Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf
I can site one way DRM is good. It's the only way (IMHO). Time limited DRM so that public libraries can lend eBooks. This way we can get free eBooks to be able to read.
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This is not exactly the same type of DRM that I had in mind, but still, it's a dumb thing, when you think about it:
Dishonest people, that download books from torrent sites, do not use libraries to borrow ebooks. They just go to Google and type "harry potter ebook torrent" and get the thing in under 2 minutes.
The type of people (like you and me) that actually spend the time to go to the library, fill a form with all your personal data, accept the fact that if we don't returrn the book in time will have to pay a fee etc etc would not need DRM, because by actually going to the library instead of downloading the book from torrents we have shown already that we don't have any reason or intention to break the law. So this money spent on DRM is basically wasted money, and, worst, based on a presupposition that those library users are potential criminals that have to be "protected from themselves" from committing crime.
Now, if we consider the case of public libraries, and the amount of money spent putting these DRM systems in place, handling cases where DRM goes wrong (blocking an ebook that it shouldn't and all that sort of glitches), money spent training people to deal with it, support calls, etc etc, and if we agree that spending public money for no good reason is a bad thing, I would say DRM in library ebooks is a bad idea.