Quote:
Originally Posted by Halk
Well, my thinking was along these lines.
Instead of DRM removing tools, think of it as an assault rifle.
I need an assault rifle in my house to shoot any wild animals that bother me, or for self defence. I know I'll only use it for that and it won't be a risk.
However no other bugger can have an assault rifle, because if they do they'll go around shooting each other when they get pissed off.
As well as that...
I've also decided to view DRM encoded books as an entirely different thing than a non-DRM encoded book.
I.e. if I have one without DRM then it's mine forever, no matter what format I want it on I can have it on that, no matter what device. 40 years down the line I'll still have it (maybe!) and I can use it on my holographic cyber reader while a robotic Liz Hurley pilots my spaceship to Alpha Centauri. (Might as well be optimistic about the future!)
A DRM encoded book is, more or less, a one trick pony. It's fine on my Cybook, and perhaps on my next device. But eventually I'll no longer be able to give a new device ID to the retailer, and at that point I'll be unable to use it. Either that or I'll move to a device that doesn't support the format.
And the third reason...
If the publisher DRM encodes a book, then they are selling it as a DRM encoded book, knowing the pitfalls of doing so, and I'm buying it knowing the pitfalls of it. It's sort of like (but not exactly like) renting a DVD and making a copy. When I buy a DRM'ed book I'm renting for as long as it takes for it to become obsolete.
So while I'd happily pay 6 dollars for a DRM'ed book, I'd rather pay 8 for a DRM free book. And I hope publishers take note and adjust their marketing to suit.
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you might be taking things a bit far with that analogy. i really can't see any reason i should not convert a LIT file which i have bought and paid for to an IMP file so i can read it on my eb1150 (this is why i bought it after all), as long as it's for my own personal use. this seems pretty "fair" to me.
an assault rifle however seems not only reeeeeally hard to justify (what "wild animals" *exactly* are you talking about, that you would need a hypothetical assault rife to defend yourself ??? sabre tooth tigers ??? scotland must have a lot more wildlife than i ever heard about !) but also the kind of thing i wouldn't want around even if i "knew" that i would only use it responsibly. what about an accident ? or if one day i get REALLY REALLY MAD ? or temporary insanity ?? whereas i could turn into a complete raving lunatic like Mr. Hyde, and nobody will end up dead because i had ConvertLIT installed.
i also disagree with your analysis of drm vs. non-drm books : if i buy a book, i want to keep it and be able to read it *forever*, unless it turns out to be a really stupid book and i decide to delete it (note i specify this is MY conscious decision). i don't want "disposable" books, and i *really* don't want the publishers to think about them like this. if i pay for a book, i pay to BUY that book, not rent it. it's my book, to read as many times as i want, and ideally, on whatever type of device i choose / have.
just like any paper book i paid for. renting a book is for a library system, which is completely different, and should DEFINITELY not be the same price (i won't pay 6$ to "rent" a book).
i wanted to say that explicitly, just in case any publishers came along to this thread and got any funny ideas...
i *do* agree that it's good to vote with your pocketbook, and buy non-drm books whenever possible. i only wish more interesting books were available in that format. for the moment, i'm finding it rather hard to vote (except maybe with a "white ballot" by not buying at all...) since the books i am willing to pay money for seem only to be published with drm. most of the books available without drm that i want to read, are classics, which i can get from gutenberg for free.