Comments on: DRM: Just when will authors and the publishing establishment get it? Listen to Smart Bitch Sarah! http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/14/drm-just-when-will-authors-and-the-publishing-establishment-get-it-listen-to-smart-bitch-sarah/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:18:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: JSwolf http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/14/drm-just-when-will-authors-and-the-publishing-establishment-get-it-listen-to-smart-bitch-sarah/comment-page-1/#comment-1058628 JSwolf Sat, 16 May 2009 13:31:15 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/14/drm-just-when-will-authors-and-the-publishing-establishment-get-it-listen-to-smart-bitch-sarah/#comment-1058628 The problem with DRM is that the pirates already know how to strip it. So DRM doesn't stop them at all. All DRM does is stop people who legally purchased the eBook from exercising their fair use rights. And if DRM does get in the user's way, all that will happen is they will go off and look for illegal copies. So what DRM will have done in this case is cause the very thing the publishers are using DRM to try and stop. Well done! The problem with DRM is that the pirates already know how to strip it. So DRM doesn’t stop them at all. All DRM does is stop people who legally purchased the eBook from exercising their fair use rights. And if DRM does get in the user’s way, all that will happen is they will go off and look for illegal copies. So what DRM will have done in this case is cause the very thing the publishers are using DRM to try and stop. Well done!

]]> By: Arachne Jericho http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/14/drm-just-when-will-authors-and-the-publishing-establishment-get-it-listen-to-smart-bitch-sarah/comment-page-1/#comment-1057322 Arachne Jericho Thu, 14 May 2009 17:58:51 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/14/drm-just-when-will-authors-and-the-publishing-establishment-get-it-listen-to-smart-bitch-sarah/#comment-1057322 There's a lot of wisdom on this issue in <a href="http://www.baen.com/library/home.htm" rel="nofollow">Eric Flint's introduction to the Baen Free Library</a>. Unfortunately there's a gap between older authors and newer authors. I suspect a lot of older authors will always want DRM (and their estates afterwards will insist upon it, locking down a lot of valuable work into DRM hell; we'll probably never see <em>Lord of the Rings</em> unattached to DRM for over another half-century), but newer authors will eventually no longer want it. Doesn't help that, up until one or two years ago, SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) was trying to lead a war against piracy (and, of course, ebooks). SFWA. Fortunately they're under good new leadership now and no longer tilting at windmills. Of course, the Author's Guild is still without a clue. And I'm afraid a lot of the other writer guilds and groups are right behind them. There’s a lot of wisdom on this issue in Eric Flint’s introduction to the Baen Free Library.

Unfortunately there’s a gap between older authors and newer authors. I suspect a lot of older authors will always want DRM (and their estates afterwards will insist upon it, locking down a lot of valuable work into DRM hell; we’ll probably never see Lord of the Rings unattached to DRM for over another half-century), but newer authors will eventually no longer want it.

Doesn’t help that, up until one or two years ago, SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) was trying to lead a war against piracy (and, of course, ebooks). SFWA. Fortunately they’re under good new leadership now and no longer tilting at windmills.

Of course, the Author’s Guild is still without a clue. And I’m afraid a lot of the other writer guilds and groups are right behind them.

]]> By: Rob Preece http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/14/drm-just-when-will-authors-and-the-publishing-establishment-get-it-listen-to-smart-bitch-sarah/comment-page-1/#comment-1057299 Rob Preece Thu, 14 May 2009 16:36:07 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/14/drm-just-when-will-authors-and-the-publishing-establishment-get-it-listen-to-smart-bitch-sarah/#comment-1057299 I agree that many authors ask for DRM. They see the widespread availability of pirated works and know how hard they've had to work to create their novel. Piracy is a problem--it's just that I don't see DRM as the solution. Rob Preece Publisher I agree that many authors ask for DRM. They see the widespread availability of pirated works and know how hard they’ve had to work to create their novel. Piracy is a problem–it’s just that I don’t see DRM as the solution.

Rob Preece
Publisher

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