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Old 11-20-2007, 09:00 AM   #32
Xenophon
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Redwood City, CA USA
Device: Kobo Aura HD, (ex)nook, (ex)PRS-700, (ex)PRS-500
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT View Post
You may not want to pirate anything, but there's plenty of evidence that a lot of people do (look at the eBook usenet newsgroups for a start). If such a converter, able to strip out DRM, were to come along, the most likely outcome would be that many publishers would withdraw from the eBook business. Many publishers - and authors - will not release eBooks without DRM.

Note that pretty much all eBook formats are proprietory. Being proprietory does not (necessarily) equate to using DRM.
It's also interesting to look at the eBook usenet newsgroup's responses to people asking for pirate copies of Baen books -- "It's only 5 bucks, just BUY it you cheapskate" and "Baen is the good guys; support them, don't pirate them." This difference came about through Baen choosing to go with cheap pricing and no DRM. Jim Baen (RIP) used to say that if you treat your customers like pirates, that's what they'll act like. But if you treat them like people...

I admit that this approach might not work for the #1 NYT bestseller. On the other hand, it has worked just fine for several #5-6 NYT bestsellers. And the converters don't have to strip the DRM, because there isn't any!

Xenophon

Last edited by Xenophon; 11-20-2007 at 09:01 AM. Reason: added 'no need to strip DRM' text
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