Kindle store: Indies avoid DRM to reach wider audience

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Well, it is an arbitrary number that AMAZON decided upon--without consulting authors, publishers or copyright.

...but not something pulled out of thin air.
MSreader allowed 8 devices, ereader an infinite number, and a lot of failed formats only one, which is what the publishers would vote for if asked.
6 is a fair compromise considering the licenses are non-transferable.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

...but not something pulled out of thin air.
MSreader allowed 8 devices, ereader an infinite number, and a lot of failed formats only one, which is what the publishers would vote for if asked.
6 is a fair compromise considering the licenses are non-transferable.

I don't disagree. But unlike copyright, it is not a law. It's an arbitrary number chosen by a retailer. I don't find it unreasonable, nor am I claiming they didn't research it. But every retailer can pick their own number of devices (or not). With copyright, the rules tend to be a bit more clear cut. Sort of.

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Shrug. I have no idea if DRM has helped or hurt my sales. None.

That's the real problem in all of these discussions, I don't think anyone knows how much (or if) DRM helps or hinders sales. Tor said that removing DRM didn't lead to a discernible increase in piracy, but if it did lead to an increase in the casual lending you described, would they know? Would that be discernible?

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

I don't disagree. But unlike copyright, it is not a law. It's an arbitrary number chosen by a retailer.

I'd like to think that copyright terms are based on an analysis of available evidence, but I honestly think they're also arbitrary numbers.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Why would they?
That is exactly why Amazon lets you have 6 *active* reading devices per account. Sharing books within the immediate family is part of the expected usage pattern.

Why do they then not have the possibility to configure the page synchronization to exclude readers or group them together in subsets? Now you cannot in the family read the same book at the same time if two persons want to read the same book on their phone and Kindle and use the page synchronization between devices.

[Ken.Hagdal]

Originally Posted by avantman42

I'd like to think that copyright terms are based on an analysis of available evidence, but I honestly think they're also arbitrary numbers.

There's no number in copyright terms, unless you mean their length and the nitpicking regarding how long they will be uphelp after the author's death.

"...gives the copyright holder the right to be credited for the work, to determine who may adapt the work to other forms, who may perform the work, who may financially benefit from it, and other related rights. It is a form of intellectual property (like the patent, the trademark, and the trade secret) applicable to any expressible form of an idea or information that is substantive and discrete." - Wiki

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by Ken.Hagdal

There's no number in copyright terms, unless you mean their length and the nitpicking regarding how long they will be uphelp after the author's death.

I meant the length - it was in reference to copyright law.

[Ken.Hagdal]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Like streetsweeping or bus driving

That would actually pay more than some of the jobs I('ve) had. One was fruit picker. One month I didn't make more than $500 due to bad weather crippling the harvest. It was followed by 4 months of moonlighting with the farmer sorting/selling apples. Pay shot up to $750 a month.

Since job opportunities are rather limted in the semi-rural area I live in, I then set up a computer services company. I've made an average of $1000 a month before tax this year. Part of my "savings" have been used to pay for the editing/illustration of my upcoming novel. Another non-paltry amount will be dedicated to having my book printed alongside the ebook version and getting it read by reviewers. I also entertain the fantasy of making an audiobook available at some point in the future. Not sure when due to the cost.

In case you're wondering, health insurance and retirement are way above my currelt level of concerns.

side note: If any aspiring writer needs tips on how to live with less than $1000 a month for a few years -provided you're fine with not living at your own place, feel free to pm me.

[Ken.Hagdal]

Originally Posted by avantman42

I meant the length - it was in reference to copyright law.

Thank you for clearing it up Russel.

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

...but not something pulled out of thin air.
MSreader allowed 8 devices, ereader an infinite number, and a lot of failed formats only one, which is what the publishers would vote for if asked.
6 is a fair compromise considering the licenses are non-transferable.

6 is merely Amazon's default, a publisher can choose a different number so some expensive medical reference works set 2 or even 1 and some unlimited but still with DRM.

Of course when the ebook price exceeds the cost of a Kindle we are in a different market for sure.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Little.Egret

6 is merely Amazon's default, a publisher can choose a different number so some expensive medical reference works set 2 or even 1 and some unlimited but still with DRM.

Of course when the ebook price exceeds the cost of a Kindle we are in a different market for sure.

I think those are negotiated with publishers in some cases. It's set to unlimited for most of us loading via KDP. The default is 6 or 7 but some publishers negotiate for less.