How Do You Read Your E-Books - Page 5

JSWolf · 09-28-2007, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I entirely agree with you, Lemurion. Clearly the way to encourage publishers that DRM is unnecessary is to boost the sales of DRM-free books. Pirating DRM-protected books, as balok suggests, will do nothing other than to confirm the view of those publishers that DRM is necessary to fight the pirates.

The problem is with the average person. The average person will plug his/her device to the computer, fire up the program, purchase the ebook, download it, install it on the portable reading device, and then read away not worrying about the ebook on some future device. Most people don't reread books. Heck, we're lucky some even read them once. These people won't stop buying DRM ebooks as they don't see a problem with them. I know my mother (for example) would not have an issue with DRM as along as she would be able to read her book. THough for some of us, it's not just a matter of being able to have our ebooks DRM free, it's also about being able to reformat. Let's say we purchase an ebook that has poor formatting, wide margins, font size too small, line spaces after every paragraph, etc. We could then take the ebook, reformat it, and pop out a copy that we'd enjoy more.

balok · 09-28-2007, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm sorry, but this is simply a common sense way to do business ... Virtually any manufacturer which sells a base product, and then relies on the customer buying "add ons" for it operates the same way. It's not anti-competitive, but good business sense.

There are important distinctions between Xbox games (or Canon lenses) and books that punch gaping holes in your argument. It is technically impossible to make a game that can be run on all consoles, present and future. Ebooks, on the other hand, do not need to be made for a specific reader.

How would you feel if optometrists started making reading glasses that could only be used to read books from a given publisher? There's no technical reason to do it, but you could argue it's just a smart business practice, which of course would be nonsense.

HarryT · 09-28-2007, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balok

There are important distinctions between Xbox games (or Canon lenses) and books that punch gaping holes in your argument. It is technically impossible to make a game that can be run on all consoles, present and future. Ebooks, on the other hand, do not need to be made for a specific reader.

For games, I agree with you - there are technical difficulties that would probably be impossible to overcome. Camera lenses are, however, a very good analogy. Camera manufacturers have their own custom lens mounts precisely to lock customers in to the brand. There is no technical necessity for it whatsoever. You call it anti-competitive; I call it smart business accumen.

MissLissa · 10-06-2007, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Note: When I saw the title of the thread, I expected to be able to respond "Left to Right"...

And I was thinking portrait or landscape.

DaleDe · 10-07-2007, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissLissa

And I was thinking portrait or landscape.

How about last page first and then if you like the ending read the book.

MissLissa · 10-08-2007, 11:13 AM

I don't know how you can do that! I have a friend who reads the last chapter of every book, even mystery books. How??? It would so spoil it for me.

DaleDe · 10-08-2007, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissLissa

I don't know how you can do that! I have a friend who reads the last chapter of every book, even mystery books. How??? It would so spoil it for me.

I don't do that but I was remarking in the theme of what the title could mean.

Dale

HappyMartin · 10-09-2007, 05:43 AM

As to lenses it is not straight forward either. In the past perhaps. How a camera interfaces with its lenses is very complex. As examples, some auto focus systems have the drive motor in the lens and others in the body of the camera. The motors in lenses vary and use different voltages. Changing apertures is now often done from the camera and not on the lens. Of course all cameras could have one system to interface with lenses but then it would be just as simple to get all game consuls to agree on a common standard.

HarryT · 10-09-2007, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyMartin

As to lenses it is not straight forward either. In the past perhaps. How a camera interfaces with its lenses is very complex. As examples, some auto focus systems have the drive motor in the lens and others in the body of the camera. The motors in lenses vary and use different voltages. Changing apertures is now often done from the camera and not on the lens. Of course all cameras could have one system to interface with lenses but then it would be just as simple to get all game consuls to agree on a common standard.

These days, I agree with you. In the "old days" of purely "mechanical" lenses, however, the fact that (for example) Pentax lenses had a different fitting from, say, Nikon ones was purely to "lock" consumers in to that brand. Nowaday, lenses have complex electronic interfaces to the camera body and it's all a lot more sophisticated.

MissLissa · 10-09-2007, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

I don't do that but I was remarking in the theme of what the title could mean.

Dale

Sorry Dale!

gesit · 04-04-2008, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem is with the average person. The average person will plug his/her device to the computer, fire up the program, purchase the ebook, download it, install it on the portable reading device, and then read away not worrying about the ebook on some future device. Most people don't reread books. Heck, we're lucky some even read them once. These people won't stop buying DRM ebooks as they don't see a problem with them. I know my mother (for example) would not have an issue with DRM as along as she would be able to read her book. THough for some of us, it's not just a matter of being able to have our ebooks DRM free, it's also about being able to reformat. Let's say we purchase an ebook that has poor formatting, wide margins, font size too small, line spaces after every paragraph, etc. We could then take the ebook, reformat it, and pop out a copy that we'd enjoy more.

i do agree with jou m8
i mostly read my books in html on my PDA other format are often to large.
so i don't like DRM!!!
c u

ham

Gudy · 04-04-2008, 02:38 AM

When I read on the computer, it's almost guaranteed to be HTML, with the occasional TXT or PDF (if no other format is available) thrown in.

On my V3, it's Fictionbook FB2 (which is sadly missing from the poll).

View Poll Results: What format or formats do you read ebooks in?
Sony BBeB/LRF	44	49.44%
MobiPocket/PRC	39	43.82%
Microsoft LIT	16	17.98%
Plucker	4	4.49%
eReader (Palm Reader)	11	12.36%
IMP (GEB, REB, EB1150)	7	7.87%
Hiebook	0	0%
RocketBook2	2	2.25%
HTML	26	29.21%
DOC	14	15.73%
Text	22	24.72%
RTF	32	35.96%
PDF	26	29.21%
Psion	0	0%
CHM	5	5.62%
iSilo	4	4.49%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 89. You may not vote on this poll

10-08-2007, 11:13 AM	#66
MissLissa Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 84 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Southwest Device: Sony PRS 500/Palm Tungsten E2	NO! NO! NO! I don't know how you can do that! I have a friend who reads the last chapter of every book, even mystery books. How??? It would so spoil it for me.

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10-09-2007, 05:43 AM	#68
HappyMartin Martin Kristiansen Posts: 1,546 Karma: 8480958 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Johannesburg Device: Kindle International Ipad 2	As to lenses it is not straight forward either. In the past perhaps. How a camera interfaces with its lenses is very complex. As examples, some auto focus systems have the drive motor in the lens and others in the body of the camera. The motors in lenses vary and use different voltages. Changing apertures is now often done from the camera and not on the lens. Of course all cameras could have one system to interface with lenses but then it would be just as simple to get all game consuls to agree on a common standard.

04-04-2008, 02:38 AM	#72
Gudy Wizard Posts: 1,154 Karma: 3252017 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Germany Device: Pocketbook Touch Lux (623)	When I read on the computer, it's almost guaranteed to be HTML, with the occasional TXT or PDF (if no other format is available) thrown in. On my V3, it's Fictionbook FB2 (which is sadly missing from the poll).

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