[stonetools]

QUOTE]Also given the BPH's history I wouldn't expect the ebooks to be sold with no DRM. The prices would more than likely be terrible and the customer service non-existant.

Personally if the BPH went this route I would seldom if ever purchase anything from them. There are to many other options available to me.
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We don't really know how the publishers will do selling direct to consumers. They've never had to do so this before now, so it's not surprising that there are doubts. But then we didn't know how well Apple would do at B&M retail before they opened their Apple Stores or how well they would do at digital music before they did iTunes. We'll have to wait to see how the publishers do.
They may want to do a single mega site (Bookish) so you have to do only one login.
They may work something out with Amazon so that they accept your Amazon credentials at their website .
They may do the app model where you download an app that stores your credentials and CC number so that you can search for and buy any book from them with one click.
It may be ten years from now that buying a book from an ebook store may be as unusual as buying an airplane ticket from a travel agent.