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Originally Posted by HarryT
Please don't misunderstand me here. I'm not a fan of DRM and would like to see it disappear. I just don't believe that it's a practical problem for the typical reader.
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It's not a problem for a practical reader, true. But for how long? ebooks are eReaders are still in their infancy state. A lot of people still don't know about eink. Many still tell me that eReaders are junk and will never replace a book because looking at a computer screen is not the same as a paper book, or that they're too expensive, that forgetting to recharge it every day is going to leave you without anything to read when you need it, etc.
And a lot of people who did buy one, are still on their first device, a lot of them don't know anything beyond Kindle or Amazon. So yeah, it works for now.
But what happens when a lot more devices come out, when more online stores appear, when people will be buying their second or third device and start switching devices, and when a lot more libraries will have ebooks?
People will start having problems and DRM is going to become a very hot topic. Some people will get frustrated and start going to torrents and other illegal download sites out of frustration.
It's like I previously posted (
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...68#post1786968 ) A DRM that restricts, and reduced the number of people who can remove DRM (but does not eliminate them all) will NOT save sales. Only -one- person needs to break the DRM to make it available to the whole world and supply an infinite amount of downloads. But it will make them lose sales, as honest people who get too frustrated with a restrictive DRM will simply not buy the book at all, or worse, download it illegally. And once they download their first book free, well, they'll do it again, and again. It's a slippery slope.
So yes, while DRM is of no major consequences now, it will soon become. And if people don't show their disatisfaction with it now, it'll only get worse as publishers will be making it more and more restrictive till someone tells them to stop.
They're no different than the music or movie industry. They're greedy and they'll keep pushing it further and further. And the way things are going, they'll soon want laws so that you buy a book as often as possible, even if you already bought it five times. Want to share with your wife? Buy another. Want to share it with a friend? Buy a third. Want your kid to read it? Buy a fourth. Want to re-read it? Buy a fifth. It's been a year since you bought it but haven't had time to read it yet? Too bad, buy a sixth. Want to read it on your new device? You got it, buy a seventh. Your new device broke and they sent you a refurbished one? All together now... buy a ninth copy!
Yeah, it's an extreme example, but looking at the new copyright bills that the industries are lobbying for so badly, and considering some of the things the industries have been demanding for the new bill here in Canada, it actually might happen.
Martin Niemöller put it best:
Quote:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out --
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out --
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out --
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me -- and there was no one left to speak for me.
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