Quote:
Originally Posted by rhadin
The real value is not the particular books being made available; rather the real value is that Google is making them available in DRM-free ePub. Google's adoption of ePub as the format gives a tremendous boost to ePub and its viability as the single standard. Consider the great number of European publishers who are adopting ePub as the standard for their books, and the slowly coming to it American publishers, and ePub is getting ready to rock-and-roll  .
That Google's books are DRM-free is also a plus, because it adds a 10-ton gorilla to the free-books-from-DRM-prison movement.
Of course, their is one other important point: Google intends to make all books ultimately available through Google Books. Partnering with Sony and choosing the open ePub format means that ultimately we will have access to the world's treasures. Even if it means that our access is limited to a chapter or two without paying, that will be a great boon to those who advocate a more open access to ebooks. |
Unfortunately, I don't think we can assume that non-public domain books would be offered in a DRM-free edition. I agree that ePub is a great step forward, but it *could* turn into a bit of a problem when they move to DRM-protected books. When reviewing Sony's recent updates to support ePub, DRM Watch notes, "... the EPUB Open Container Format (OCF) spec leaves DRM unspecified. DRM implementations for EPUB files are up to the hardware or software vendor and therefore could remain proprietary. ... In other words, the lack of DRM standardization in the IDPF's EPUB spec enables device and software platform vendors to keep their platforms non-interoperable and save on any incremental costs of implementing interoperable DRM." (Read the entire article at
http://www.drmwatch.com/drmtech/article.php/3762526 )