Comments on: DRM viewpoints: Michael Gartenberg vs. Michael Masnick http://www.teleread.com/drm/drm-viewpoints-michael-gartenberg-vs-michael-masnick/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:05:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jack Tingle http://www.teleread.com/drm/drm-viewpoints-michael-gartenberg-vs-michael-masnick/comment-page-1/#comment-1145702 Jack Tingle Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:51:16 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/26/drm-viewpoints-michael-gartenberg-vs-michael-masnick/#comment-1145702 See, I think some of this is a semantic argument that would be ended instantly (yeah, right--snort--Internet argument ends) if someone called a DRMed ebook sale a "rental", AND charged for it like a rental. Rent me an ebook for a longish time (a month, a year), with no other promised value, and charge me 1/4 to 1/10th of the value of the least expensive paper version of that book. If I want to read it again, I have no problem renting it again. I'd have no expectation of giving the ebook away, or selling it, or loaning it to a friend. It clearly isn't mine. I susbscribe to Netflix and OnDemand, and pay 1/4-1/2 of the purchase cost to view a DVD once or twice. Because everyone's upfront about it, everyone's happy. Where I get bent out of shape is when some yobbo rents me a ebook, calls it a sale, tacks on a hidden license that makes it a lease, and charges me as much or more for the rental as he charges for the paper book. My momma dint raise no fools. Regards, Jack Tingle See, I think some of this is a semantic argument that would be ended instantly (yeah, right–snort–Internet argument ends) if someone called a DRMed ebook sale a “rental”, AND charged for it like a rental. Rent me an ebook for a longish time (a month, a year), with no other promised value, and charge me 1/4 to 1/10th of the value of the least expensive paper version of that book.

If I want to read it again, I have no problem renting it again. I’d have no expectation of giving the ebook away, or selling it, or loaning it to a friend. It clearly isn’t mine.

I susbscribe to Netflix and OnDemand, and pay 1/4-1/2 of the purchase cost to view a DVD once or twice. Because everyone’s upfront about it, everyone’s happy.

Where I get bent out of shape is when some yobbo rents me a ebook, calls it a sale, tacks on a hidden license that makes it a lease, and charges me as much or more for the rental as he charges for the paper book. My momma dint raise no fools.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

]]> By: Steve Jordan http://www.teleread.com/drm/drm-viewpoints-michael-gartenberg-vs-michael-masnick/comment-page-1/#comment-1145693 Steve Jordan Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:36:12 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/09/26/drm-viewpoints-michael-gartenberg-vs-michael-masnick/#comment-1145693 <b>Masnick is wrong on this:</b> <i>Every</i> business model is based on restricting behavior. Specifically, obtaining their product or service <i>without the business' profiting from the transaction</i>... the central point of all businesses. The key is to make sure the customer either does not <i>feel</i> restricted, or feels the benefit of the product is worth the restrictions, so the business will profit. If you don't believe it: Name some successful products from unprofitable businesses. (I'll wait.) That DRM doesn't work for e-books is only a sign that that particular restriction doesn't match the benefit... yet. That doesn't mean it can't be done eventually, either with DRM, or some other form of restriction (think <i>biometric</i>). And as there are very few products in this world that do not manage to sell successfully without <i>some</i> restriction placed on them, I see no reason e-books will somehow be different. Masnick is wrong on this: Every business model is based on restricting behavior. Specifically, obtaining their product or service without the business’ profiting from the transaction… the central point of all businesses. The key is to make sure the customer either does not feel restricted, or feels the benefit of the product is worth the restrictions, so the business will profit.

If you don’t believe it: Name some successful products from unprofitable businesses. (I’ll wait.)

That DRM doesn’t work for e-books is only a sign that that particular restriction doesn’t match the benefit… yet. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done eventually, either with DRM, or some other form of restriction (think biometric). And as there are very few products in this world that do not manage to sell successfully without some restriction placed on them, I see no reason e-books will somehow be different.

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