Quote:
Originally Posted by stonetools
One last post and I'm done for the night.The ad hominem crew are in a state of most noble confusion. On the last thread they swore that I was shilling for Apple. On this thread I'm supposed to be working for the publishers. I'm going to really confuse the knuckleheads by doing a pro Amazon post next 
But enough about the knuckleheads.Elfwreck summed up the thread pretty well above, and I would add the following.
The average user doesn't give a damn about DRM. If they did, we would see rapidly falling sales of ebook sales and ereader devices. Instead we see rapidly RISING sales of ebooks and ereaders. And the most popular device? The Amazon Kindle, which has a proprietary format AND the most restrictive DRM. So all of the digerati who profess solicitude for the average user, relax: the average user is OK with DRM.
What's odd is that the very people who rail against DRM seem to be Amazon devotees. I suspect that the railing against DRM is really a concern with plain old prices.
I think DRM is a two edged sword. On one hand, it stops or slows down casual sharing, which is what the publishers are REALLY concerned about. On the other hand, it gets the digerati really riled up, for reasons ideological and economic.
It seems clear that there is no definitive answer to my question. Whats also clear is that the digerati wants the publishing industry to take a leap of faith into the dark, based on the digerati's earnest assurances that ending DRM would have no effect on revenue. Its not surprising that the publishing industry won't be taking that leap. |
What nonsense. You're not getting it any more than the publisher do and thus it's clear to see why. As you all but admitted you are employed by the industry. You keep flinging innuendos and insults at anyone that doesn't agree with you and dares to say so and to point out the reasons.
DRM is just wrong period. It's been shown to be wrong in every case it's been used. I'll say it for the third time -- video, music and computer games.
It does matter to the average consumer, it will matter more the more of them get bit by publishers dropping titles or going out of business. DRM exists for no other reason than an attempt to maintain the status quo and keep their business model in place. The publishers are doing everything they can to prevent the industry changing.
What's impractical (note title) is to try to keep selling buggy whips when there are no more buggies.
The sooner they (and you since you are part of them) realize it, the better off everyone will be.
What's practical is to adapt your business model to embrace the new technologies and make them work for you.
When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn.