Quote:
Originally Posted by OtterBooks
are there particulars about software based DRM that could be changed that would mitigate the concerns of those opposed to it in its current form, while satisfying those who feel that active management of IP is necessary and serves the greater good? Or is it an all-or-nothing issue?
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There is no form of DRM that will prevent unauthorized copies, because as mentioned, allowing someone to read a book allows them to make copies if they want to put enough work into it. (If they can't photograph or screencap, they can always just
write a copy longhand.) However, not releasing a legit ebook version would cut down on this practice for all but the most popular books.
There are ways to discourage widespread sharing, which may-or-may-not be considered DRM. Placing the buyer's name & account number in the ebook might be considered DRM, but these days, we mostly think DRM means "software that prevents an unauthorized person from opening it," not "any measure designed to protect IP rights."
Anything that doesn't prevent opening or editing the file could be changed. Name, email & account # can be stripped out of ebooks for widespread sharing--however, since most people aren't interested in uploading their purchases to the torrents, most people wouldn't bother stripping out that info before giving a copy to a relative. Casual sharing would almost certainly increase if the current DRM schemes were dropped for something less invasive. (Stonetools thinks this would expand to "send a copy to my 500 facebook friends;" the rest of us think that the lack of this practice for Baen and similar ebooks means it's not likely.
The real issue is whether authors & publishers gain more money by preventing that sharing (by forcing the distant relative to buy their own copy instead of "borrowing" one), or lose more money from would-be purchasers who won't deal with DRM, or people who won't take a chance on a new author because they've never read anything by that author and nothing's available for less than full price.
There are less-invasive methods; all of them are also less secure. There are no not-invasive-at-all methods; the closest is "the cloud," where one needs to be connected online with a compatible device... which is great for people with those devices & a high-speed connection. Doesn't work for, for example, people stuck in hospitals with no wifi, who want a few books to read while they're recovering.
The crucial issue: what does DRM do more: prevent unauthorized copies, or lose potential customers? This is very difficult to measure--how many of those prevented-copies will become customers because they couldn't get it for free? And how do you measure the potential sales to someone who currently won't buy because of DRM? (I buy non-DRM'd ebooks. However, even if Patterson's books were sold without DRM, I wouldn't be buying them.)
TL;DR?
Short version: This has been argued for the last decade, and nobody's yet found a simple, conclusive answer. Nor even a complex, conclusive answer. In the meantime ... Baen continues to thrive, and HarperCollins & Macmillan continue to screech about how "piracy" is killing their profits.