Amazon.

..and that, according to my vision of the world, is evil, hence my signature...

Deliberately locking people into a vendor is not cool, people can't do that with physical goods but for some reason it's still OK with digital goods.