Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
I agree. DRM is essentially used as a security device in electronic sales. Customers put up with all manner of security (in America, these usually include hidden cameras, metal detectors, anti-theft packaging and undercover cops), and often pay those security steps no mind, if it is convenient to getting their product. The trick is always to find the balance between convenience and annoying, and stay on the convenient end of the spectrum.
The Kindle strikes that balance. And yes, so does iTunes: DRM on music was acceptable, thanks to the convenience created by other features of the store, and as the market changes, removing DRM and depending on other security devices (like your registration) keeps things convenient.
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I agree with you about the security we accept as the norm because it is a part of everyday life. The issue of DRM as a security device is also valid, although most security devices that are on physical purchases made in a store are deactivated at checkout. It is that point that makes DRM frustrating for some.
I don't really have a problem with DRM as copyright protection, just as I don't have a problem with copywright protection on DVD movies I purchase; I have no interest in making copies for myself or for anyone else. Not everyone who buys an ebook is planning or even willing to upload the book for general distribution or to share with friends. I would imagine that those who actually do pirating are in the minority. The problem with DRM is that unlike DVD players, the devices that are available do not use one universal format. If I want to read a book on my Sony 700, Ebookwise 1150, HP Ipaq, Ipod, or whatever, I should have that ability without having to buy the ebook in multiple formats. A universal book format with DRM would be the ultimate solution, at least for me.
Apple realized this point and took steps to make sure that their would be access for anyone who wanted to buy music, regardless of where they played that music and what format that required. I can now purchase a song on Itunes and legally (and easily) convert it to a format that will play in Windows Media, which I could not do before the changes at Apple. Making things easier on the music consumer will only help the struggling music industry in the long run. Hopefully, someone in the struggling publishing industry will take note, although they are a few years behind the music industry when it comes to the digital market.
Kaz