How long before we see a LIMIT on the number of reads we are "allowed"

[Fayth]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

Given that "view once" DVDs are not imaginary, why would "read once" books be imaginary? The only reason they don't exist now is the limitations of the technology, not of the publishers. After all, if you read a book twice, aren't you stealing from the author the second time because you're reading the book without paying for it (again)? Why should you buy a book once but read it five times? That's the line the publishers are going to use ... and it's going to work.

View once DVDs are rentals, and they are priced accordingly. What the OP was suggesting is what if all your purchased ebooks (not rented) had limited reads. This simply won't happen. It hasn't happened anywhere else, and it won't happen here. Besides, when has anyone done well with an argument against allowing consumers to reuse what they purchase? That concept is stupid as it defeats the purpose of purchasing a product.You buy a DVD intending to watch it, and then likely watch it again down the road. Unless of course you are renting one.

[snipenekkid]

Fayth,

Just to clarify your comment I am suggesting nothing. I am posing a question speculating what-if this happens.

[FizzyWater]

In practicality, how would they know you finished the book? Some people can devour a book in a single day, others take weeks. Some flip to the back and read the ending first, some start at the acknowledgments and read on. What metric would they use to decide you'd actually finished the book once?

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What proportion of your books do you read more than once? With me, the figure is very low. I have a few old favourites, that I read over and over, but the overwhelming majority of books I'll never read again.

I'd say: close to 100%...


And, personally, they can do whatever they want. The first thing I do when I buy a book is strip the DRM. If they would ever implement something like this, I think the amount of strippers would explode.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

If they would ever implement something like this, I think the amount of strippers would explode.

strippers

[snipenekkid]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

In practicality, how would they know you finished the book? Some people can devour a book in a single day, others take weeks. Some flip to the back and read the ending first, some start at the acknowledgments and read on. What metric would they use to decide you'd actually finished the book once?

I would imagine it would work something like how it works with textbooks that expire after a semester? But this is not the question really. Anything can be programmed so there would be zero hurdles on the tech side of the equation. Where I see the issues would be selling it to us the consumer and also finding what it would take to strong arm the retailers into it. Though I am willing to bet anything that could induce more purchases is not really going to cause much of a fuss from the retailers, yeah even Amazon. They might pound their chests for use peons but behind closed doors they'll take the cash every time.

The only real roadblock I see is us the consumer. And, really we don't have a single say in any of it as long as "The Agency" is running the show with nobody watching their business practices. So long as they keep the cash flowing into the proper pockets it won't change. Unless some Attorney General out there like to read ebooks.

Do I think this is likely to happen? Heck I dunno but it came to mind and who knows what will come to be the acceptable for the sale of ebooks in a couple years.

[snipenekkid]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

strippers

Is a stripper from Poland a Stripper Pole?

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by GreenMonkey

I know this isn't home theater circles like I normally frequent, so...ever hear of DiVX? Not the internet codec...the product. Pay-per-use competing format with DVD. Luckily, it died.

The model didn't die with it though. Xbox360 and AppleTV both use pay-per-view for TV and film content. On Apple you even have to pay to watch BBC TV programmes. (BBC is funded through a sort of TV tax that everyone has to pay).

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

In practicality, how would they know you finished the book? Some people can devour a book in a single day, others take weeks. Some flip to the back and read the ending first, some start at the acknowledgments and read on. What metric would they use to decide you'd actually finished the book once?

When every page has been viewed. The only fiction books I would see that being a problem with would be short story anthologies. Some people would flip through the boring ones, but others would go to the contents and navigate to the next one from there. The flippers would be seen to have read it, the navigators wouldn't.

That would be solved by just giving anthologies away for free since they are basically just advertising for other things the contributors have written.

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

strippers would explode.

Originally Posted by wyndslash

strippers

Exploding ones too.

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by Fayth

View once DVDs are rentals, and they are priced accordingly.

Are they? One of the reasons I've never bought one is that I can find the same DVD for sale at a similar (or cheaper) price elsewhere, or rent it from Redbox for a fraction of the price. And look at what Microsoft is/was trying to charge for software rentals on an annual basis -- their selling point was that you always have the newest and latest bugs, er, version, I meant version. Unfortunately for them, their target was the enterprise, and business managers don't get where they are by being stupid, so that didn't fly. But they tried.

Besides, when has anyone done well with an argument against allowing consumers to reuse what they purchase?

Okay, trade your Sony PRS-350 for a Kindle and read those books you bought from the Sony store.

What, you can't?

They're Sony-only?

And yet the vendors of DRM-locked ebooks don't seem to be going bankrupt at the moment. People -- even some people here -- are still buying what they sell: books that can only be read on one device, or not at all of Amazon decides to take them back right off your Kindle, which has happened. Whether or not they're doing well with the argument, they're doing well with the books.

That concept is stupid as it defeats the purpose of purchasing a product.

I agree. That's why I don't buy DRM-locked ebooks. But all but a few other people disagree with me.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

I agree. That's why I don't buy DRM-locked ebooks. But all but a few other people disagree with me.

It's stupid, true. But, just like DRM-infested books, it'll be stripped. And, again, only hurts the honest buyer.

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

It's stupid, true. But, just like DRM-infested books, it'll be stripped. And, again, only hurts the honest buyer.

If the companies selling DRM-locked ebooks are being honest about their reasons, they're failing in their goals -- they're screwing over their customers and not even mildly annoying the pirates. If they're succeeding in their goals, we have to wonder why they want to screw over their customers and don't care about the pirates, and I can't come up with a scenario that isn't bad for the good guys. So either they're failing or they're lying, and neither one is a good thing.

[CyGuy]

Honestly I think this is a non-issue. The very first thing anyone should do the moment they purchase an eBook is to remove the DRM infection if present. If you purchase a DRM infected book and you for some reason didn't remove the DRM, all of the negative things that can happen to the eBook are your fault...

[wyndslash]

Like what? I'm still pretty innocent to this DRM thing. If it's downloaded and stored on your kindle, won't it be safe?