Very satisfied with Pottermore experience

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Nothing. Victoria is in error as I understand the new law. The new law will, arguably, make it illegal to create DRM removal software for commercial use. But it will still allow us to format shift and backup for archival purposes, for personal use. For the best blog I know of on Canadian IP issues, I suggest Michael Geist's.

I'm not a tech person, but I think I'm correct. Michael Geist has been very outspoken about digital locks. I'm not sure what you are reading on the blog you link provided - if you go to the end of the page, you'll note that he says that the lobby to allow the breaking of digital locks lost:

"The only loss was the least surprising - digital locks. Despite widespread support for compromise legislation and sensible amendments from both the NDP and Liberals, the government rejected any changes. Given the government's consistent support for digital locks, the ongoing pressure from the U.S., and Prime Minister Harper's direct intervention on the issue in 2010, amending the digital lock rules presented a major challenge. Government MPs yesterday emphasized the possibility of future new exceptions via regulation but that will be cold comfort in the short term to those with perceptual disabilities, researchers, documentary film makers, consumers, and the many others adversely affected by the restrictive approach. In fact, one NDP MP raised the possibility of constitutional challenges to the bill."


For a debate between Michael Geist and Barry Sookman, see:
kman.com/2010/12/14/an-faq-on-tpms-copyright-and-bill-c-32/

Sookman argues against Geist, and defend making breaking DRM illegal:

Should circumvention of TPMs for private copying be permitted?

I now want to address whether circumvention of TPMs should be permitted for private copying. Bill C-32 has exceptions for format shifting, time shifting and making backup copies. These exceptions only apply where TPMs are not hacked to do these acts.

In my view, the conditions against hacking TPMs in the new private copying exceptions are important. TPMs support new business models that would be undermined if people could hack TPMs to make private copies. The conditions are also important because Bill C-32 permits private copying without any compensation to rights holders. Removing these conditions would undermine legitimate markets for the legal sale of copyright content and further increase uncompensated copying.

Michael says we should drop these conditions. He says we should permit people to hack TPMs to copy for format shifting, time shifting and back-up copying purposes. But, doing so could undermine many current and future service offerings which depend on protecting copy and access control TPMs."

Again, I'm not a tech person, but everything I read seems to confirm it will only be legal to make personal back ups and shift formats, if they do not have DRM. Under the law, it will be illegal to break a digital lock.

[NVash]

I think the books are overpriced. Call me the minority but $52 is too much. It may be true that Im getting seven books but its seven old books that I already have in hardcover. They should have done some sort of promotion and sold them dirt cheap when the place opened, like $20. Do that for maybe the first month and theyd rake in the cash. Then they could jack it up but most people would have it by then and probably wouldnt care.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by NVash

I think the books are overpriced. Call me the minority but $52 is too much. It may be true that Im getting seven books but its seven old books that I already have in hardcover. They should have done some sort of promotion and sold them dirt cheap when the place opened, like $20. Do that for maybe the first month and theyd rake in the cash. Then they could jack it up but most people would have it by then and probably wouldnt care.

Nah. There's plenty of demand even at current prices. Why not maximize their profits now? Isn't that similar to the concept of hardcovers and paperbacks? Release the hardcover first at a much higher price for people who can't wait then release the mass market paperbacks a few months later.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by NVash

I think the books are overpriced. Call me the minority but $52 is too much. It may be true that I'm getting seven books but its seven old books that I already have in hardcover.

The price isn't based on whether you have the hardcover versions or not.

[NVash]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Nah. There's plenty of demand even at current prices. Why not maximize their profits now? Isn't that similar to the concept of hardcovers and paperbacks? Release the hardcover first at a much higher price for people who can't wait then release the mass market paperbacks a few months later.

Its similar but the problem is ebooks dont really go down. So therefore I can expect this, IMHO, ridiculous price to stay that way for quite some time.

Sides, whats wrong with dropping the price for a promotion? Ive seen many authors do it, selling their books for .99 or even free. J.K., the lady who is rich than the Queen of England, couldnt wait a month or two to start ripping people off? Because honestly, I consider the price of these books a complete rip off. If they were brand spanking new or had new content maybe, but its the exact same book I purchased oh so many years ago. And to make matters worse, the UK version I always wanted to read lacks illustrations. Ill keep my money, thank you very much.

And another thing. I think this was said earlier in the thread but how much longer will there be demand for this? Seriously, even shes moved on from Harry Potter. The final movie came out, IMHO it was horrible, and shes putting out an adult book now. It should be interesting to see how long it is before Pottermore becomes old news and no one cares anymore. Especially with that other thing coming out, My Hogwarts.

http://www.myhogwarts.co.uk/

In case no ones heard of it before. From what I understand someone decided to make this because Pottermore took too long. I guess these will only renew interest in Harry Potter and thats good for her but shes still not getting my $53. And even with Pottermore and My Hogwarts, just how long will Harry Potter mania go on without the author partaking in it or adding anything new? Maybe a few years but I dont think itll last much longer.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The price isn't based on whether you have the hardcover versions or not.

Im quite aware. They couldnt factor in such a thing because who doesnt have some sort of Harry Potter book or movie at this point in time? To me its just crazy. I have the hardcover and paperback of all of the series. Some of them I even went so far as to buy the special deluxe edition. Ive spent more than enough on the books. To spend another $53 is just a rip off at this point. Im saying that Id gladly pay $20 but $53 is too much for me. If I didnt have the novels already, sure Id do it. But I do, it took them too long, most of them Ive already read and I have no interest in buying them again. If I want to get them for a sibling Ill get the paperbacks. I see that, for the most part, on Amazon the purchaser saves $1 per book buying the Kindle version. Thats good. However, I know theyd never take this into account, but I can actually save even more money by going someplace like EBay or even the Marketplace where the books are $4 apiece.

Many wont see it my way. I understand that. Were all entitled to our opinions right? Thats what makes the World go round.

[Bookworm_Girl]

I was quite pleased with the Pottermore experience. I waited a few days since I was traveling at the time they were first released so the website wasn't slow at all. I really liked that I was able to link a single purchase to both my Kindle and my Sony accounts so that I can download them in multiple formats. I was on a business trip and away from my home computer so it was nice to be able to make the purchases via a website, wirelessly download to my T1 through the Sony Reader store and then also have them on my iPhone in the Kindle app. Book #1 also made the plane ride home more entertaining!

I don't think the prices are too high. I was expecting them to be in the $9.99 - 14.99 range since I think they are probably in high demand.

I am still a bit wary of the watermarking concept. I guess I just have extreme paranoia that someone could steal your ereader and then upload your books to dark places and you get blamed for it. It seems there would be no innocent until proven guilty in this type of case.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I am still a bit wary of the watermarking concept. I guess I just have extreme paranoia that someone could steal your ereader and then upload your books to dark places and you get blamed for it. It seems there would be no innocent until proven guilty in this type of case.

In that case you have a real easy defense -- "someone stole my ereader". Works the same with your car, someone takes it and then robs a bank, they won't just arrest you. The good thing is that through you they might be able to trace the uploader. And you would actually have a better chance of getting your reader back. Since the thief would be much easier to find (he is leaving tracks behind) and more resources would be spent on finding it.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I am still a bit wary of the watermarking concept. I guess I just have extreme paranoia that someone could steal your ereader and then upload your books to dark places and you get blamed for it. It seems there would be no innocent until proven guilty in this type of case.

Well, where is that "innoncent until proven guilty" actually active these days anyway? And if your reader gets stolen, I presume you'd have a police report.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by NVash

I think the books are overpriced. Call me the minority but $52 is too much. It may be true that Im getting seven books but its seven old books that I already have in hardcover. They should have done some sort of promotion and sold them dirt cheap when the place opened, like $20. Do that for maybe the first month and theyd rake in the cash. Then they could jack it up but most people would have it by then and probably wouldnt care.

If that's what you think, your course of action is clear: don't buy them. There's no shortage of people whose views differ from yours, and who will buy them.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Well, where is that "innoncent until proven guilty" actually active these days anyway? And if your reader gets stolen, I presume you'd have a police report.

I would not report a stolen item of such small value to the police. They have bigger problems to work. Or what if you accidentally leave it somewhere which I'm sure happens too.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I would not report a stolen item of such small value to the police. They have bigger problems to work. Or what if you accidentally leave it somewhere which I'm sure happens too.

You'd be doing a disservice to society by not reporting it, letting thieves get away with no threat of consequences, and for no good reason. It's not like the police are going to pull detectives off a murder case to go look for your reader. They don't need your help setting priorities.
But by reporting it (in addition to the benefits to you, of maybe getting your reader back and saving some money) then if the police were to happen to catch the thief on some other matter, there would be paper trail of evidence which would serve toward holding him accountable, and keeping him from victimizing others.

ApK

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by NVash

And to make matters worse, the UK version I always wanted to read lacks illustrations. Ill keep my money, thank you very much.

Just to clarify, UK editions of the Harry Potter books have never been illustrated. Nothing's been omitted from the eBooks; the UK eBooks are the same as the UK paper books.

[ProfCrash]

I don't have a problem with that Harry.

I do have a problem with the fact that JKR said she wanted everyone to have the same e-book experience. To me that means all the e-books would use the same fonts and have the same illustrations. It should not matter that they were not in the UK version and they were in the US. The e-books should all have the illustrations or not.

I also have a problem with the fact that the e-books are geo-restricted. She controls the global rights so why do I have to use a work around to get the UK version? That makes no sense. I have been wanting to read the UK version but thought that having the UK and US version in paper was over kill. Why can't someone in the US choose the UK version and vice versa?

In the end, it means that people are not having the same experience with the e-books. Since she used that as one of her excuses for delaying the e-books, it annoys me.

That said, I am fine without the illustrations. They were not vital to the story and I can live without them.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I don't think the prices are too high. I was expecting them to be in the $9.99 - 14.99 range since I think they are probably in high demand.

This is what I thought they would be as well. As a first time owner of the books, I'm pleased that they came in at $7.50 per book. I don't think that it is unreasonable at all.

[ProfCrash]

I was expecting to pay $10 a book, maybe more for the last three. I have no problem with the price.