Book ownership

msoulier · 07-08-2011, 09:30 AM

Having recently entered the world of digital books, I find myself comparing this world to the physical world that I am used to.

Usually, I have a large library full of books that my wife and I clean out every few months to save space. The books that we no longer want to go our local library. We also borrow heavily from the library and buy used books from the same.

Now, I recently bought my first ebook from Kobo. It's in Adobe DRM epub. Yuk. So now I need Adobe's permission to unlock my own property. Physical books let you open them whenever you like. You can even loan books to friends, and donate to the library.

Now, if Kobo goes belly up (heaven forbid) I will still have my property as long as my pc and kobo reader don't die. When they do, I hopefully have backups but likely I'll need a new kobo to read them with. What I can do with my own property is now severly limited.

This must not bother many people as ebooks are growing in popularity. Perhaps no one cares, but I care enough for it to give me pause. I'm enjoying the Kobo immensely, and I could just consider the cost of the book the cost of reading it, books as a service as it were, with no real ownership, but I find it difficult to ignore what I am giving up out of the physical world.

I'm interested in what others here think. It's obvious that the book business has changed drastically, and it will continue to change. DRM in books may be a temporary thing, as publishers struggle to incorrectly bring their physical paradigms into the digital world. I hope so, but it might not be temporary.

Thoughts?

I'll say this. I'm reading more. That's a good thing.

abookreader · 07-08-2011, 09:52 AM

remove the drm and keep your own back-up system.

jleliekelly · 07-08-2011, 09:54 AM

@abookreader- agreed.

VydorScope · 07-08-2011, 10:05 AM

Plus there are tons of placed to get books with out DRM.... which reminds me I need to find a good system for backing my ebooks....

outlander78 · 07-08-2011, 10:22 AM

ebooks are easy to back up, either on a USB drive or a DVD - they are so small you will likely never need a second disc.

jleliekelly · 07-08-2011, 10:25 AM

I use SD cards (the bigger ones not the mini SD)

AnemicOak · 07-08-2011, 10:33 AM

I keep a local copy on my home and work computers which is also sync'd to both DropBox and SugarSync. I also keep a copy on a USB flash drive.

Pomtroll · 07-08-2011, 10:55 AM

I have mine stored in various places. But I do kind of miss donating all my paperbacks to our library paperback exchange & my hardcovers for the library fundraiser.

I do find if there is a book I will read over & over, I still will buy it in paper format. Most of those are non fiction though.

jleliekelly · 07-08-2011, 11:18 AM

I wish that I could donate ebooks to my library that I have bought and finished

cfrizz · 07-08-2011, 12:21 PM

You wisely bought a reader that uses Adobe drm, so that when your Kobo does die, you will be able to buy any other reader that utilizes it. Including, Sony, Nook, etc. The only one you won't be able to use will be Amazon's Kindle.

If you are interested in stripping the drm, Google apprentice alf.

Of course if you do this, you will be able to convert your books to whatever format you want for whatever reader you get.

Also download Calibre. This great program will do the conversion for you.

mr ploppy · 07-08-2011, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msoulier

I'm interested in what others here think. It's obvious that the book business has changed drastically, and it will continue to change. DRM in books may be a temporary thing, as publishers struggle to incorrectly bring their physical paradigms into the digital world. I hope so, but it might not be temporary.

With mp3 there was a push from consumers for files without DRM restrictions because people had lots of different devices they wanted to play them on. You won't get that same demand with ebooks because 1) people only tend to have at most 2 or 3 devices they want to use them on, and 2) most people will only read them once (if at all). So the DRM restrictions are a lot less apparent than they were with mp3. They're more like computer games where you play them on one device for a few weeks or months, then put them to one side and get a new one.

If you are going to remove the DRM, check the legality of doing that in your own country. Especially if you are in America and already have two strikes for minor offences

DianNC · 07-08-2011, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msoulier

I'm interested in what others here think

I'm pretty new to digital books, too, and have at times wondered about the negatives you bring up.

What cancels those out, for me, is that I have 94 books on my device and yesterday when I was waiting in the eye doctor's office, I was practically giddy in deciding upon which book to select to occupy me whilst waiting.

I'm still a little awed by the fact that I can leave my home and all the shelves of books, but still have this wonderful selection to tempt me on this tiny little piece of heaven.

I'm sure I'll get over it in time.

BTW...when the doc walked in and spied me reading, she immediately said, "Nook or Kindle?". She never did ask me what book I was reading, though.

OtterBooks · 07-08-2011, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msoulier

I'll say this. I'm reading more. That's a good thing.

focus on the good things.

VydorScope · 07-08-2011, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I keep a local copy on my home and work computers which is also sync'd to both DropBox and SugarSync. I also keep a copy on a USB flash drive.

Yea Dropbox is what I was think for mine...just need to find them all and copy them over...

ebusinesstutor · 07-08-2011, 03:07 PM

Like you, it seems wrong to me that I can't resell or donate ebooks the way I can with physical books. Especially since many times I pay the same price for the ebook that I do the book with less rights.

I really like Baen Books. No DRM so I can backup my ebooks in case my reader no longer works, reasonable prices and lots of free ebooks to try.

07-08-2011, 09:30 AM	#1
msoulier New Kobo Reader Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: kobo	Book ownership Having recently entered the world of digital books, I find myself comparing this world to the physical world that I am used to. Usually, I have a large library full of books that my wife and I clean out every few months to save space. The books that we no longer want to go our local library. We also borrow heavily from the library and buy used books from the same. Now, I recently bought my first ebook from Kobo. It's in Adobe DRM epub. Yuk. So now I need Adobe's permission to unlock my own property. Physical books let you open them whenever you like. You can even loan books to friends, and donate to the library. Now, if Kobo goes belly up (heaven forbid) I will still have my property as long as my pc and kobo reader don't die. When they do, I hopefully have backups but likely I'll need a new kobo to read them with. What I can do with my own property is now severly limited. This must not bother many people as ebooks are growing in popularity. Perhaps no one cares, but I care enough for it to give me pause. I'm enjoying the Kobo immensely, and I could just consider the cost of the book the cost of reading it, books as a service as it were, with no real ownership, but I find it difficult to ignore what I am giving up out of the physical world. I'm interested in what others here think. It's obvious that the book business has changed drastically, and it will continue to change. DRM in books may be a temporary thing, as publishers struggle to incorrectly bring their physical paradigms into the digital world. I hope so, but it might not be temporary. Thoughts? I'll say this. I'm reading more. That's a good thing.

07-08-2011, 12:21 PM	#10
cfrizz Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 34583358 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Quincy, MA Device: Samsung 54A, Kobo Libra H2O, Samsung S6 Lite	You wisely bought a reader that uses Adobe drm, so that when your Kobo does die, you will be able to buy any other reader that utilizes it. Including, Sony, Nook, etc. The only one you won't be able to use will be Amazon's Kindle. If you are interested in stripping the drm, Google apprentice alf. Of course if you do this, you will be able to convert your books to whatever format you want for whatever reader you get. Also download Calibre. This great program will do the conversion for you. Last edited by cfrizz; 07-08-2011 at 12:23 PM.

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07-08-2011, 09:52 AM	#2
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	remove the drm and keep your own back-up system.

07-08-2011, 09:54 AM	#3
jleliekelly i'm getting there. Posts: 179 Karma: 488150 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maine Device: Sony prs-600, MOTOROLA PHOTON & Toshiba Thrive	@abookreader- agreed.

07-08-2011, 10:05 AM	#4
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	Plus there are tons of placed to get books with out DRM.... which reminds me I need to find a good system for backing my ebooks....

07-08-2011, 10:22 AM	#5
outlander78 Zealot Posts: 104 Karma: 263218 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Arc 7	ebooks are easy to back up, either on a USB drive or a DVD - they are so small you will likely never need a second disc.

07-08-2011, 10:25 AM	#6
jleliekelly i'm getting there. Posts: 179 Karma: 488150 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maine Device: Sony prs-600, MOTOROLA PHOTON & Toshiba Thrive	I use SD cards (the bigger ones not the mini SD)

07-08-2011, 10:33 AM	#7
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	I keep a local copy on my home and work computers which is also sync'd to both DropBox and SugarSync. I also keep a copy on a USB flash drive.

07-08-2011, 10:55 AM	#8
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	I have mine stored in various places. But I do kind of miss donating all my paperbacks to our library paperback exchange & my hardcovers for the library fundraiser. I do find if there is a book I will read over & over, I still will buy it in paper format. Most of those are non fiction though.

07-08-2011, 11:18 AM	#9
jleliekelly i'm getting there. Posts: 179 Karma: 488150 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maine Device: Sony prs-600, MOTOROLA PHOTON & Toshiba Thrive	I wish that I could donate ebooks to my library that I have bought and finished

07-08-2011, 03:07 PM	#15
ebusinesstutor Star Gawker Posts: 526 Karma: 6944314 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Spruce Grove, AB Canada Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Like you, it seems wrong to me that I can't resell or donate ebooks the way I can with physical books. Especially since many times I pay the same price for the ebook that I do the book with less rights. I really like Baen Books. No DRM so I can backup my ebooks in case my reader no longer works, reasonable prices and lots of free ebooks to try.