MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - DRM is necessary and good, stop complaining

JohnClif · 11-28-2007, 10:10 PM

I've read this thread, being an author and an ereader user/owner for many years now.

Those who are against DRM have yet to answer how they would ensure that authors/publishers get compensated fairly without it. And, 'fairly' means they get paid according to their terms, not yours. The customer's choice is to buy or not buy, not rip off the author/publisher because they disagree with the price.

Those who are for DRM have yet to answer how they would ensure that customers have their rights protected. Once a customer buys a book, they should own the right to read that book in perpetuity. They should have the right to sell that book to another, and to receive whatever price that can be mutually agree upon to transfer the right to read that ebook.

If Amazon would do either of two things, a lot of people who are upset about DRM would be a lot less upset:

Provide translation to and from DRM Mobipocket to .AZW for a nominal fee (ten cents?)
Support DRM Mobipocket

Additionally, if Amazon would provide a service that allowed people to post their used Kindle books (actually the rights to read a book) back on Amazon's Kindle Shop for other Kindle buyers to purchase (and charge a nominal fee, ten cents?) for this, then Kindle adoption would be wide-spread and enthusiastic.

Doing these things is really trivial for Amazon... and would result in lots more profits. Why they don't is beyond me.

And finally... I think DRM will be transformed by eBook manufacturers more than publishers, although publishers will also be pushing for it. Really, the more formats/devices that a book can be read in/on, the better for everyone (publishers, readers, even Amazon). So, I expect to see DRM between .AZW and .MOBI brought in alignment along with a conversion service and ereader software upgrades... to end the Tower of Babel once and for all.

11-28-2007, 10:10 PM	#81
JohnClif Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 484 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle, PC/Mobipocket Reader, Palm T3	Some method of protecting authors is necessary I've read this thread, being an author and an ereader user/owner for many years now. Those who are against DRM have yet to answer how they would ensure that authors/publishers get compensated fairly without it. And, 'fairly' means they get paid according to their terms, not yours. The customer's choice is to buy or not buy, not rip off the author/publisher because they disagree with the price. Those who are for DRM have yet to answer how they would ensure that customers have their rights protected. Once a customer buys a book, they should own the right to read that book in perpetuity. They should have the right to sell that book to another, and to receive whatever price that can be mutually agree upon to transfer the right to read that ebook. If Amazon would do either of two things, a lot of people who are upset about DRM would be a lot less upset: Provide translation to and from DRM Mobipocket to .AZW for a nominal fee (ten cents?) Support DRM Mobipocket Additionally, if Amazon would provide a service that allowed people to post their used Kindle books (actually the rights to read a book) back on Amazon's Kindle Shop for other Kindle buyers to purchase (and charge a nominal fee, ten cents?) for this, then Kindle adoption would be wide-spread and enthusiastic. Doing these things is really trivial for Amazon... and would result in lots more profits. Why they don't is beyond me. And finally... I think DRM will be transformed by eBook manufacturers more than publishers, although publishers will also be pushing for it. Really, the more formats/devices that a book can be read in/on, the better for everyone (publishers, readers, even Amazon). So, I expect to see DRM between .AZW and .MOBI brought in alignment along with a conversion service and ereader software upgrades... to end the Tower of Babel once and for all.