Will more publishers drop DRM?

[crossi]

There has been a few publishers that started with DRM and then dropped it later for at least some of their imprints. I've noticed a few books I've bought lately on Amazon with a statement that "this book sold without DRM by request of the publisher". Any studies about how that is working out? Noticeable change in it's piracy rate? Any rumors about other publishers/imprints trying it?

I really want the majority of publishers to go DRM free. If that happens there might be more non-store affliliated readers sold and more chance of finding one with the features I want. Little competition means few options available.

[mbmr]

DRM is stupid, doesnt stop pirates, and annoys paying customers.

There are pirate sites out there selling millions of ebooks at either $0.01 or 1/20th the amazon price (for bitcoins), obviously enough DRM doesnt stop them

You can even request any book and they would most likely fulfill your request, now that service...

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by crossi

Any studies about how that is working out? Noticeable change in it's piracy rate? Any rumors about other publishers/imprints trying it?

Tor haven't said much, but they did say that they had seen no difference in piracy rates on going DRM-free.

[faithbw]

Originally Posted by mbmr

DRM is stupid, doesnt stop pirates, and annoys paying customers.

There are pirate sites out there selling millions of ebooks at either $0.01 or 1/20th the amazon price (for bitcoins), obviously enough DRM doesnt stop them

You can even request any book and they would most likely fulfill your request, now that service...

Seriously? Wow. That's amazing. Hmm, I think if you went through the trouble of finding pirated material, you would try to get it for free (unless people don't know these are pirated materials?).

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Tor haven't said much, but they did say that they had seen no difference in piracy rates on going DRM-free.

Is the piracy rate really measurable?

I suppose you could try to google your titles to see what percentage of them are being pirated. But that's not what I'd call the piracy rate.

[jayajha]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Is the piracy rate really measurable?

I suppose you could try to google your titles to see what percentage of them are being pirated. But that's not what I'd call the piracy rate.

I think what they really measure is the effect on their sales/sales growth after going DRM-free. If there isn't a significant dip around that time, "piracy rates" have not gone higher.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Is the piracy rate really measurable?

Tor UK said "no discernible increase in piracy"

John Sargent, head of Macmillan, said "initial results suggest there was no increase in piracy"

It's been two years now since Tor first announced that they were going DRM-free. I'm a little disappointed that more publishers/imprints haven't joined them yet.

[EowynCarter]

I long for the day we don't need alf anymore.

But I don't see that happening anytime soon

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Is the piracy rate really measurable?

I suppose you could try to google your titles to see what percentage of them are being pirated. But that's not what I'd call the piracy rate.

I know with Game of Thrones TV show IIRC it was reported in the Australian media how many people downloaded it. I think they used according to the article one of the torrent snooping sites for stats.

Personally I'd like to think we'll move more towards DRM-Free, but practically for some reason I think things will get worse. Recently we bought to second installment of the Hobbit on bluray, and despite being in Australia we were forced to sit through two American government warnings on piracy which we couldn't skip. I just get the feeling DRM with ebooks will become more intrusive. Sad but it hurts the honest person more.

[pdurrant]

I'm still hopeful that the big publishers will realise that they're spending money on DRM for no return.

[mbmr]

Originally Posted by faithbw

Seriously? Wow. That's amazing. .

Yes tho' I presume I can not name names so I wont, but here is a screenshot from their frontpage that says alot
http://i.imgur.com/ttGaPA4.jpg
Not that it matters, the name, since its invite only!

Originally Posted by faithbw

Hmm, I think if you went through the trouble of finding pirated material, you would try to get it for free (unless people don't know these are pirated materials?).

That's true of course, but all the other pirate sites are half the size and dont have the same quality and definitely don't "crowdfund" user donations to buy books from ebook shops and remove drm. I doubt they make any money considering the amounts of books they acquire for people placing requests.

[pdurrant]

Please do not encourage or praise piracy. Thank you.

[mbmr]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Please do not encourage or praise piracy. Thank you.

I have not done that

I have given a concrete example WITHOUT NAMING THE SITE of why DRM makes feck all difference to piracy and does not stop it.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Please do not encourage or praise piracy. Thank you.

What? What other things are you not allowed to praise? Why are you allowed to encourage DRM removal. Or encourage lying about were you live. This is starting to get ridiculous.

[Jack Torrance]

Originally Posted by mbmr

DRM is stupid, doesnt stop pirates, and annoys paying customers.
.

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

I long for the day we don't need alf anymore.

(

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Please do not encourage or praise piracy. Thank you.

I have to agree that DRM is just a PITA for the average person. Look at all the threads with the "I have a _____ and I need to put the books I paid for on a _____"

I recall having an argument with a co-worker about downloading songs and I agreed to try it his way. A short while later I found a song I wanted on iTunes and paid for it and promptly tried to get it on to my MP3 player (not an iDevice) and ended up banging my head against the wall for hours as Apple wouldn't let me transfer it. (I don't recall why this was years ago).

That's really the issue. If I pay for it I should be able to do whatever I want with it. Put it on my phone, my computer, my mp3 player give it to my wife ect ect. And all it does it make it harder. And as far as I know Apple TOS states something along the lines of "even though you paid for it, its not really yours"

I don't doubt that if the DRM was all removed and the cost of media was reduced to a fair price and the media was released and available, there would still be pirate sites out there. Because some people just wont pay for things.

But then I would be able to watch movies without having Russian subtitles and peoples heads in the frame.