Hard Sci-Fi Space Opera- HEGEMONY, by Mark Kalina

[jgaiser]

Mark, I bought your book and, like ApK, I find that DRM is a no-brainer to take care of. But... With a few exceptions, most knowledgeable ebook readers would prefer that DRM didn't exist. You've really gained nothing by adding it. The pirates will have no trouble removing it and you're inconveniencing the folks who actually buy your books.

[Demosthenex]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Mark, I bought your book and, like ApK, I find that DRM is a no-brainer to take care of. But... With a few exceptions, most knowledgeable ebook readers would prefer that DRM didn't exist. You've really gained nothing by adding it. The pirates will have no trouble removing it and you're inconveniencing the folks who actually buy your books.

I think its a shame I should be advised to break the law, which is what DRM removal is thanks to our Congress, in order to enjoy a book I purchase on the device of my choice. Despite how easy it is to break, I've chosen to vote with dollars instead.

On a side note, is that a white malamute as your icon?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Demosthenex

I think its a shame I should be advised to break the law,

I don't think it's against the law, and the 5th circuit court agrees with me.
(The 9th apparently disagrees, but I don't live in that jurisdiction, so until the Supreme Court decides or the law is clarified, it's arguable at most.)

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by markkalina

There is an option to publish without DRM, but the consensus of advice I got was that Amazon DRM was not intrusive and was worth it for the author.

Well if you do all your reading only on Kindles or using Kindle software, then the DRM is not intrusive, but that is true of B&N's and Adobe Adept DRM as well. The problem begins the first time you want to read the book on a device that is not a kindle... Lets say your Kindle breaks and you decide the new glowing Nook looks really good. Or you decide you are tired of your screen breaking when you drop it, and you get a reader (not yet available but soon) with the new flexible epaper. Suddenly DRM becomes very intrusive.

I am curious as to what some authors perceive as being the value added for them?

Oh right, I also resent that I essentially have to register every device I read on... So Amazon would know what devices I read on (at the very least).

Meanwhile, to those who refuse to by a format-locked book with DRM, I understand your point of view, but, obviously, I'd be glad of your making an exception for my book...

Sorry, won't make an exception. The only exception I make is for B&N DRM and that is because I can read their DRM without registering a device with B&N.

--
Bill

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by Demosthenex

I think its a shame I should be advised to break the law, which is what DRM removal is thanks to our Congress, in order to enjoy a book I purchase on the device of my choice. Despite how easy it is to break, I've chosen to vote with dollars instead.

ApK has already commented on legality. They're my books. I don't pirate and I intend to continue own these books, no matter what the future of Amazon or B&N looks like.

On a side note, is that a white malamute as your icon?

Gina was a female Great Pyrenees that I was given after her original owners had to leave their house and move into a two bedroom apartment. She was the sweetest, most gentle dog I've ever owned.

[markkalina]

bill_mchale, jgaiser, et al,

It seems that I can't do anything about the DRM for this book, but I am willing to do this; I can send you a PDF copy if you buy an amazon copy. I'll accept your word that you have; I get sales and sales rank on Amazon and you can read a DRM-free copy. I would ask that you do not pass that copy on to anyone else.

Does this seem equitable to you?

Please not also, if there turns out to be some rule on this forum against what I propose, I will have to retract the proposal.

[markkalina]

beg parrdon; the last sentence was supposed to read "please note also," not "please not also"

[markkalina]

And of course, pardon is misspelled. Some days...

[jgaiser]

Nice offer Mark. For my part, the DRM is gone, gone, gone and the book has been liberated.

I've always felt that the issue of DRM/no DRM should be up to the author. We can argue (and we do, a lot) about the usefulness of DRM, but it's your book, your rules.

[Demosthenex]

Originally Posted by markkalina

bill_mchale, jgaiser, et al,

It seems that I can't do anything about the DRM for this book, but I am willing to do this; I can send you a PDF copy if you buy an amazon copy. I'll accept your word that you have; I get sales and sales rank on Amazon and you can read a DRM-free copy. I would ask that you do not pass that copy on to anyone else.

Does this seem equitable to you?

Please not also, if there turns out to be some rule on this forum against what I propose, I will have to retract the proposal.

Offer accepted, I messaged you separately. I tried to see if Amazon had a tip jar, I was still willing to pay more than the $0.99. Let me know if they do.

I think that's a fair offer, the logic behind the transaction is that I pay you for your work, and while respecting your copyright like I would any author you don't exercise control over it on my devices.

DRM is wrong, but so is the massive infringement posed by torrenting and piracy. The draconian "cures" for torrenting are worse than the piracy. Amazon's done a great job in making their music DRM free and I buy there frequently, lowering the incentive to pirate would be a great start for content industries.

I appreciate your participating in the open market, and look forward to reading your book on my DRM-free Pocketbook Reader.

[sabredog]

I purchased , removed DRM, converted via Calibre and Hegemony is now ready to go on my Sony PRS-650

[Demosthenex]

I'm enjoying the book quite a bit so far, I've been reading it this past weekend. I'm a voracious reader, and find your style of writing easy to enjoy. I'm about 20% in.

On the DRM issue, have the responses you've received here regarding how easily the DRM is broken given you thought about making future releases DRM-free? During these discussions I discovered Smashwords with their entire DRM-free library and spent $30 on 7 books in one evening. They are in my queue right after your book. Most of them were $3-6 each, much more than the $0.99 Amazon books. I didn't find the price objectionable at all, and I hope the authors make more from it.

[markkalina]

I'll have to take a look at Smashwords, but I do like how easy Amazon makes it to to publish. The support seems good to me. However, on the issue of DRM, I think I will be opting out of Amazon's DRM in the future.

First off, of course, it seems that some of my readers de-DRM their books once they get them, making the DRM both pointless and annoying to the people who I want to read my book.

Secondly, I've never been fully comfortable with the idea of DRM that tries to control how someone who's bought any IP uses what they've bought. I'm in favor of security that prevents someone from taking copies of what they haven't bought, but I don't like the idea of managing or trying to control how a customer uses their purchase.

From what I've seen here, it seems that Amazon's DRM does more in the way of trying to control customers than it does to prevent theft, which makes it both useless and unpleasant, IMO.

So, all in all, I suspect I will be trying to opt out of Amazon's DRM for the sequel and other books I have in the pipeline.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by markkalina

I think I will be opting out of Amazon's DRM in the future.

I think that's a good decision.
It will make some of your potential market happy while making no one unhappy, so it's hard to go wrong.

As for Smashwords, if you can submit your book as a .doc file that conforms to SW's style guide (and if it's typical normal text layout, that's usually not a problem) then it's very easy to publish and get into their Premium Catalog for distribution at all the other book stores.
I'd recommend you do so, and opt out of SW's distribution to Amazon. That is, keep your Amazon arraignment as is, and let SW distrbute to all the other stores. Do let them offer .mobi format on the SW site itself, though.

ApK

[Demosthenex]

That's great to hear to you're reconsidering DRM.

I also just finished your book last night and I thought it was quite good! I'll be looking forward to your future works, and please mark them higher than $0.99 next time. $5 would have been perfect.