DRM and Purchasing?

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

What happens when the DRM disables the screenshooting,

You are assuming that a screenshot has to be done in software. You can always take a picture with a hi res video camera.

[Doonge]

I voted yes, even if spirit I'd say no, because there's some books that I would buy if it was impossible to remove DRM: books that I would not read again anyway.

A DRM that one really couldn't break just enforces the notion in my mind that DRM stuff is not stuff you own, but stuff you rent.

I do rent stuff, but renting is cheaper than buying.

So, I'd make some purchases yeah: cheap and short-lived anyway since it's entertainement.

[markom]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

That is of course a huge PITA and requires OCR afterwords or ending up with huge ebook files in a fixed image size (Or screencapping at various different sizes for each reader you own and getting huge files).

What happens when the DRM disables the screenshooting, I think we can safely assume that any halfway competent unbreakable DRM system will disable screencaps & TTS while the program is in use?

Not PITA for me at all, because if I spend one hour at reading, I can also spend a couple of minutes to take 50-60 screenshots and transfer those images to my eink (e.g. ebooks from some online service or library).

Of course, if we want to keep those pictures forever, we can OCR them later to save memory and have a searchable pdf or epub.

If screencapturing is disabled (I haven't yet come across such case, though) we can use scanner or camera or some software to unblock the screencapturing.

I've been using jailbreaked iPad and app that allows for almost any action to be used for triggering the screenshot e.g. double pressing on the home button or a simple swipe from any part of the screen (instead of iPad's native simultaneous pressing on the home & sleep buttons that requires two hands), and we can also eliminate accompanying lights and sounds if we want it to, to make it faster or easier on the eyes.

[issybird]

Moderator Notice
MR permits general discussions regarding stripping DRM from content that one has purchased for oneself. We do not, however, allow discussions of methods for doing so and we especially do not condone discussions of stripping DRM from content purchased by someone else, which is piracy. I'd like to ask everyone to keep both these points in mind.

[Barbara1955]

When I couldn't remove DRM I wouldn't Buy ebooks. Borrow from Libraries or got Freebies from Amazon. Now that I Can remove DRM I Buy Rarely Borrow.

[Sydney's Mom]

If I cannot put the book onto Calibre so I can use Calibre Companion to get it on my Kindle, I don't even consider it. I consider CC essential for the 5th gen Kindle Fire

[murg]

Originally Posted by issybird

MR permits general discussions regarding stripping DRM from content that one has purchased for oneself. We do not, however, allow discussions of methods for doing so and we especially do not condone discussions of stripping DRM from content purchased by someone else, which is piracy. I'd like to ask everyone to keep both these points in mind.

This brings up an interesting question.

If the displaying device un-DRMs the content legitimately, as it is designed to do, and you then capture the content using an external device (or a feature in the displaying device itself) is that stripping the DRM?

I did originally write that "I'll agree it may be bypassing it, but I don't believe that it is 'stripping the DRM'", but now that I think of it, it isn't bypassing the DRM. The DRM is working as intended, and this situation is exactly the same making a copy of a physical book.

I'm limiting my comment to 'stripping DRM'. I agree that making a copy of a physical book (and scanning the displayed text) may run afoul of the copyright laws wherever you are.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by murg

This brings up an interesting question.

If the displaying device un-DRMs the content legitimately, as it is designed to do, and you then capture the content using an external device (or a feature in the displaying device itself) is that stripping the DRM?

I did originally write that "I'll agree it may be bypassing it, but I don't believe that it is 'stripping the DRM'", but now that I think of it, it isn't bypassing the DRM. The DRM is working as intended, and this situation is exactly the same making a copy of a physical book.

I'm limiting my comment to 'stripping DRM'. I agree that making a copy of a physical book (and scanning the displayed text) may run afoul of the copyright laws wherever you are.

On the copyright question, you can copy books or parts of books for your OWN personal use. It is illegal to sell said copies. Pattern books and patterns are frequently copied to keep from messing up the original.
Note on cross stitch patterns, the copies are usually not reusable.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Katie1

When I couldn't remove DRM I wouldn't Buy ebooks. Borrow from Libraries or got Freebies from Amazon. Now that I Can remove DRM I Buy Rarely Borrow.

I do borrow from Overdrive. Saves me a lot of money.

[Barbara1955]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do borrow from Overdrive. Saves me a lot of money.

My Library no longer carries Authors I follow. Seems I Mostly read Authors from big 5. Unlimited is also useless to me for the same reason. IF I wait long enough their prices drop some times go on sale for 24 hours.

[Atunah]

Library has been a huge savings for me. I have access to 3 of them and one, the most local one, is really good in taking my suggestions. I just read 2 books I suggested to them that cost 12.99 in the kindle store.

Not everything is at the library though so I still buy of course. Not for 12.99 though.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Doonge

A DRM that one really couldn't break just enforces the notion in my mind that DRM stuff is not stuff you own, but stuff you rent.

No. For supporting arguments, consult a dictionary. The fact that you don't like the terms of the license you are buying, or perhaps that you don't understand what you are buying, doesn't let you arbitrarily redefine common words to suit your notion.

but renting is cheaper than buying.

No. Try driving a rental car for a few years. Or a house. Or a DVD from Redbox.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ApK

No. For supporting arguments, consult a dictionary. The fact that you don't like the terms of the license you are buying, or perhaps that you don't understand what you are buying, doesn't let you arbitrarily redefine common words to suit your notion.


No. Try driving a rental car for a few years. Or a house. Or a DVD from Redbox.

Or rent to own stuff.
At least 3 times the price of buying outright.

[cadele]

I prefer to buy rather than borrow, and I like to re-read. I wouldn't knowingly buy an ebook I couldn't remove the DRM from.

[Doonge]

Originally Posted by ApK

No. For supporting arguments, consult a dictionary. The fact that you don't like the terms of the license you are buying, or perhaps that you don't understand what you are buying, doesn't let you arbitrarily redefine common words to suit your notion.


No. Try driving a rental car for a few years. Or a house. Or a DVD from Redbox.

Yes and yes, depending on context.

Renting is cheaper than buying for short-lived uses. Of course if you want somehing that you will use all your life, renting is more expensive. When I go in vacations somewhere, I rent a car, I don't buy one. Which was the context I used: I'd buy DRM books if those were one time reading only, and preferably cheap.

And when you "buy" an unDRMable ebook (which doesn't exists), it means you don't even own the bits of the ebook. Thus you rent. It means some software it always supervising your "property".

I've read here that some publishing houses went down and their ebook were only partially (if at all) managed by other houses. As a result, people lost parts of their library, and I don't recall if refund were planned (I think they got some coupons to use in the new publishing house only).
That doesn't sound like owning stuff.