MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Would you buy an e-book with DRM?

FizzyWater · 06-15-2010, 11:32 PM

Afa,

I bought my first computer in 1996. Fourteen years later and I'm on my...sixth, or is it seventh...computer. One Acer. One Packard Bell (forgive me, I know better now). One computer store "home" brand. And three Toshiba laptops. Imagine if the Acer "Word" docs couldn't be read on the Toshiba, or vice versa.

I'm on my second PDA. My third or fourth cell phone. And my fourth ebook reader (I'm such a gadget slut!)

My first ebook reader was my first PDA. I bought eReader formatted books for it (although they were called Peanut Press...then something else I could remember if I was at home...then eReader). I could read those on the PDA or home computer.

Then I bought an eBookwise. Oops. None of my ebooks worked on it. And if I bought books from eBookwise for it? They were only good for that machine - even if I bought another one, they wouldn't have been any good.

Now I have Sony #3...oh, god, #4. My original LRX books don't work anymore. Luckily, they converted them (mostly) to ePubs, but they certainly didn't have to.

Today there's the nook that would read my old eReader books, if I wanted a nook (I don't like the dual screen). And I can still read them on my PDA (2nd edition) or computer. The DRM version they use is tied to me having eReader software, not to what computer I'm reading on.

DRM sucks if you're a re-reader. If you only read the books once (and pretty much right away after you buy them), it's really no big deal. But when I think about how long books sit on my TBR pile before I eventually get around to reading some of them? DRM sucks.

06-15-2010, 11:32 PM	#31
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	Afa, I bought my first computer in 1996. Fourteen years later and I'm on my...sixth, or is it seventh...computer. One Acer. One Packard Bell (forgive me, I know better now). One computer store "home" brand. And three Toshiba laptops. Imagine if the Acer "Word" docs couldn't be read on the Toshiba, or vice versa. I'm on my second PDA. My third or fourth cell phone. And my fourth ebook reader (I'm such a gadget slut!) My first ebook reader was my first PDA. I bought eReader formatted books for it (although they were called Peanut Press...then something else I could remember if I was at home...then eReader). I could read those on the PDA or home computer. Then I bought an eBookwise. Oops. None of my ebooks worked on it. And if I bought books from eBookwise for it? They were only good for that machine - even if I bought another one, they wouldn't have been any good. Now I have Sony #3...oh, god, #4. My original LRX books don't work anymore. Luckily, they converted them (mostly) to ePubs, but they certainly didn't have to. Today there's the nook that would read my old eReader books, if I wanted a nook (I don't like the dual screen). And I can still read them on my PDA (2nd edition) or computer. The DRM version they use is tied to me having eReader software, not to what computer I'm reading on. DRM sucks if you're a re-reader. If you only read the books once (and pretty much right away after you buy them), it's really no big deal. But when I think about how long books sit on my TBR pile before I eventually get around to reading some of them? DRM sucks.