Would you be e-reading if DRM was unbreakable? - Page 11

EowynCarter · 12-19-2013, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsunami

If it didn't, I could use the same ASCM file over and over again in different Adobe ADE accounts, and I don't assume that this is possible. I can, however, download the book over and over again.

Yup, ASCM file, once you downloaded a file with a user, will not work for an other ade account. You get a "already authorized to an other user" message.

And unless rules changes, there is a 3 times download limit.

Katsunami · 12-19-2013, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

And unless rules changes, there is a 3 times download limit.

?!

Never knew that. That alone causes me to want to remove DRM from a book.

ProfCrash · 12-19-2013, 09:42 AM

Depends on the book. Many Kindle books are limited to being on six devices at one time. You can open up a slot by removing the book from a device. I would think that would be more then enough for the vast majority of e-reader users. Heck, I only have 5 devices on my account so it is not an issue for me.

EowynCarter · 12-19-2013, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsunami

?!

Never knew that. That alone causes me to want to remove DRM from a book.

Yeah. Bumped onto it after a few screw up. I was using ubuntu and wine. First download fails. Then i do a save as, get my book.

Sometime later, i realize i lost the book, goes to download again, forget to do a 'save as' again, and paf, error.

Luckily, I found the book back.

GreenMonkey · 12-19-2013, 05:57 PM

I currently hesitate to buy books I can't remove the DRM on.

My general rule of thumb is:

Do your best not to buy DRM'd stuff (at least stuff that requires remote-server authentication that doesn't depend soley on your hardware).

So I avoid, but buy some games on XBL/Steam ($10-$12 tops, and I'm grumpy about spending that much on something that could vanish at any time). And never buy any digital movies (I'd buy the blu-ray instead). Hell I don't even redeem the "free" digital copies because they are of absolutely zero value to me. If I really want a digital copy of a movie I own I can rip it myself, or download it somewhere.

With ebooks, I have like $30 in Google Play credit I'd like to use on ebooks, but I haven't gotten around to configuring any DRM removal except for the Kindle and Nook. No reading before removing DRM, that's the rule, it's like rebates - must mail in rebate before playing with purchase! Otherwise you forget and it never gets done.

I STILL buy hardcovers for my favorite authors, also. Then again I have no qualms about "format shifting" a hardcover I own on my shelf to an ebook, darknet or not, in the same way that I feel no qualms about doing it for Blu-rays or TV shows.

NickyWithNook · 12-19-2013, 06:05 PM

My answer to the subject line is "yes" but there isn't an answer in the poll for doing the same as you do now.

patrickt · 12-19-2013, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsunami

It's a simple question. Most people here at MobileRead don't think twice about removing DRM from ebooks, about converting the books to a different format for a different reader, or about fixing a book (even if it's only putting a new cover into it).

Now, suppose that a way was found to create an unbreakable DRM. If this could be done, it would mean that books:

- cannot be converted from Kindle AZW3/Mobi to EPUB or vice versa.
- cannot be fixed. If something is broken, it'll stay that way.
- cannot be changed to fit your tastes (embedded fonts, etc...)
- Have to be used with something like ADE, or Kindle for PC.
- Are much less future proof.

If unbreakable DRM could be used and the publishers did so, what would you do?

(edit: If possible, a mod could add "I don't care about DRM" to the poll, but I don't think it'd get many votes here...)

I was going to vote in the poll and then I saw that an obvious answer of "Yes" was not one of the options. Never mind.

parkher · 12-20-2013, 01:46 AM

I need to be able at least to set the font (I can read only Amasis), its size, orientation and margins, and the inter-line spacing. I hope this unbreakable drm would still allow to edit css inside the book?
I probably cannot rely on the reader software to have the option to ignore the internal css and to have those settings in wide enough ranges of values, etc.

Katsunami · 12-20-2013, 01:56 AM

No, you can't change the book at all. That's the point of unbreakable DRM.

K. Molen · 12-20-2013, 09:41 AM

I can't vote, as I'd continue e-reading. In fact, I'd probably get an additional reader so I could still get epubs, but I wouldn't get rid of the Kindle since Amazon often has the best price around.

Rich_D · 12-20-2013, 09:44 AM

I'd continue buying ebooks and getting them from my library. I was reading ebooks long before I knew about removing DRM. I remove it now, but if I couldn't I'd get over it.

Katsunami · 12-20-2013, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_D

I'd continue buying ebooks and getting them from my library. I was reading ebooks long before I knew about removing DRM. I remove it now, but if I couldn't I'd get over it.

In my case, it wouldn't be possible to get over it, if there are books that have an inbuilt font in such a way that the reader doesn't allow you to change it. Many books have Charis built in (don't ask me why), and it just looks absolutely horrible on my KPW1.

The KPW1 can ignore that font and use a different one, but there are readers that can't. If a book is DRM-ed so you can't strip the font out, you're forced to read the book using an unreadable font; thereby defeating one of the main advantages of ebooks.

shalym · 12-20-2013, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsunami

In my case, it wouldn't be possible to get over it, if there are books that have an inbuilt font in such a way that the reader doesn't allow you to change it. Many books have Charis built in (don't ask me why), and it just looks absolutely horrible on my KPW1.

The KPW1 can ignore that font and use a different one, but there are readers that can't. If a book is DRM-ed so you can't strip the font out, you're forced to read the book using an unreadable font; thereby defeating one of the main advantages of ebooks.

The part that I bolded seems more like a problem with the device than a problem with the book. I know that for a while there was an issue with Kindles where the font would be locked in some kf8 books, but I think that problem has been fixed now, and you can choose not to use the publisher's font.

Shari

Lemurion · 12-20-2013, 02:56 PM

I don't like DRM, but if it were unbreakable it wouldn't really affect most of my reading. I currently get most of my eBooks from Amazon, and I have the Kindle app on all my current devices, so even when I do buy books with DRM I rarely notice its presence.

Unbreakable DRM that didn't get in the way wouldn't bother me at all, unbreakable DRM that got in the way would bother me immensely.

In the current market, where books are readily available without it and most forms of DRM can be read on multiple platforms it's not as big a deal as it used to be.

View Poll Results: What would you do if DRM was unbreakable?
Read classics, public domain books, self-pub... without DRM. Frack the publishers!	76	49.67%
I'd pirate scanned and OCR'd versions of DRM-ed books.	57	37.25%
(Partially) stop e-reading and go back to reading paper for the DRM-ed books.	68	44.44%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 153. You may not vote on this poll

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12-19-2013, 09:42 AM	#153
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Depends on the book. Many Kindle books are limited to being on six devices at one time. You can open up a slot by removing the book from a device. I would think that would be more then enough for the vast majority of e-reader users. Heck, I only have 5 devices on my account so it is not an issue for me.

12-19-2013, 05:57 PM	#155
GreenMonkey DRM hater Posts: 945 Karma: 2066176 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Michigan Device: Nook ST glow, Kindle Voyage	I currently hesitate to buy books I can't remove the DRM on. My general rule of thumb is: Do your best not to buy DRM'd stuff (at least stuff that requires remote-server authentication that doesn't depend soley on your hardware). So I avoid, but buy some games on XBL/Steam ($10-$12 tops, and I'm grumpy about spending that much on something that could vanish at any time). And never buy any digital movies (I'd buy the blu-ray instead). Hell I don't even redeem the "free" digital copies because they are of absolutely zero value to me. If I really want a digital copy of a movie I own I can rip it myself, or download it somewhere. With ebooks, I have like $30 in Google Play credit I'd like to use on ebooks, but I haven't gotten around to configuring any DRM removal except for the Kindle and Nook. No reading before removing DRM, that's the rule, it's like rebates - must mail in rebate before playing with purchase! Otherwise you forget and it never gets done. I STILL buy hardcovers for my favorite authors, also. Then again I have no qualms about "format shifting" a hardcover I own on my shelf to an ebook, darknet or not, in the same way that I feel no qualms about doing it for Blu-rays or TV shows.

12-19-2013, 06:05 PM	#156
NickyWithNook Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 3942770 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: American living in Australia Device: Kobo Libra Colour, Kindle Fire, Kindle Pwhite (Don't use Nook anymore)	My answer to the subject line is "yes" but there isn't an answer in the poll for doing the same as you do now.

12-20-2013, 01:46 AM	#158
parkher Evangelist Posts: 467 Karma: 369018 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: BL Alita/Mimas/Ares, OB Note2/Note, KA One/H2O/HD, S PRS T2/T1, PB 902	I need to be able at least to set the font (I can read only Amasis), its size, orientation and margins, and the inter-line spacing. I hope this unbreakable drm would still allow to edit css inside the book? I probably cannot rely on the reader software to have the option to ignore the internal css and to have those settings in wide enough ranges of values, etc.

12-20-2013, 01:56 AM	#159
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	No, you can't change the book at all. That's the point of unbreakable DRM.

12-20-2013, 09:41 AM	#160
K. Molen Addict Posts: 284 Karma: 4478866 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Toronto, ON Device: Kindle 3, iPad 3, Nexus 10, Nexus 5	I can't vote, as I'd continue e-reading. In fact, I'd probably get an additional reader so I could still get epubs, but I wouldn't get rid of the Kindle since Amazon often has the best price around.

12-20-2013, 09:44 AM	#161
Rich_D Fanatic Posts: 581 Karma: 1314896 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Pittsburgh, PA USA Device: Android phone, Kobo Glo HD, nook ST with Glo (backup)	I'd continue buying ebooks and getting them from my library. I was reading ebooks long before I knew about removing DRM. I remove it now, but if I couldn't I'd get over it.

12-20-2013, 02:56 PM	#164
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	I don't like DRM, but if it were unbreakable it wouldn't really affect most of my reading. I currently get most of my eBooks from Amazon, and I have the Kindle app on all my current devices, so even when I do buy books with DRM I rarely notice its presence. Unbreakable DRM that didn't get in the way wouldn't bother me at all, unbreakable DRM that got in the way would bother me immensely. In the current market, where books are readily available without it and most forms of DRM can be read on multiple platforms it's not as big a deal as it used to be.

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