DRM or not?

GraciousMe · 12-22-2012, 06:17 PM

First, I want to thank everybody who advised me during work on my ebook, especially Alex Bell. It is now published.

However, I am still unsure what to do about copy-protection.

There are two options on the site where I publish the book (in Sweden): Adobe DRM or "watermark".

The latter means, as far as I can tell, nothing more than an extra chapter/page at the end of the book saying "This book belongs to <name of buyer>". (I think that page can be deleted.)

On the other hand I hear that DRM can be an irritating hassle, that you cannot freely move the book between your different devices, etc.

I don´t want to irritate my readers/ buyers, on the other hand I wish to sell the book and not just give it away.

Grateful for any advice of the Pro and Con of DRM/ watermark.

AlexBell · 12-23-2012, 01:22 AM

Congratulations on publishing your book. Do let me know if you ever do an English translation.

In my opinion
- It is easy to remove Adobe DRM. So if you use Adobe DRM you are in effect giving it away to those who know how to remove it's DRM. It won't upset them that you have used DRM.
- Most people who don't know how to use DRM or and don't want to move their books to other readers they buy won't care if you use DRM - until they buy a new reader and want to move your ebook. They will resent it if they have to buy another copy.
- So I think the chances of irritating people is higher if you use DRM than if you don't, and it has little or any benefit to you.

Jellby · 12-23-2012, 03:54 AM

DRM or not?

Not.

A watermark can be deleted, if the user takes some time to open the book in an editor, or devise some conversion setup that removes the watermark. Deleting a watermark, if it's not an obnoxious one, is a deliberate act to modify the bought ebook.

DRM can be deleted, just by running a readily available little program, no further knowledge required. Removing DRM is probably routinely done by anyone who buys ebooks (and who knows that it can be done), and it's not necessarily indicative of a dishonest behaviour, but rather a means to guarantee they can give the book to friends and relatives and use it in future readers.

So, I'd say DRM is much more likely to be removed than a watermark. None of them will prevent your book appearing in the darknet some day, only scarcity of available copies and lack of interest will

12-22-2012, 06:17 PM	#1
GraciousMe Zealot Posts: 101 Karma: 202774 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: none	DRM or not? First, I want to thank everybody who advised me during work on my ebook, especially Alex Bell. It is now published. However, I am still unsure what to do about copy-protection. There are two options on the site where I publish the book (in Sweden): Adobe DRM or "watermark". The latter means, as far as I can tell, nothing more than an extra chapter/page at the end of the book saying "This book belongs to <name of buyer>". (I think that page can be deleted.) On the other hand I hear that DRM can be an irritating hassle, that you cannot freely move the book between your different devices, etc. I don´t want to irritate my readers/ buyers, on the other hand I wish to sell the book and not just give it away. Grateful for any advice of the Pro and Con of DRM/ watermark.

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12-23-2012, 01:22 AM	#2
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	Congratulations on publishing your book. Do let me know if you ever do an English translation. In my opinion - It is easy to remove Adobe DRM. So if you use Adobe DRM you are in effect giving it away to those who know how to remove it's DRM. It won't upset them that you have used DRM. - Most people who don't know how to use DRM or and don't want to move their books to other readers they buy won't care if you use DRM - until they buy a new reader and want to move your ebook. They will resent it if they have to buy another copy. - So I think the chances of irritating people is higher if you use DRM than if you don't, and it has little or any benefit to you.

12-23-2012, 03:54 AM	#3
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,516 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	DRM or not? Not. A watermark can be deleted, if the user takes some time to open the book in an editor, or devise some conversion setup that removes the watermark. Deleting a watermark, if it's not an obnoxious one, is a deliberate act to modify the bought ebook. DRM can be deleted, just by running a readily available little program, no further knowledge required. Removing DRM is probably routinely done by anyone who buys ebooks (and who knows that it can be done), and it's not necessarily indicative of a dishonest behaviour, but rather a means to guarantee they can give the book to friends and relatives and use it in future readers. So, I'd say DRM is much more likely to be removed than a watermark. None of them will prevent your book appearing in the darknet some day, only scarcity of available copies and lack of interest will

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