Do you avoid DRM ebooks?

jrchase · 08-23-2010, 12:53 PM

I've passed on many an ebook because of DRM. Is DRM a factor in your purchase these days?

On the Kindle, I assume DRM-free is indicated by the "Simultaneous Readers = Unlimited" in the product details?

J.R. Chase
Author of the mystery thriller Chicago Squeeze

carld · 08-23-2010, 12:56 PM

No, I normally read on my Kindle and don't really worry about DRM at all. In the rare cases that I need to read something on my phone, I can strip the DRM easily enough.

Alisa · 08-23-2010, 04:28 PM

Nope. I detest DRM but I don't see it going away in the immediate future. It's more important to me to support ebooks in general right now. When the ebook market is big enough that the publishers have to care about its opinion, then I think we'll have some chance of getting them to stop punishing the people who actually pay for their books.

Elfwreck · 08-23-2010, 04:35 PM

I don't buy DRM. I don't currently have the ability to read DRM'd anything; since I upgraded to Vista (not my choice, really), I haven't bothered installing any software that can deal with DRM. (I dislike Vista enough that I've avoided installing several programs I like; I keep hoping that if I refuse to play nice with it, it'll spontaneously morph into Ubuntu some evening.)

My Vista hassles aside, I don't like DRM, enough to have decided I won't support the business decision to use it. I don't download DRM'd freebies, much less pay for DRM'd content.

My ebook dollars are limited; between Baen, FW's multiformats, and Smashwords, I'm not likely to run out of good reading material, so there's no need for me to bother with extra software to get DRM'd books and then even more to crack them so I can be sure of reading them after the business model has changed again.

jswinden · 08-23-2010, 05:08 PM

Most of the books I buy are DRMed. It doesn't bother me much as I strip it away. I don't like the idea of DRMing books, but I understand the reason publishers are using it. They don't want a repeat of the Napster incident. I wouldn't even mind DRM at all if all readers could read any eBook. The only reason I strip DRM is so that I can put the book on various readers which are all mine. I never give or loan ebooks to anyone else. If they could come up with a DRM wherein when you finished reading the book you could pass it to someone else by giving up all your rights to it, that would be okay. Afterall, that is what we have done for centuries with printed books.

rcuadro · 08-23-2010, 05:17 PM

If it is on Amazon and I want to read it I buy it... DRM or not...

happy_terd · 08-23-2010, 05:21 PM

I do not avoid DRMed books.

tovare · 08-23-2010, 05:35 PM

I only buy non-DRM because I consider it's a violation of my personal freedom and there are good books to choose from other authors. (although I do occationally look in envy at books I would have liked, but choose not to buy).

Device migration is the most common occurance for me, but I'm disgusted to learn that some publishers has protected books against using the built-in voice synthesiser in the Kindle because it might cause lost sales of audio-books. The idea that a publisher, once a book has been purchased, is allowed to dictate how you read it is revolting. With non-DRM books you can even print out a few pages on paper to read while taking a bath.

I did buy a few books once from mobipocket

, thankfully some awesome guy on the internet developed a script to strip them of the protection ... now I'm not forced to read those on my Nokia phone or PC, but can read them on my Sony PRS-600. I'll be able to transfer those books to my upcomming Kindle as well

(If you look at fictionwise.com , you can easily find non-drm books under Multiformat, and there's plenty of good tips for places to get books elsewhere in this forum)

kjk · 08-23-2010, 05:39 PM

Nope. All the devices I use now can read/share the same DRM'ed content, so it doesn't really affect my usage. But I also know there are current ways of saving that content in case the DRM servers go down at some point-not sure if I'd be so sanguine if that weren't the case.

kingduct · 08-23-2010, 05:46 PM

Yes, I avoid DRM.

ATDrake · 08-23-2010, 06:01 PM

I certainly prefer non-DRM books and will choose a copy from a non-DRM vendor (e.g. Smashwords) over the same title DRM-ed from Amazon, even if the formatting is kind of messed up.

But I don't automatically exclude DRM-ed books from consideration, if that's what's available and I really and truly want to buy a copy in e-book format.

However, in order for me to purchase the DRM-ed version, it would have to have a cheapness like unto dirt and I'd have to be able to strip whatever DRM was being used. Or completely unavailable through other means, including the darknet and affordable second-hand paper copies.

Or I'd just have to click the wrong button when downloading what I thought would be a sample from Amazon and have it go directly to my credit card so that I'd lose out on the currency conversion if I returned and refunded it.

Oh well. At least it's something I was more-or-less vaguely interested in, was cheaper on Amazon than anywhere else according to Inkmesh, and I've managed to read three free promo/library books from one of the authors at no cost to myself, so I don't mind so much if she finally gets paid for this one.

But you can bet I'll be more paranoid about the damn 1-click button and padding my account with gift certificates now.

sirmaru · 08-23-2010, 07:58 PM

I ONLY read DRM protected books on Sony, Amazon and B&N.

One gets better books that way. We get only what we pay for.

If you pay zero, you really get zero.

I have PC apps for all three, a Sony PRS-900 and expect an Amazon Kindle 3 soon.

My reading is mainly on the PC with eReaders for occurances away from my house.

However, for music I buy only from Amazon, not iTunes. Amazon songs have no DRM.

For games I prefer no DRM as well.

superstitious · 08-23-2010, 08:45 PM

Nope I don't avoid drm'ed ebooks. Just recently learn how to crack them and I feel that taking just a bit of time to strip the drm is not a big deal since it'll protect my purchases in a long run. I don't hate drm but prefer to not have it.

krazy4katz · 08-23-2010, 09:32 PM

I love my kindle and buy my books from Amazon. They are DRM'd. Life is too short to worry about it!! I have so much fun reading electronically. I am not going to deprive myself over a principle that doesn't really exist. It's like saying I won't buy a vacuum cleaner from Hoover because I can't buy the bags from Eureka.

Just have fun, have fun, have fun....

;-)

TheKindleWorm · 08-24-2010, 02:29 AM

After trying 3 ereading devices (Sony, pocketbook & kindle) and finally deciding to go with Kindle as it suits me best - I'm happy to purchase Amazon ebooks and not worry about the DRM. I'm not planning to use any other brand of ereader anytime soon and I know how to remove DRM if I move to another platform in the future.

I disagree with the notion that "you get what you pay for" and only ebooks with a price attached are worth reading. Some of the very best ebooks I've read (in terms of formatting and content) have been freebies from here at mobileread and also feedbooks. I have also paid good money for ebooks from genuine stores which are littered with errors - so I would recommend that people have an open mind towards free ebooks.

08-23-2010, 12:53 PM	#1
jrchase Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10000 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle	Do you avoid DRM ebooks? I've passed on many an ebook because of DRM. Is DRM a factor in your purchase these days? On the Kindle, I assume DRM-free is indicated by the "Simultaneous Readers = Unlimited" in the product details? J.R. Chase Author of the mystery thriller Chicago Squeeze Last edited by jrchase; 08-23-2010 at 12:55 PM.

08-23-2010, 07:58 PM	#12
sirmaru Wizard Posts: 2,426 Karma: 6561538 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Kindle PW 2013, HDX 2013, Galaxy S5 2014	Only DRM for me in books I ONLY read DRM protected books on Sony, Amazon and B&N. One gets better books that way. We get only what we pay for. If you pay zero, you really get zero. I have PC apps for all three, a Sony PRS-900 and expect an Amazon Kindle 3 soon. My reading is mainly on the PC with eReaders for occurances away from my house. However, for music I buy only from Amazon, not iTunes. Amazon songs have no DRM. For games I prefer no DRM as well.

08-23-2010, 09:32 PM	#14
krazy4katz Addict Posts: 367 Karma: 1552656 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: [Kindle 1, Kindle 3 (KK)], Kindle Voyage, iPad Pro	I love my kindle and buy my books from Amazon. They are DRM'd. Life is too short to worry about it!! I have so much fun reading electronically. I am not going to deprive myself over a principle that doesn't really exist. It's like saying I won't buy a vacuum cleaner from Hoover because I can't buy the bags from Eureka. Just have fun, have fun, have fun.... ;-) Last edited by krazy4katz; 08-23-2010 at 09:35 PM.

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08-23-2010, 12:56 PM	#2
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	No, I normally read on my Kindle and don't really worry about DRM at all. In the rare cases that I need to read something on my phone, I can strip the DRM easily enough.

08-23-2010, 04:28 PM	#3
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	Nope. I detest DRM but I don't see it going away in the immediate future. It's more important to me to support ebooks in general right now. When the ebook market is big enough that the publishers have to care about its opinion, then I think we'll have some chance of getting them to stop punishing the people who actually pay for their books.

08-23-2010, 04:35 PM	#4
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,185 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	I don't buy DRM. I don't currently have the ability to read DRM'd anything; since I upgraded to Vista (not my choice, really), I haven't bothered installing any software that can deal with DRM. (I dislike Vista enough that I've avoided installing several programs I like; I keep hoping that if I refuse to play nice with it, it'll spontaneously morph into Ubuntu some evening.) My Vista hassles aside, I don't like DRM, enough to have decided I won't support the business decision to use it. I don't download DRM'd freebies, much less pay for DRM'd content. My ebook dollars are limited; between Baen, FW's multiformats, and Smashwords, I'm not likely to run out of good reading material, so there's no need for me to bother with extra software to get DRM'd books and then even more to crack them so I can be sure of reading them after the business model has changed again.

08-23-2010, 05:08 PM	#5
jswinden Nameless Being	Most of the books I buy are DRMed. It doesn't bother me much as I strip it away. I don't like the idea of DRMing books, but I understand the reason publishers are using it. They don't want a repeat of the Napster incident. I wouldn't even mind DRM at all if all readers could read any eBook. The only reason I strip DRM is so that I can put the book on various readers which are all mine. I never give or loan ebooks to anyone else. If they could come up with a DRM wherein when you finished reading the book you could pass it to someone else by giving up all your rights to it, that would be okay. Afterall, that is what we have done for centuries with printed books.

08-23-2010, 05:17 PM	#6
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	If it is on Amazon and I want to read it I buy it... DRM or not...

08-23-2010, 05:21 PM	#7
happy_terd Banned Posts: 13,045 Karma: 10105011 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Finally made it to Walmart. Device: PRS 420	I do not avoid DRMed books.

08-23-2010, 05:35 PM	#8
tovare Addict Posts: 221 Karma: 1133312 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Oslo/Norway Device: PRS-600, Kindle kb Wifi, new Kindle NT, PW2, Kindle Oasis	I only buy non-DRM because I consider it's a violation of my personal freedom and there are good books to choose from other authors. (although I do occationally look in envy at books I would have liked, but choose not to buy). Device migration is the most common occurance for me, but I'm disgusted to learn that some publishers has protected books against using the built-in voice synthesiser in the Kindle because it might cause lost sales of audio-books. The idea that a publisher, once a book has been purchased, is allowed to dictate how you read it is revolting. With non-DRM books you can even print out a few pages on paper to read while taking a bath. I did buy a few books once from mobipocket , thankfully some awesome guy on the internet developed a script to strip them of the protection ... now I'm not forced to read those on my Nokia phone or PC, but can read them on my Sony PRS-600. I'll be able to transfer those books to my upcomming Kindle as well (If you look at fictionwise.com , you can easily find non-drm books under Multiformat, and there's plenty of good tips for places to get books elsewhere in this forum)

08-23-2010, 05:39 PM	#9
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	Nope. All the devices I use now can read/share the same DRM'ed content, so it doesn't really affect my usage. But I also know there are current ways of saving that content in case the DRM servers go down at some point-not sure if I'd be so sanguine if that weren't the case.

08-23-2010, 05:46 PM	#10
kingduct Enthusiast Posts: 45 Karma: 220 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: none	Yes, I avoid DRM.

08-23-2010, 06:01 PM	#11
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	I certainly prefer non-DRM books and will choose a copy from a non-DRM vendor (e.g. Smashwords) over the same title DRM-ed from Amazon, even if the formatting is kind of messed up. But I don't automatically exclude DRM-ed books from consideration, if that's what's available and I really and truly want to buy a copy in e-book format. However, in order for me to purchase the DRM-ed version, it would have to have a cheapness like unto dirt and I'd have to be able to strip whatever DRM was being used. Or completely unavailable through other means, including the darknet and affordable second-hand paper copies. Or I'd just have to click the wrong button when downloading what I thought would be a sample from Amazon and have it go directly to my credit card so that I'd lose out on the currency conversion if I returned and refunded it. Oh well. At least it's something I was more-or-less vaguely interested in, was cheaper on Amazon than anywhere else according to Inkmesh, and I've managed to read three free promo/library books from one of the authors at no cost to myself, so I don't mind so much if she finally gets paid for this one. But you can bet I'll be more paranoid about the damn 1-click button and padding my account with gift certificates now.

08-23-2010, 08:45 PM	#13
superstitious Addict Posts: 206 Karma: 7270 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: K3 wifi	Nope I don't avoid drm'ed ebooks. Just recently learn how to crack them and I feel that taking just a bit of time to strip the drm is not a big deal since it'll protect my purchases in a long run. I don't hate drm but prefer to not have it.

08-24-2010, 02:29 AM	#15
TheKindleWorm Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 177868 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: East Anglia UK Device: Kindle 3G, iPhone 3G, iPod 4G, PB 360, Sony 600 sold, Kindle 2i sold	After trying 3 ereading devices (Sony, pocketbook & kindle) and finally deciding to go with Kindle as it suits me best - I'm happy to purchase Amazon ebooks and not worry about the DRM. I'm not planning to use any other brand of ereader anytime soon and I know how to remove DRM if I move to another platform in the future. I disagree with the notion that "you get what you pay for" and only ebooks with a price attached are worth reading. Some of the very best ebooks I've read (in terms of formatting and content) have been freebies from here at mobileread and also feedbooks. I have also paid good money for ebooks from genuine stores which are littered with errors - so I would recommend that people have an open mind towards free ebooks.