Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
Absolutely. But you're still faced with a technical issue to overcome - I meant that a lack of DRM will not, generally speaking, ease the transition between devices. File format conversion is, in itself, a pretty formidable hurdle for the typical user to overcome.
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It's a formidable hurdle to select a file format from a drop-down menu and click "convert?"
You must either know some very, very technically challenged people, or have a very low opinion of the intelligence of the average person.
The only reason file conversion is an issue is because of DRM. Without DRM, it's a simple matter. And converting from one ebook format to another even with a one-click program and no extra editing usually renders very good results, PDF's aside.
And let's not forget, even some DRM'ed books with the same format can't be read on another device that reads that format
because of the DRM. So even if they get a second ereader that reads the formats they already use, there's no guarantee it will be compatible with another company's DRM.
DRM is what makes file conversion an issue. The conversion itself is easy - it's even easier than changing the format of a text document or a picture. And your average user knowns how to do that, so why would they struggle with something even easier?
You keep saying people don't know how to break DRM, people don't know how to pirate, and now people don't know how to convert files... but the numbers couldn't contradict you more heavily.
We wouldn't even be having this discussion if you were right, because there would be no pirating and no one would ever switch brands or formats for anything. That is simply not true. People are not as incompetent as you're making them out to be. None of these things are even difficult in the least.
And when asked for some sort of evidence of that, you offer none, or you offer contradictory anecdotes.
The mere presence and popularity of pirating sites and the shifting trends in devices and formats over time is a resounding affirmation that people are more than competent enough.
But if people really were too dumb to figure out how to convert a file, that's just one more reason why screwing them by making them re-purchase something they may or may not have even gotten around to reading is wrong, and very much a practical issue for your average user.