Quote:
Originally Posted by frahse
I suggest a solution, to all the problems some people seem to think DRM brings about, is to think of the eReader and the DRM files on it as a unit. Just like a large book. That will be what most people do. Then you can loan or bequeath your large book as you will.
|
While it's a bit of a nuisance to transfer ownership of an entire bookshelf instead of a single book, it's certainly possible. But DRM doesn't allow or encourage this. If that concept were accepted by retailers and publishers, it would be easy and legitimate to:
- Buy ~$90 ereader.
- Spend 6 months buying DRM'd books for it, at whichever store it relates to. Grab a lot of freebies & sale bargains, and whatever bestsellers you like.
- Read books voraciously. After all, that's the main purpose of having a device that stores hundreds of books at once.
- Change account password. De-activate reader from account.
- Sell ereader, loaded with books, on ebay or craigslist, for $250; give long list of books included.
- Send note to bookstore(s) saying, "I am done with[list of titles]; please remove them from my account."
- Buy new $90 ereader.
Right now, every ebookstore and BPH insists this is illegal. Some insist it is "copyright infringement," although no unauthorized copies have been made. Others insist it is a violation of the license that doesn't permit allowing one's spouse to read the books on one's reader, much less transfer of ownership of the contents to someone else.
One of the key aspects of paper that hasn't been duplicated by DRM--because of publisher & retailer recalcitrance--is the ability to transfer ownership. Indeed, most publishers don't allow one-time sharing for two weeks; they attempt to use DRM to mean "one purchase = one reader."
Writers don't get popular by being paid by every reader. Writers don't make the jump out of total obscurity by limiting their readership to direct customers.