Book ownership

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

Also download Calibre. This great program will do the conversion for you.

But be warned that Calibre can only convert to different formats, if it is DRM free, and Calibre cannot strip DRM by itself.

[Frida Fantastic]

Originally Posted by msoulier

I'm interested in what others here think. It's obvious that the book business has changed drastically, and it will continue to change. DRM in books may be a temporary thing, as publishers struggle to incorrectly bring their physical paradigms into the digital world. I hope so, but it might not be temporary.

Easy! Whenever a book is being sold at a DRM-free retailer (like Smashwords), I buy there instead. When it's a legacy-pubbed DRM book... well... I haven't bought one lately, so I can't comment :P I'm not keen on jumping on the $12.00 for a DRM book.

[VydorScope]

I just looked at a random selection of my Kindle and Nook books... all have DRM. For some reason I thought that was not the case. Ah well.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

I just looked at a random selection of my Kindle and Nook books... all have DRM. For some reason I thought that was not the case. Ah well.

Most books bought from either source have DRM. Removing the DRM liberates the book and allows you to back it up to protect your investment. And also allows you to convert the format to match your reader of choice.

[elemenoP]

I mostly read library books on my reader. I read them and delete them. Because of this, I tend to think of my ereader books in general as transient. Many times I have had to stop myself from deleting a book I own after I finished it. And really, I probably wouldn't mind much if I did delete. I strip the DRM from my ebooks and I guess I could give them all to my daughter some day, but really I don't think of them in the same way that I think of my pbooks, which are a collection to be proud of. The problem is, my "collection" is now fixed in time since I have stopped buying pbooks almost entirely. If I read an ebook that really, truly blew me away, maybe I would want to buy a handsome hardcover of it. But so far it hasn't happened.

eP

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by CRussel

And also allows you to convert the format to match your reader of choice.

Yea my reader of choice is my Nook Color which of course can read all formats via Kindle App, Nook App, and FBReader. But I would like to get them all in to EPUB since that seems like the most wide spread for future proofing...

[Tinks]

I bought my eReader for the free books. I have around 400 ebooks already(bought my kindle in November), most of which are free. If I come upon a good author from my free books, I then look to see if my library has any other books from that author. If not then I investigate the paperback price versus the ebook price. If the price difference is negligible, I buy the paperback because I will actually own the book and be able to lend it out to family and friends. I guess what I'm saying is I didn't really buy an eReader to switch over to only ebooks, I bought it to get the free stuff, lol. I'm a cheapskate and between all the free books I'm downloading, and all the books I'm checking out at the library, I have no fear of ever running out of reading material.

[Ransom]

Originally Posted by ebusinesstutor

Like you, it seems wrong to me that I can't resell or donate ebooks the way I can with physical books. Especially since many times I pay the same price for the ebook that I do the book with less rights.

I see that as being a big problem in the distant future with libraries and new releases. At this point, there are many new releases that are digital only, and libraries don't yet have a good way of obtaining those. So some day, libraries could end up being a place you go to only to look at old books and periodicals. I'm guessing they will always be around though if for no other reason than to store old newspapers on microfilm. It would be very difficult to scan & OCR all the collected newspapers from the history of the world. I can see them possibly remaining on microfilm forever.

[wyndslash]

while i love ebooks as well, I still have a preference for pbooks

[leebase]

There is no such thing as a used digital file. Since you can easily give the library a copy of your ebbok, and still keep your copy of the file and put the file on the web where the entire world can copy for free -- you can see why digital files will never carry the concept of ownership the way physical goods can

Lee

[jleliekelly]

@Leebase
How does one do this my local library stated it was not a choice?

[leebase]

Originally Posted by jleliekelly

@Leebase
How does one do this my local library stated it was not a choice?

You misunderstood me. The reason you can't give your library your "used" ebook is that it would merely be a copy of the file.

Lee

[jleliekelly]

Shoot I got all excited, I'm in a small town. That would have been great.

[sassanik]

Look for smaller publishers, they tend to release stuff DRM free.

Amy

[Giggleton]

Libraries are a state of mind. Become your own.