http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article5998918.ece

Yes, David, publishers should be allowed to choose whether or not to apply DRM to their media property.

My thoughts on DRM solely stem from a real concern about the future of creative profitability in the digital arena.

My view is that you are requesting an unrealistic amount of flexibility from digital media ownership. Actual books purchased from a brick-and-mortar contain many inherent limitations on par with some of the issues you present. For example, you can’t just transfer your Penguin-printed Atlas Shrugged to an alternate form simply because the damn thing is so thick.

I just don’t believe that DRM should be completely rejected for a total abandon that serves the whim of ever-changing technology.

I understand your concerns, David, but the future holds some pretty stark realities that, unless addressed, hold few benefits for the professional creative.

S: Thanks for reading the nonDRMed version of The Solomon Scandals. Psst! Spread the word about nonDRMed Kindle books. Let’s hope that Amazon will start specifying which Kindle books are DRMed and which are not.

A: “All my devices” means exactly that–not just the devices for which Amazon has gotten around to doing ports. The whole world isn’t Kindle-ized. Furthermore, even now, Amazon doesn’t have a Mobi client for the iPhone. Can you explain that? Technical challenges? Or does Amazon want people to buy their locked Mobi books all over again?

And the Audible model? Far from perfect. Remember, that’s just one brand, and it isn’t a true nonproprietary standard.

Regarding for losses to piracy, I think they’re less than losses due to the inconvenience that DRM inflicts on users. I’m not just a writer–I’m also user. And I hate the way DRM has deprived me of access to books bought in the past. Nor do I want the problem solved by letting Amazon monopolize everything–which would mean less leverage for publishers and writers. Please, let me own books for real without linking access to a particular company or companies.

Sorry we disagree so passionately on the above, Agile, but it’s great to have your perspective. Keep posting. I am wondering if you have any professional or business relationships that would influence your opinions. But that’s fine, just so the general nature of them is in the open.

Meanwhile, Agile, I’m curious what you think about Amazon giving publishers the clear-cut ability to use or not use DRM–via just a simple toggle. And what do you think of the idea of identifying files as DRMed or not? Fictionwise does that beautifully.

Thanks,
David

Oh,

Audible.com currently allows for this. The Audible system is very flexible and I have used the service for over five years utilizing several different devices and have not had one single problem with DRM resisting my portable lifestyle.

It isn’t as if real books are the most flexible items on the planet.

Methinks you are bit naive concerning the incredibly destructive capacity of digital piracy. I apologize in advance if you actually aren’t but I see resistance to DRM as more of an irrational populist fear than an honest-2-goodness issue that will freeze communication freedom.

If you produce a real page-flipper that gains mass appeal the stark realities of a book torrent being created that could siphon off many thousands of dollars in sales is more real than fiction.

And I don’t buy into the concept that this type of activity ‘promotes’ creativity. No more than people who steal bananas from Walmart promote Dole.

Thanks,
David

You might want to keep in mind that Baen Books e-books contain absolutely no DRM, not even social DRM, and yet manage to make a profit for Baen and the authors, and have done for years.

So authors don’t actually need DRM to make a profit.

But Agile, things don’t stay still in the e-book world and tech in general. Mobi users still lack a DRM-capable client for the iPhone. And if Amazon won’t let Mobi do one? Yet another argument against DRM and eBabel in general! Users want genuine multidevice capability across different brands.

Thanks,
David

You can’t take a SINGLE ‘real’ book and spread it out among several readers at one time why should this be allowed with a digital book?

DRM will protect authors from a single digital purchase turning into a thousand digital non-purchases; a state currently impossible with physical books.

Unless you care absolutely nothing for profit all authors would do well to investigate the benefit of some measure of copy protection for their digital assets in the online world. DRM contains a measure of usefulness in this regard.

It is easy to tell if a AZW ebook has DRM by the way, just rename it .mobi on a PC and try to open it with any MOBI reader.