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View Poll Results: What keeps you from buying ebooks
I think that DRM is OK. 11 6.75%
I think that DRM is bad. 93 57.06%
I think that DRM books are harmful to the public interest. 76 46.63%
I would strip DRM from any book that I buy. 75 46.01%
I will not buy a book with DRM. 38 23.31%
I will not pay for a DRM book. 30 18.40%
I have frequently shared paper books, and do share ebooks. 29 17.79%
I have occasionally shared paper books, and would like to share ebooks. 47 28.83%
I rarely share books, but would like that option. 39 23.93%
I never share books. 11 6.75%
I would buy a non-DRM book for $10. 50 30.67%
I would buy a DRM book for less than $5. 35 21.47%
I would only buy a DRM book if it was much less than $5. 22 13.50%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 163. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 06-19-2010, 09:41 AM   #1
SameOldStory
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What stops you from buying ebooks

This is my first attempt at a poll and I had 2 posts before I was even ready.

I have read the opinions of most people elsewhere. But what is not all that clear is what choices people make in reguards to DRM. This poll is about as scientific as a pile of poop. No pretense there.

I've tried the options to DRM and don't like most of them.

I've downloaded pirated books. But then you have to speed more time proofreading them than enjoying them, so they were deleated

I've downloaded DRM books to strip off the DRM. But I don't like to give the publishers a sale for DRM books.

In the end, there are so many good non-DRM books around that I don't miss the DRM ones much. But if the publishers sell them without DRM they'll start getting my money.


Post Script added - Vote on those things that you want, and then comment on your choices. No poll worth reading and voting on can cover ALL view points.

Last edited by SameOldStory; 06-19-2010 at 10:59 AM.
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Old 06-19-2010, 09:55 AM   #2
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I hope I'm understanding this thread correctly, but if I'm not then please feel free to disregard what follows.

There's one particular bit of nonsense that I've seen in the last year that turns me off immediately. I actually find it more insulting than DRM. And it is this particular pre-amble in a lot of indie books:

This ebook is licensed for your enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.


At this point I stop reading what you've written and I won't read another thing by you ever again.

DRM is a no-go too, and also ridiculous pricing. So basically I'm left with free books and authors who accept donations.

Last edited by Moejoe; 06-19-2010 at 10:13 AM. Reason: Extra 'e' but not the fun kind :)
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Old 06-19-2010, 09:57 AM   #3
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There is NO excuse for DRM. There is NO excuse for geographical restrictions. There is NO excuse for a publisher not to try his best to provide a wide range of download options, there is NO excuse for high prices that make a nonsense of the idea.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR TURNING EBOOK READING INTO A MINEFIELD!!!

We are the first customers at the market gate, SameOldStory ... WE must lay the groundrules ourselves! Otherwise, this exciting and practical new way of reading the words of worthy authors will be hijackacked before it's even had a chance to fly solo.

Don't buy books from an online store with any geographical restrictions (there is no legitimate excuse), do not buy books from publishers who aren't trying hard to accommodate you, do not buy books with nonsense DRM. Don't look for an option... simply don't buy. They'll get the message.

There are times -- even as an author and and editor and also as a none-too-shabby publisher when I feel I should salute the Jolly Roger of the pirates. Their broadside should not be ignored ... it should be heard!

Here ends the rant. Neil

PS: When you've bought youself a reading device only to find that the folks that sold it to you won't let you download their books because of publisher-imposed geographical restrictions, ask them this: Well why not open a sales site in Europe and Australia and sell the local editions? It costs f*ck all. That is all. N
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Old 06-19-2010, 10:33 AM   #4
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Cannot answer the poll since I am buying ebooks.
Of course I would like to see some things change.
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Old 06-19-2010, 10:51 AM   #5
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Couldn't find a good option for me.

Only time I won't buy an e-book is when it costs more than the cheapest print version.

I don't like DRM, but I don't re-read very often (and would generally by a hard cover of something I love and want to re-read as I still prefer that reading experience to e-books).

Loaning I don't care much about. My girlfriend is the only person I care to loan books too, and that's taken care of with the Kindle App on her iPad and PCs since she can read any book I buy since we share an account.
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Old 06-19-2010, 10:56 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seli View Post
Cannot answer the poll since I am buying ebooks.
Of course I would like to see some things change.
Of course you can. Many people started reading and sharing paper books. After switching over to ebooks they still want to share. But DRM is a way the tell us that we will be criminals if we share.

If you buy DRM books you have lots of company. We won’t kill you for that (Well. Maybe just beat you up a little. )

In the end you can vote on those things that you want, and then comment on your choices.
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Old 06-19-2010, 11:23 AM   #7
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I voted I think that DRM is ok ... but I don't think it is ok as it is implemented. DVDs are sold with DRM; cable TV is sold with DRM; satellite radio is sold with DRM. I don't have an issue with rights-holders having some control over distribution and use. You don't have to consume the product if you don't want to.

I voted I would strip DRM from any book that I buy ... but I'd rather not go through that hassle. I do it because I want a clean back-up should it ever be necessary; I want to read on two different readers which support mutually-exclusive DRM models; I remove DRM so I can add my own background notes, change covers, and do other customization to my personal copy which leaves the author's work untouched.

I voted I rarely share books, but would like that option ... and that includes sharing with in-house family members. But, it's not critical: we can hand the e-reader back and forth. Afterall, if I buy one copy of a paperback only one of us can read that at a time. I'm ok with that.
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Old 06-19-2010, 11:25 AM   #8
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Some of these choices seem a little odd. Why is "I never share books" a reason not to buy an ebook?
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Old 06-19-2010, 11:33 AM   #9
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This ebook is licensed for your enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
Doctrine of first sale, b*tches.

I guarantee you, if I found that in a book I bought, whether printed or electronic, I would never, ever buy or read another book from that author.

Authors' and publishers' attitudes matter to me, and influence my market choices. I've been boycotting Palladium for 20 years because of two things: their official statement of religious intolerance that they used to have in their RPG manuals, and their insistence that they own the copyright on anything -- including such things as magazine reviews -- which so much as mentions one of their products. I'm sure I've missed some good things, but the sea is full of fish and the market is full of competing products. An author who tells me that I and I alone can read a book I bought from them (what's next, I'm only allowed to read it once?) is welcome to all the readers they can get, but I won't be one of them. Ever.
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Old 06-19-2010, 11:46 AM   #10
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Quote:
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Some of these choices seem a little odd. Why is "I never share books" a reason not to buy an ebook?
I've read that statement here in MR. Someone has said that they don't mind DRM because they never share books.

I find that as odd as the statement that some people only read hardcover books. And that's one I've encountered at work.

Perhaps it would have been better to say "I never share books, so DRM doesn't matter to me." Can that part be edited?
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Old 06-19-2010, 11:52 AM   #11
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I've read that statement here in MR. Someone has said that they don't mind DRM because they never share books.

I find that as odd as the statement that some people only read hardcover books. And that's one I've encountered at work.

Perhaps it would have been better to say "I never share books, so DRM doesn't matter to me." Can that part be edited?
Sorry, you misunderstand me. What I meant was that it struck me that the statement "I never share books" wouldn't be a reason not to buy ebooks. On the contrary, it might be a reason to encourage someone to buy them.
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Old 06-19-2010, 11:52 AM   #12
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(what's next, I'm only allowed to read it once?) is welcome to all the readers they can get, but I won't be one of them. Ever.
Damn you, Worldwalker! They may read the posts here on MR. Remember, YOU'RE to blame if they come out with one time ebooks for $24.99!!!
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Old 06-19-2010, 12:02 PM   #13
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UNTIL eBooks have the same rights as paper books, they need to be MUCH cheaper than paper. Without any changes, eBook rental makes more sense than "purchase".
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Old 06-19-2010, 12:06 PM   #14
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I'd prefer no DRM for my convenience, but I get that publishers and writers want their work protected. I'm not going to bother arguing whether the protection is effective; they can sell their product as they see fit, and I will choose to buy or not, depending on my needs. I buy DRM books because I want the content. I don't buy them tethered to one company's devices (as with iBooks), because the marketplace offers me options.

Last edited by Maggie Leung; 06-19-2010 at 12:17 PM.
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Old 06-19-2010, 12:15 PM   #15
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Without any changes, eBook rental makes more sense than "purchase".
I for one would LOVE an e-book rental service--like Netflix for movies.

The older and busier I get, the seldom I'm willing to spend precious free time re-reading something, or watching a movie I've seen a few times etc. vs. experiencing something new for the first time.

I'd gladly play say $10 a month for a 1 book at a time rental service. That low would probably have to be capped at 2-4 books a month or something, with an unlimited plan costing more. But that would be fine with me since I only read a couple books a month.
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