I want to buy your ebooks, but....

[J. Strnad]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

You might find that any delay in Smashwords getting *Risen* into Kobo, Sony and Apple stores might be down to an ISBN hitch, Jan. Might be an idea to check with Mark Coker. Best Neil

Everything seems to be going along on schedule. I changed the cover and that "reset" the schedule. The old cover is on B&N.

The only thing that seems to really be in limbo with Smashwords is submitting to Amazon, so I opted out of that one and went direct. I really don't want to go direct with everyone, though!

And in answer to someone else's query: No, it doesn't cost more to go DRM-free at Amazon. You just uncheck a box when you submit your book.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by timezone

With the Slate I can have Mobipocket and epub live on the device. If I want to purchase a digital magazine or Newspaper that happens to have their own proprietary format I know I will be able to install it to my Slate. Amazon is helping kill these readers so we all move to Slates. I don't get it!!

Amazon's goal is to make their reading app available on as wide a range of mobile (and not so mobile) devices as possible. I'm not particularly a fan of Amazon, but that seems to be a pretty worthwhile goal for them to have.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

Ok, Harry, I should have spelled it out so that there could be no confusion.

I have a plain old phone, and I have no desire for all the extras (and bills) of the iPhoine, etc.

I started reading ebooks on a computer, and have no intention to read ebooks on a computer again.

I am pretty much satisfied with my reader, and don't want a Kindle.

I have a large selection of ebooks to choose from. Why should I have to learn how to crack open a DRMed Kindle ebook?

I did, recently, buy a DRMed book (Under the Eagle) that went right on to my reader. No DRM removal required.

I honestly believe that by having a DRMed book that is really just for the Kindle or Kindle apps will reduce the number of people who will buy that book. Does it cost the author more to have it non-DRMed?

I think that there are others of the same opinion on MR.

Not quite -
"How about giving me, and a few others without a Kindle a chance to buy your books."

Let me change that to -
"How about giving me, and a few others without a Kindle a chance to buy your books without the restrictions that Kindle DRM would impose upon us."

Harry, I think that you may be too busy and didn't understand my intent.

I'm of the same mind as you Same-Old-Story. I don't have a problem with drm per se, but not having access to Amazons bookstore because their Kindle drm exclusive ebooks cannot be read on my Sony reader without my going through a bunch of hoops to break it is costing them lots of money since I'm not about to get a Kindle just to have access to their ebooks. The same with B&N.

I wish these 2 stores would get with the program & make their books accessible to ALL ereading devices drm'd or not!

[SameOldStory]

I do use Amazon to buy a number of things. And now that I know some of their books are DRM free, I'm more likely to buy ebooks from them.


What I would like authors to understand is that I am spending more money on books, in total, now that I have an ereader. And very little of it is spent on DRM books.

[mikij]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

I honestly believe that by having a DRMed book that is really just for the Kindle or Kindle apps will reduce the number of people who will buy that book. Does it cost the author more to have it non-DRMed?

I think that there are others of the same opinion on MR.

You are so right! They lose more than gain by DRM-ing their books.
The publishers should see the fact::
- a book is NOT DRMed: ($$$$$$$$$):
- a book is DRMed: ($$$)

They still see more $ in the second line. But the truth is the first one.

Sorry, I just love these icons.

Having more DRM-free ebooks - that can be used on several devices - on Amazon means buying more from them. If this becomes true, I'll use their service.
As Neilmarr mentioned in one thread, probably I'm a dreamer, but I hope one day, the publishers will understand that ebooks need to bee DRM-free AND at lower price than pBooks.

[B.Tackitt]

I'm sorry but you are completely mistaken as to what unlimited simultaneous usage means. It has nothing to do with DRM or formats... It means that if you have multiple users on your account (I have 9 personally, 2 K1's, 3 kindle for pc, 3 K2i, and an iPad) they can all read the book AT THE SAME TIME.
I am a part of a reading group also, and we have an account, purchase our reading group book, log all of our respective kindles/apps and all read it at the same time for our discussions. then we just re-register back onto our own accounts for normal stuff.

Amazon originally had a 6 device limit, which seems to have been done away with. There was a news article... I want to say a year or so ago, where a 3rd grade reading specialist teacher had bought 15 Kindles to use in the reading lab at her school. I vasguely remember something about the device limit being waived, or supplemented for her class as a trial thing.

[brainycat]

I had never bought an ebook from Amazon until a couple of months ago when I realized that all of their formats could be cracked. Since then, I've spent about US$150 on ebooks from them. Cracking DRM is (I'm speaking as a very savvy geek) trivially easy, assuming someone else has written a script that does the math. YMMV.

[RAScully]

I just recently switched over to Smashwords, finally have my first novel in multiple formats. Had a hell of a time with Amazon. They totally screwed up my search, not putting a release date on it. Never did iron out the search part to have it listed as a series. Took over a month to show up under fantasy, so I lost out on the first 30 days, nobody even saw it was there, really sucked. Went Smashwords a few days ago and had sales right away. Should have went with them right from the start. Being up front with the authors and readers, maybe helping them with what works would make it so much easier for all of us. IMO

[SameOldStory]

Originally Posted by B.Tackitt

I'm sorry but you are completely mistaken as to what unlimited simultaneous usage means. It has nothing to do with DRM or formats... It means that if you have multiple users on your account (I have 9 personally, 2 K1's, 3 kindle for pc, 3 K2i, and an iPad) they can all read the book AT THE SAME TIME.

I'm glad you mentioned it. Thanks.

Amazon and B&N are out. Out of my money that is.

I tried breaking ePub DRM on a "free" book download once with no luck, but I've heard that it's easier to break the Kindle DRM.

Yes, I could learn how to do it. But I don't want to have to do it.

So I'll keep on buying non-DRM books. It doesn't hurt me in the least, I have more to read than ever.

[RAScully]

That cat looks pissed!

[SameOldStory]

Originally Posted by RAScully

That cat looks pissed!

Posted on another thread.

Originally Posted by dogsballs

how much water do you actually need to bath a cat?

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

It takes a lot of water to bath a cat.

I haven’t done it for a VERY long time (and intend to NEVER do it again). But I do remember the cats flying all over the place. The trick is to swat it out of the air and back into the tub. And don't forget the Band-Aids.

There are much better methods to control fleas though.

[nomesque]

*applause*

Most writers are pretty rational folks. The more readers saying, "DRM sucks!" the more writers will be avoiding DRMing their books.

[GeoffC]

I'm sure that when the readers first came out it was intended that they could accept all book formats, ... epub was introduced as a universal standard.

The introduction of Amazon, and now Apple, into the ring has changed the ebook environment from what it (may) have originally been intended.

Why should a store need its own app for multiple devices when the devices themselves were never originally designed that way.

The answers, as always, involve money .... and not, it would seem, for authors.

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by Mike L

SameOldStory, I don't disagree with what you say, or the spirit in which you say it.

But, just for the sake of accuracy, you can buy the books, and read them, without owning a Kindle. There are several Kindle applications - all of them free - that will let you read Kindle DRM books on various devices.

Well, there's no kindle app for my opus
And imho, among the device that do read kindle books, the kindles are the only one I would consider. But i already have a reader. I don't need two.
So i have to convert, and no drm is a requirement for that.

Plus, the kindles won't read books from the French publishers, unless, here we go again, I de-drm and convert.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

I'm glad you mentioned it. Thanks.

Amazon and B&N are out. Out of my money that is.

I tried breaking ePub DRM on a "free" book download once with no luck, but I've heard that it's easier to break the Kindle DRM.

Yes, I could learn how to do it. But I don't want to have to do it.

So I'll keep on buying non-DRM books. It doesn't hurt me in the least, I have more to read than ever.

I went into B&N yesterday & they had their reader front & center when you walked in the door.

A sales lady came over to see if I had any questions. I told her I was just checking it out, but I already had a reader. She asked me which one & I told her I had a Sony.

I also told her that B&N version of epub wasn't downloadable to my Sony, it took her a little bit to understand that yes their reader would accept my already purchased books, but I didn't need a new reader. What I need is to be able to purchase epubs from ANY store & be able to place them on ANY reader that I have.

I told her when I found out the B&N switched to epub, I went and downloaded a free read but was unable to open it either with ADE or on my Sony. I told her flat out that was why I wouldn't be buying any books from either B&N or from Amazon, and they were losing money from a very good would have been customer!