[Dave W]

Susan, I am not suggesting that DRM be dropped. The technology exists to allow what I am suggesting and still allow only one copy of a purchased work to exist. This is especially easy with expansion memory cards such as the Sony PRS-600 accepts. I have a Sony Mini-disk player recorder and Sony has done this with it. Music must be checked in and out of your computer in such a way that only one copy can exist - either on the computer or on a mini-disk. I can check the music onto a mini-disk and give that to a friend to listen to. I believe that they could check it into their computer (not sure of that), but that would cause a check out from the mini-disk and it could not then be returned to me. It might require an update to the reader's firmware, but that is simple, too. Fugazie's suggestions would be needed for the Kindle to offer this ability because it doesn't accept memory cards. Although, it could probably be implemented like the mini-disk and allow the book to be burned to a CD or written to a flash drive as a check-in/check-out procedure.

Finally, I agree that just gifting a memory card would be dull, but I had in mind packaging that looked like a real book, but had a memory card inside. The package would look like a paperback book cover and the back of the package would have the normal text that you find on the back of a paperback book. I know that the market would have to grow far beyond where it is now for this to be practical, but I can dream, can't I? Perhaps a publisher of ebooks will read this thread and decide to offer such books. SD cards have gotten very cheap. USB or Flash drives are even given away to promote products. So the price of such a book should not be more than the price of a paperback and copy protection can be built-in.

Please chime in on this thread. The discussion should be interesting.

Dave W