Download button no longer on Tor.com - Page 2

Hellmark · 02-04-2011, 12:36 PM

I have no problem with them being paid either. I mean, it is a freaking buck for good stories. That is chump change. I just hate the georestriction and DRM.

Here you have people wanting to give Tor money, but not being able to, simply based on where they live or what they use to read with. I use Linux, and ADE and Kindle aren't natively supported. Yes, I could use Windows or MacOS, but for everything else I do I have no problem using Linux, so it would end up with me paying money just to be able to pay money for something. Seems silly to me. It is also possible to use Wine, but that can be tricky or bug prone, and the next update of the software can break that (which has happened). So, my options are pay a minimum of $100 to be able to buy the book, or use a potentially problematic method that can break at any time, leaving me unable to access what I've paid for should anything happen. If they sold DRM free, wouldn't be a problem.

And the aforementioned scenario also only comes into play if I happen to be in an area that they will now sell to. There have been several times I've gone to buy a book, only to be told that I do not live in a region that they can sell to. One of my favorite books of the past couple years has two sequels out that I cannot get.

whitearrow · 02-04-2011, 02:38 PM

When I first got my Kindle 1, Tor was giving away a whole bunch of free ebooks, from authors like Emma Bull, John Scalzi, and Brandon Sanderson. Often they were the first in a series. I ended up buying a LOT of books I wouldn't have otherwise because of the giveaways. Then they just... stopped.

It's unbelievable to me that publishers don't see the value in giving away a 5 year old backlist ebook, especially for series genre books. (These same publishers, though, still show up at ComicCon and hire people to stuff free paperbacks into your hands.)

Blue Tyson · 02-04-2011, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

I have no problem with them being paid either. I mean, it is a freaking buck for good stories. That is chump change. I just hate the georestriction and DRM.

Here you have people wanting to give Tor money, but not being able to, simply based on where they live or what they use to read with. I use Linux, and ADE and Kindle aren't natively supported. Yes, I could use Windows or MacOS, but for everything else I do I have no problem using Linux, so it would end up with me paying money just to be able to pay money for something. Seems silly to me. It is also possible to use Wine, but that can be tricky or bug prone, and the next update of the software can break that (which has happened). So, my options are pay a minimum of $100 to be able to buy the book, or use a potentially problematic method that can break at any time, leaving me unable to access what I've paid for should anything happen. If they sold DRM free, wouldn't be a problem.

And the aforementioned scenario also only comes into play if I happen to be in an area that they will now sell to. There have been several times I've gone to buy a book, only to be told that I do not live in a region that they can sell to. One of my favorite books of the past couple years has two sequels out that I cannot get.

Yeah, Macmillan books are the least available and most expensive...luckily they don't put out too much of interest to me these days....

ATDrake · 02-04-2011, 06:33 PM

Tor/Macmillan seem to have a problem with making stuff consistently available.

I'm not just talking about regular geo-restrictions, but in certain cases even if the books are available in my area, I'm further restricted by which store I browse at, even though they should technically be available to all if they're available at all.

Certain of Robert J. Sawyer's books I can buy for Kindle in Canada, but the very same titles are marked unavailable via the Sony store (also in Canada) and don't show up at Kobo.

Another Jo Walton book I seem to be able to only get via Kobo in Canada (but it's ridiculously overpriced at $16.00 when the mass-market paperback has been out for years and the rest in the series are 6.49 or less). That very same title is not available in Canada for Kindle or from Sony.

I don't mind so much if Tor don't have the rights for my area and just plain can't offer the books, but they could at least make things available across the board when they do.

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02-04-2011, 12:36 PM	#16
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	I have no problem with them being paid either. I mean, it is a freaking buck for good stories. That is chump change. I just hate the georestriction and DRM. Here you have people wanting to give Tor money, but not being able to, simply based on where they live or what they use to read with. I use Linux, and ADE and Kindle aren't natively supported. Yes, I could use Windows or MacOS, but for everything else I do I have no problem using Linux, so it would end up with me paying money just to be able to pay money for something. Seems silly to me. It is also possible to use Wine, but that can be tricky or bug prone, and the next update of the software can break that (which has happened). So, my options are pay a minimum of $100 to be able to buy the book, or use a potentially problematic method that can break at any time, leaving me unable to access what I've paid for should anything happen. If they sold DRM free, wouldn't be a problem. And the aforementioned scenario also only comes into play if I happen to be in an area that they will now sell to. There have been several times I've gone to buy a book, only to be told that I do not live in a region that they can sell to. One of my favorite books of the past couple years has two sequels out that I cannot get.

02-04-2011, 02:38 PM	#17
whitearrow Guru Posts: 808 Karma: 2260766 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Kindle Oasis 2	When I first got my Kindle 1, Tor was giving away a whole bunch of free ebooks, from authors like Emma Bull, John Scalzi, and Brandon Sanderson. Often they were the first in a series. I ended up buying a LOT of books I wouldn't have otherwise because of the giveaways. Then they just... stopped. It's unbelievable to me that publishers don't see the value in giving away a 5 year old backlist ebook, especially for series genre books. (These same publishers, though, still show up at ComicCon and hire people to stuff free paperbacks into your hands.)

02-04-2011, 06:33 PM	#19
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	Tor/Macmillan seem to have a problem with making stuff consistently available. I'm not just talking about regular geo-restrictions, but in certain cases even if the books are available in my area, I'm further restricted by which store I browse at, even though they should technically be available to all if they're available at all. Certain of Robert J. Sawyer's books I can buy for Kindle in Canada, but the very same titles are marked unavailable via the Sony store (also in Canada) and don't show up at Kobo. Another Jo Walton book I seem to be able to only get via Kobo in Canada (but it's ridiculously overpriced at $16.00 when the mass-market paperback has been out for years and the rest in the series are 6.49 or less). That very same title is not available in Canada for Kindle or from Sony. I don't mind so much if Tor don't have the rights for my area and just plain can't offer the books, but they could at least make things available across the board when they do.

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