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Nabodita · 10-13-2014, 06:14 AM

This discussion has taken an interesting turn. There have been a lot of arguments about loss of sales, not just due to piracy (or thievery, according to some... which I'm not saying I disagree with... just maybe not so self righteously) but due to the ripple effect of *casual* sharing with friends and family. This particular debate cannot have a conclusion... not because there are people on both sides who feel equally strongly about the matter but because there are no hard facts and figures on either side of the argument. Can we just agree to differ and leave it there?

I'd like to summarize what I understand of the arguments against and in favour of DRM based on different opinions expressed here. I'll try and stiick to points grounded in reality and not based on an ideal scenario.

The Question: Should I encourage or discourage my clients (publishers) from using DRM?

Arguments against DRM

1. Annoys the paying customer.

2. All present methods of encryption have been already been cracked. Anyone who knows how to Google can strip DRM from their ebooks.

3. Sharing books amounts to word of mouth recommendations, widely acknowledged as the best form of publicity.

Arguments in favour of DRM

1. The cost of implementing DRM is usually less than additional revenue earned.

2. DRM reminds the buyer that its not OK to freely distribute copies of ebooks they've purchased.

3. Losses due to piracy outweighs the so-called benefits of publicity. (Hitch has been able to quantify this; interested in how this was done...)

That's pretty much it so far. Can anyone think of any other reason?

10-13-2014, 06:14 AM	#89
Nabodita Connoisseur Posts: 97 Karma: 44418 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Mostly in my own head! Device: Kindle Fire, iPad	This discussion has taken an interesting turn. There have been a lot of arguments about loss of sales, not just due to piracy (or thievery, according to some... which I'm not saying I disagree with... just maybe not so self righteously) but due to the ripple effect of casual sharing with friends and family. This particular debate cannot have a conclusion... not because there are people on both sides who feel equally strongly about the matter but because *there are no hard facts and figures* on either side of the argument. Can we just agree to differ and leave it there? I'd like to summarize what I understand of the arguments against and in favour of DRM based on different opinions expressed here. I'll try and stiick to points grounded in reality and not based on an ideal scenario. The Question: Should I encourage or discourage my clients (publishers) from using DRM? Arguments against DRM 1. Annoys the paying customer. 2. All present methods of encryption have been already been cracked. Anyone who knows how to Google can strip DRM from their ebooks. 3. Sharing books amounts to word of mouth recommendations, widely acknowledged as the best form of publicity. Arguments in favour of DRM 1. The cost of implementing DRM is usually less than additional revenue earned. 2. DRM reminds the buyer that its not OK to freely distribute copies of ebooks they've purchased. 3. Losses due to piracy outweighs the so-called benefits of publicity. (Hitch has been able to quantify this; interested in how this was done...) That's pretty much it so far. Can anyone think of any other reason? Last edited by Nabodita; 10-13-2014 at 06:23 AM.