Quote:
Originally Posted by Mivo
Steam IS the DRM.
Unlock file? Steam uses online authorization, and the "offline mode" is rudimentary and usually doesn't work for more than two weeks, then you have to online-authorize your game(s) again. Most of the games do not work without the Steam software running, either. This is about as restrictive as it can be, and if this ever comes for books, I'll have bought the last book.
Furthermore, if you ever have any payment disputes with Valve/Steam, they lock you out from ALL of your purchases. In fact, Steam's ToS very clearly states that you are subscribing to the games, and that this subscription can be cancelled at any time. You're renting games at the full retail price.
|
When we "buy" an eBook, we are only receiving a LICENSE to read the eBook. We do NOT own that eBook file in the same way we own a print book on purchase.
Thus, the Steam model may work for eBooks in the same way as it works for games. So far as I know, neither Alf nor anyone else has been able to break the Steam protection model.
The Amazon practice of inserting 9 digit license numbers in the metadata of MP3 song files, may be the first step in a Steam like method of protection. It could well be applied to eBooks in the future.
Its obvious to me that the ease of getting rid of protection using the Alf plug-in for Calibre makes the present DRM technology totally obsolete.
The other solution is to get rid of all DRM protection entirely and TRUST all the eBook buyers never to share their files. I'm not sure authors, publishers and retailers are willing to do that.