Comments on: A Campaign to Organize Against DRM http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:55:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Windwalker http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/comment-page-1/#comment-1035646 Windwalker Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:49:42 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/08/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/#comment-1035646 I've just realized that the Kindle Nation Citizen Survey link that I included in my Tuesday post was incorrect, which would have the effect of disenfranchising a large number of TeleRead subscribers who have definite points of view on the survey's questions about DRM, ebook pricing. Over 1,200 people have participated and nearly 1,000 have completed the entire survey. Please join them at http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2i0n12xft79yzbo/start Thanks, Steve I’ve just realized that the Kindle Nation Citizen Survey link that I included in my Tuesday post was incorrect, which would have the effect of disenfranchising a large number of TeleRead subscribers who have definite points of view on the survey’s questions about DRM, ebook pricing. Over 1,200 people have participated and nearly 1,000 have completed the entire survey. Please join them at http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2i0n12xft79yzbo/start

Thanks,
Steve

]]> By: Windwalker http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/comment-page-1/#comment-1034890 Windwalker Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:52:46 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/08/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/#comment-1034890 Thanks for commenting, Christine. Point taken and agreed with, and no news flash needed, as noted in the last paragraph. I think we'd all welcome ideas on who else to influence and how to influence them. I don't think Amazon "rule[s] the ebook world," but it is probably the elephant in the room, and is likely to have the most sway with publishers, who are, after all, the ultimate decision-makers in that they always have the right to vote with their feet, or to opt for DRM-free options, both those in the Kindle Store and those that exist elsewhere. Thanks for commenting, Christine. Point taken and agreed with, and no news flash needed, as noted in the last paragraph. I think we’d all welcome ideas on who else to influence and how to influence them.

I don’t think Amazon “rule[s] the ebook world,” but it is probably the elephant in the room, and is likely to have the most sway with publishers, who are, after all, the ultimate decision-makers in that they always have the right to vote with their feet, or to opt for DRM-free options, both those in the Kindle Store and those that exist elsewhere.

]]> By: Martyn Folkes http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/comment-page-1/#comment-1034848 Martyn Folkes Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:30:02 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/08/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/#comment-1034848 The statement in Joshua's book, is, in fact, wrong. Only publishers with a US postal address, a US bank account, and a US tax ID can use Amazon’s Digital Text Platform (DTP). So however much I want to provide DRM-Free Kindle ebooks through Amazon.com, I cannot unless I move my business from the UK to the USA. Wherever possible, all Mushroom eBooks titles are sold without DRM in Kindle and Mobipocket format (and all the other formats available) through Fictionwise. I humbly suggest that if a title is available from Fictionwise in multi-format non-DRM'd format, that we all purchase that title from there until Amazon change their policies. The statement in Joshua’s book, is, in fact, wrong. Only publishers with a US postal address, a US bank account, and a US tax ID can use Amazon’s Digital Text Platform (DTP). So however much I want to provide DRM-Free Kindle ebooks through Amazon.com, I cannot unless I move my business from the UK to the USA.

Wherever possible, all Mushroom eBooks titles are sold without DRM in Kindle and Mobipocket format (and all the other formats available) through Fictionwise. I humbly suggest that if a title is available from Fictionwise in multi-format non-DRM’d format, that we all purchase that title from there until Amazon change their policies.

]]> By: Christine http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/comment-page-1/#comment-1034566 Christine Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:48:17 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/08/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/#comment-1034566 I think it's a good idea. I think the ONLY way to get the attention of the publishers is to change our spending habits. If people stop buying drm ebooks, they'll get a clue. Eventually. Can you get enough people to follow through? Beats me. A lot of people are awfully attached to their bestsellers. This plan as outlined in this post is far too kindle-centric. News flash - lots of us didn't buy a kindle (and I for one am glad I didn't - much as my cybook grieves me on occasion it's still better than being owned by a megacorp). On the other hand, maybe if Amazon changes, the world will follow suit. Does Amazon rule the ebook world? I went on strike against drm ebooks on Dec. 16, 2008, not that I expect anyone has noticed. They'd notice if enough people joined in. I think it’s a good idea. I think the ONLY way to get the attention of the publishers is to change our spending habits. If people stop buying drm ebooks, they’ll get a clue. Eventually. Can you get enough people to follow through? Beats me. A lot of people are awfully attached to their bestsellers.

This plan as outlined in this post is far too kindle-centric. News flash – lots of us didn’t buy a kindle (and I for one am glad I didn’t – much as my cybook grieves me on occasion it’s still better than being owned by a megacorp). On the other hand, maybe if Amazon changes, the world will follow suit. Does Amazon rule the ebook world?

I went on strike against drm ebooks on Dec. 16, 2008, not that I expect anyone has noticed. They’d notice if enough people joined in.

]]> By: Windwalker http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/comment-page-1/#comment-1034313 Windwalker Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:41:57 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/08/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/#comment-1034313 Thanks for the update, Joshua. Of course there are also a lot of authors and small publishers using Macs, as I do, so Mobipocket Creator is off the table there. I've been using SeaMonkey to create HTML files, since the Microsoft Word-to-HTML automatic conversion process is, at best, a trick-or-treat experience. It will be fun to see how this develops. Thanks for the update, Joshua. Of course there are also a lot of authors and small publishers using Macs, as I do, so Mobipocket Creator is off the table there. I’ve been using SeaMonkey to create HTML files, since the Microsoft Word-to-HTML automatic conversion process is, at best, a trick-or-treat experience.

It will be fun to see how this develops.

]]> By: Tony http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/comment-page-1/#comment-1034248 Tony Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:50:39 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/08/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/#comment-1034248 I personally think it is a waste of time and effort to go up against a company like Amazon. They seem to have no interest in what the consumer or suppliers want. The fact that when you buy a DRMed book, they make no guarentee that you will able to use the purchase in the future. If they suspend your account, and they can whenever they like, you no longer can read the books you purchased. For me this fact is worth a boycott of amazon. Post a bad review or opinion, ask for too many refunds or warrany claims and they decide your not the type of customer they need, and they may cancel your account with no appeal available to you. Why would anyone even buy a DRMed ebook from them is beyond me. Of course this is all just my personal opinion. I personally think it is a waste of time and effort to go up against a company like Amazon. They seem to have no interest in what the consumer or suppliers want. The fact that when you buy a DRMed book, they make no guarentee that you will able to use the purchase in the future. If they suspend your account, and they can whenever they like, you no longer can read the books you purchased. For me this fact is worth a boycott of amazon. Post a bad review or opinion, ask for too many refunds or warrany claims and they decide your not the type of customer they need, and they may cancel your account with no appeal available to you. Why would anyone even buy a DRMed ebook from them is beyond me. Of course this is all just my personal opinion.

]]> By: Joshua Tallent http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/comment-page-1/#comment-1034241 Joshua Tallent Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:33:22 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/08/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/#comment-1034241 Great idea, Stephen! The fight to make content DRM-free is going to be a long one, but with the large number of independent authors and small publishers out there, I think taking a grassroots approach makes sense. To clarify and update the information in my book: The DTP will honor the DRM settings on any file you upload. Essentially, if you do want DRM on your book, you have to upload a Mobipocket file with the DRM setting set. Otherwise, the DTP will publish the book DRM-free. That applies to books in the Mobipocket format, which is what I suggest everyone actually upload to the DTP. - Joshua http://kindleformatting.com/book Great idea, Stephen! The fight to make content DRM-free is going to be a long one, but with the large number of independent authors and small publishers out there, I think taking a grassroots approach makes sense.

To clarify and update the information in my book: The DTP will honor the DRM settings on any file you upload. Essentially, if you do want DRM on your book, you have to upload a Mobipocket file with the DRM setting set. Otherwise, the DTP will publish the book DRM-free. That applies to books in the Mobipocket format, which is what I suggest everyone actually upload to the DTP.

- Joshua
http://kindleformatting.com/book

]]> By: Moriah Jovan http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/comment-page-1/#comment-1034208 Moriah Jovan Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:26:08 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/04/08/a-campaign-to-organize-against-drm/#comment-1034208 <blockquote>The information from Joshua’s book is that, in fact, any Kindle publisher can make his titles DRM-free on the Kindle by using Amazon’s Digital Text Platform (DTP) to upload HTML-formatted versions of your titles.</blockquote> This is news? *looking bewildered*

The information from Joshua’s book is that, in fact, any Kindle publisher can make his titles DRM-free on the Kindle by using Amazon’s Digital Text Platform (DTP) to upload HTML-formatted versions of your titles.

This is news?

*looking bewildered*

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