“Why I break DRM on e-books”: A publishing exec speaks out

[AnemicOak]

Jane mentioned this article over at Dear Author and I thought it would interest folks here...

I believe this is justified because I realize that when I buy an e-book from Amazon, I’m really buying a license to that content, not the content itself. This is ridiculous, by the way. I feel as if e-book retailers are simply hiding behind that philosophy as a way to further support DRM and scare publishers away from considering a DRM-free world.

http://paidcontent.org/2012/04/24/br...g+(paidContent)

[Kumabjorn]

Converting them, one publisher at a time

[tecweston]

I believe this is justified because I realize that when I buy an e-book from Amazon, I’m really buying a license to that content, not the content itself. This is ridiculous, by the way. I feel as if e-book retailers are simply hiding behind that philosophy as a way to further support DRM and scare publishers away from considering a DRM-free world.

Exactly. I'm not interested in buying a license to read a book as long as Amazon remain in business and my account stays active. If I'm paying $10-15 for a book (which is more than I used to pay for paperback books I got to keep forever), then I'm stripping the DRM so I know I have them as long as I want them.

[abookreader]

"In about 15 minutes, anyone can unlock just about any e-book out there."

He/She obviously has not found the best tools yet.


It's like a contest.

I can un-drm that book in 15 minutes

I can do it in less than 1

I can do it ......

[Ninjalawyer]

This, plus Tor's announcement that they are going DRM free, has given me some hope that the publishing industry is slowly coming around to the fact that DRM isn't accomplishing its purpose (assuming its purpose is to prevent piracy and not to alienate paying customers).

[stickybuns]

Originally Posted by abookreader

"In about 15 minutes, anyone can unlock just about any e-book out there."

He/She obviously has not found the best tools yet.


It's like a contest.

I can un-drm that book in 15 minutes

I can do it in less than 1

I can do it ......

15 minutes sounds about right if one includes the time it takes to search for and download the needed tools.

[tecweston]

Originally Posted by abookreader

"In about 15 minutes, anyone can unlock just about any e-book out there."

Except iBooks. As far as I know there's no way to de-DRM those. I'm probably wrong though.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by tecweston

Except iBooks. As far as I know there's no way to de-DRM those. I'm probably wrong though.

There was a way, don't know if it still works or not though.

[CyGuy]

When you purchase an ebook you are purchasing a book, not a license. If you had actually purchased a license it would have been around 99 cents. Paying 10$ is a clear indication that a product was actually purchased...

[Belfaborac]

If you had purchased an actual product, you would have been allowed to use it, move it, copy it, format-shift it, lend it and give it away as you saw fit. The fact that you can't is a clear indication that you're purchasing a licence. The price doesn't enter into it at all.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer

This, plus Tor's announcement that they are going DRM free, has given me some hope that the publishing industry is slowly coming around to the fact that DRM isn't accomplishing its purpose (assuming its purpose is to prevent piracy and not to alienate paying customers).

Maja Thomas, VP of digital for Hachette, recently described DRM as “a speedbump” that “doesn’t stop anyone from pirating.”

http://paidcontent.org/2012/04/24/ma...e-removes-drm/

That's what we've been saying for years.

[Ninjalawyer]

Originally Posted by Belfaborac

If you had purchased an actual product, you would have been allowed to use it, move it, copy it, format-shift it, lend it and give it away as you saw fit. The fact that you can't is a clear indication that you're purchasing a licence. The price doesn't enter into it at all.

Whether its property or a license is still unsettled in law.

[ProfCrash]

I am with the crowd that says if I pay $.99 for a book, I will consider it a license and honor the DRM. If you are asking me to pay the same amount as the equivalent paper back, I am buying the book and not a license. In that case, I will strip the DRM so I can do whatever the heck I want with the book and screw em.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by tecweston

Except iBooks. As far as I know there's no way to de-DRM those. I'm probably wrong though.

I beleive that Fairplay for ebooks has been broken, and that there are mentions of the tool need on Apprentice Alf's blog.

[taustin]

Originally Posted by CyGuy

When you purchase an ebook you are purchasing a book, not a license. If you had actually purchased a license it would have been around 99 cents. Paying 10$ is a clear indication that a product was actually purchased...

The legal standard in most states (and it varies considerably, of course) is that you 1) paid a one time fee, and 2) got an indefinite term of use. If so, then in California, at least, it's a "sale of goods," not a license, and once it's a sale of goods, the first sale doctrine applies. And licensing terms do not, because copyright is governed by copyright law, not contract law.