Quote:
Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks
You know, strangely, when I started out, I had no love of DRM and never put it on my books. Mobileread and the multiple threads and discussions showed me just how many people out there are perfectly happy to download books and redistribute them (Not just mobileread, but other forums too). I know that those who wish to break DRM will; however, I've seen a pretty casual attitude on many forums about passing along books. I do think there is a misunderstanding about DRM in several circles (the one that says, if there is no DRM or I got it for free, then it's okay to pass it along).
|
I really doubt that this is so. All books, eBooks or print have very clear conditions regarding copyright and what you may or may not do with the copy you have purchased.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks
The various attitudes and threads has convinced me that DRM is probably not a bad idea for most genres.
|
DRM will only keep technophobe from re-distributing your books, and there really is no way of determining how many who purchase eBook are technophobes. I believe that there are far more such purchasers than many on these forums imagine. Too many here assume that most buyers have a similar level of expertise and understanding as those who contribute here. This much at least is highly unlikely. What such people - those among them determined to cheat - can and will do is locate sources of software, music and eBooks that someone with more skill has removed protection from. Torrents. There are programs that the most technically naive among them can easily download and install. Programs that will allow them to search torrents as easily as doing a Google search.
The upshot is that you have the satisfaction of preventing simple distribution of your copyright material; you have added one extra step in the process. Hardly a stumbling block. DRM will stop Aunt Mabel from giving a copy of her purchases to Uncle Harold, but that is about it. (Until fourteen year old nephew Michael steps in and solves their problem.) Even Apple, one of the most savagely and determinedly self-protective companies in modern society has removed the DRM from iTunes store. Why do you think that they did that? It was damaging their sales.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks
Many, if not all, of my future releases will have DRM on the main selling sites. I'll still make it available without DRM, probably from my own blog, but not likely from the larger sites. I don't see the benefit of not including it anymore.
|
If they devised a DRM system that would prevent copying but still work on all platforms, I would agree with you. Until then, I feel that DRM has become such a dirty word that even those who do not understand what it is will avoid it.