Let's face it: DRM didn't help anyone - Page 2

UncleDuke · 04-28-2007, 08:37 PM

i was not thinking of doc savage as a classic piece of fiction. i was thinking more of melville, dana, plato, milton, emerson, euripides, cevantes, shelley, lord byron, homer, and jethro.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 04-29-2007, 09:07 AM

Oh, those guys.

It's true that copyright law hasn't effectively changed. However, that's not really the problem. In the past, creating entire copies of a piece of literature was pretty involved. If you tried to sell it, the authorities could potentially get ahold of it, and use it to find its source... you... and arrest you.

But with electronic files, you can more easily copy an entire work, and spread it globally. On the face of it, it's easy to see why people would panic at the thought, and seek to apply DRM to their products.

But, as we've discussed elsewhere, a fair business model limits the amount of "piracy" to a manageable level, and negates the need for DRM. Paper books are sold today at a price that is considered fair enough to prevent people from taking others' books and printing their own. E-books can be similarly priced to negate the need to steal them in the vast majority of the market.

Copyright law isn't really the issue... it's fine the way it is. It's the business model that needs to change to accommodate e-books.

HeffeD · 04-30-2007, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Copyright law isn't really the issue... it's fine the way it is. It's the business model that needs to change to accommodate e-books.

It's not just e-books. I just can't figure out why these PDA games cost as much as a PC game. They don't even come close to the scope of PC games, nor do they have to contend with the costs of product packaging and the pressing of CDRoms.

So why are they charging so much? I'm definitely not going to pay that kind of money for what is at most a fairly lame game as far as games go. I stick to the freeware games, or the demos of the pricey ones. Now, if they were only charging $5, I'd even buy it and I'm on disability! I think so would a lot more people. It's simple logic. A lot of $5 sales is going to make them a lot more money than a few $25 - $30 sales...

It goes the same with e-books. Since there are literally no production costs that go into the copy of each e-book sold, (other than bandwidth and server costs which would be minimal because an e-book isn't a large download, or possibly marketing...) they should be priced quite affordably. If the e-books are within the reach of pretty much anyone, they'll sell a lot more product.

RWood · 04-30-2007, 12:15 AM

Someday, someone will design an ebookstore that is as good as a real one. Amazon is the best of the current lot and I feel that even it leaves a lot to be desired.

If that happens and they have reasonable prices for device independent books (open format with no DRM) then the market will take off. Then the trees need no longer fear of being converted into a bad book that no one will want.

johnnaryry · 05-03-2007, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

I should have credited them. It's from defectivebydesign.org. Link to hi-res version: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/sit....preview_0.png

It's not a protected file... is it?

--ryan (sorry, I couldn't resist!)

Alexander Turcic · 05-03-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnaryry

It's not a protected file... is it?

What would it be called it was protected... irony?

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04-28-2007, 08:37 PM	#16
UncleDuke books & doughnuts Posts: 882 Karma: 37857 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: usa Device: sony reader, kindle2	i was not thinking of doc savage as a classic piece of fiction. i was thinking more of melville, dana, plato, milton, emerson, euripides, cevantes, shelley, lord byron, homer, and jethro.

04-29-2007, 09:07 AM	#17
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Oh, those guys. It's true that copyright law hasn't effectively changed. However, that's not really the problem. In the past, creating entire copies of a piece of literature was pretty involved. If you tried to sell it, the authorities could potentially get ahold of it, and use it to find its source... you... and arrest you. But with electronic files, you can more easily copy an entire work, and spread it globally. On the face of it, it's easy to see why people would panic at the thought, and seek to apply DRM to their products. But, as we've discussed elsewhere, a fair business model limits the amount of "piracy" to a manageable level, and negates the need for DRM. Paper books are sold today at a price that is considered fair enough to prevent people from taking others' books and printing their own. E-books can be similarly priced to negate the need to steal them in the vast majority of the market. Copyright law isn't really the issue... it's fine the way it is. It's the business model that needs to change to accommodate e-books.

04-30-2007, 12:15 AM	#19
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	Someday, someone will design an ebookstore that is as good as a real one. Amazon is the best of the current lot and I feel that even it leaves a lot to be desired. If that happens and they have reasonable prices for device independent books (open format with no DRM) then the market will take off. Then the trees need no longer fear of being converted into a bad book that no one will want.

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