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Originally Posted by Eric C
Thanks for the info and points of view, folks. I will definitely follow these links to educate myself some more.
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Eric -- Cory Doctorow has written some cogent pieces on why trying to manage digital rights in this way is a losing, and in the long run, counterproductive effort. DRM makes it harder for legitimate purchasers to read and share the books they've bought, and only poses a minor inconvenience to those inclined to piracy. Certainly not everyone agrees--but many authors, including me, feel that the potential audience you gain by making your books more freely available far outweighs the cost of sales you might lose through piracy. I have half a dozen of my previously-published books up for free download--and a whole bunch more available for purchase in a variety of formats (without DRM, where permitted by the retailer). I regularly hear from readers who thank me for the DRM-free formats. And often, their notes are accompanied by paypal donations.
Besides--if your book gains any traction at all, someone will copy it and have it up on the darknet eventually, regardless of what you do.