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Originally Posted by ficbot
Or how about the computer program 'shareware' schemes of old, where the program has parts locked unless you send a cheque to Bill Smith at 3434 Jones Street in Chicago? Years later, someone might download this program (nothing dies on the internet) and Bill Smith may have moved on, so you have no way to unlock the program. Or how about the Google Movies system where it pings the server every time you watch---pre-supposing that years from now, this server will still be running so you can watch your bought and paid for merchandise?
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I did think about the shareware schemes; I've always liked that idea. And I'm sure that the "who to ping" can be overcome, but the problem to me is do people feel they should pay for such material? Put another way. If, say, Stephen King, put out a novel with a "please send $2 to StephenKing at paypal dot com account", I wonder how many of those who read the book, would pay. Not because they are criminals or feel they are doing wrong, but because they don't feel they are defrauding anyone of anything by not paying. (Which, I suspect, is why shareware has nag-screens!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by ficbot
It's absolutely ridiculous. I have only ever found two DRM schemes I can live with: the public library, where the book (which you have borrowed, not bought) is set to expire after the loan period is up, and the eReader one where there is no limit on download amounts or to how many devices, but your credit card number is imprinted into the file and is needed to unlock it the first time you read. That is fair to me. If I want to share the file, it doesn't stop me, but I wouldn't want to because then I would have to share my credit card number too  Non-intrusive, no ads, does not affect the useability of the file at all, but it does deter sharing... |
I agree that those two schemes would be excellent (okay, some minor problems about the credit card and it encouraging the identity card debates, but they could be solved). [I'm assuming that each "device" requires the content to be unlocked so that the device can read it.] I'd be interested to know if someone like fictionwise could implement this on their current website.
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Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
It's only a problem when the public knuckles under and buys things against their better judgment. When they buy, the "big guns" have them right where they want them. It's the public's job to say "NO," and make businesses understand what they will and will not accept, and to back that up with purchases (and, in the political arena, with votes). Whining to businesses to "give you a break" is a waste of time, when there is a clear mechanism to getting what you want: ACT.
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I agree with Steve that the power does lie with the wallet. But it requires an entity brave enough to challenge the received wisdom and go for an alternative model (okay, and make money out of it). Voting with your wallets and
not opening is just used as evidence of piracy, unless accountable alternatives exist. Of course, this is seriously aggravated by those who do pirate the books, or provide tools to do this.
I'm not convinced DRM is necessarily bad, just that the way it is currently being used is taking too much from the readers.