Comments on: 2009: eBooks, Copyrights, Possibilities http://www.nickharkaway.com/2009/01/2009-ebooks-copyrights-possibilities/ Website and blog of Nick Harkaway, author of “The Gone-Away World”. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:21:10 -0800 hourly 1 By: gary gibson http://www.nickharkaway.com/2009/01/2009-ebooks-copyrights-possibilities/comment-page-1/#comment-138 gary gibson Sun, 01 Feb 2009 08:29:00 +0000 http://www.nickharkaway.com/2009/01/2009-ebooks-copyrights-possibilities/#comment-138 I use a mac and have a Sony Reader too, and use the Calibre software to hook them together. It works very well, I think. To be honest ... I tend to just break the drm on books I buy and then load them up (but I do buy them). Whatever the technical legalities, the author's coming out of that better than if I bought one of their books out of a second hand bookshop. I've got some thoughts on Sony Readers here: http://tinyurl.com/gary-gibson-on-sony-reader I use a mac and have a Sony Reader too, and use the Calibre software to hook them together. It works very well, I think. To be honest … I tend to just break the drm on books I buy and then load them up (but I do buy them). Whatever the technical legalities, the author’s coming out of that better than if I bought one of their books out of a second hand bookshop. I’ve got some thoughts on Sony Readers here: http://tinyurl.com/gary-gibson-on-sony-reader

]]> By: Alnwicky http://www.nickharkaway.com/2009/01/2009-ebooks-copyrights-possibilities/comment-page-1/#comment-133 Alnwicky Sun, 25 Jan 2009 08:37:00 +0000 http://www.nickharkaway.com/2009/01/2009-ebooks-copyrights-possibilities/#comment-133 I entirely agree with your comments.<br/><br/>It's mildly ironic that Amazon are selling the paper version of the Gone-Away World for GBP5.59 whereas the cheapest the e-book can be found online is GBP13.54.<br/><br/>I have refused to use DRM music on my PC, although I am quite comfortable with DRM software being used for ebooks. I suppose it's because the publishing industry has never had to face up to 'home copying' and has no other revenue streams whereas musicians have always had alternative and quite lucrative revenue streams. I entirely agree with your comments.

It’s mildly ironic that Amazon are selling the paper version of the Gone-Away World for GBP5.59 whereas the cheapest the e-book can be found online is GBP13.54.

I have refused to use DRM music on my PC, although I am quite comfortable with DRM software being used for ebooks. I suppose it’s because the publishing industry has never had to face up to ‘home copying’ and has no other revenue streams whereas musicians have always had alternative and quite lucrative revenue streams.

]]> By: fozmeadows http://www.nickharkaway.com/2009/01/2009-ebooks-copyrights-possibilities/comment-page-1/#comment-118 fozmeadows Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:30:00 +0000 http://www.nickharkaway.com/2009/01/2009-ebooks-copyrights-possibilities/#comment-118 The whole question of DRM is, I think, fascinating, insofar as it now applies not just to books, music and films, but also games. This post of Tycho's over at Penny Arcade from early last year (http://www.penny-arcade.com/2008/1/18/) is something I remember reading on the subject - it's not an in-depth analysis by any stretch, but he does make a good point: that people are understandably offput by a system wherein they purchase a thing digitally, but do not actually own it, such that it may be taken away again. And books are, for this reason I think, a very good jumping-off point for the rest of the DRM industry to get their heads around the idea of people sharing a product for free, with friends, or via libraries, but virally, without this bringing the medium to a screeching halt; in fact, where this mode of natural distribution is integral to our enjoyment of the medium. <br/><br/>I remember Neil Gaiman also had something interesting to say about the Kindle when it first came out (http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2007/11/me-in-manila.html), seeing as how he got to play with one early, and made a similarly relevant point. But rather than takin up valuable comment space (again), I might go away, think about this and possibly blog it myself. Or not. The whole question of DRM is, I think, fascinating, insofar as it now applies not just to books, music and films, but also games. This post of Tycho’s over at Penny Arcade from early last year (http://www.penny-arcade.com/2008/1/18/) is something I remember reading on the subject – it’s not an in-depth analysis by any stretch, but he does make a good point: that people are understandably offput by a system wherein they purchase a thing digitally, but do not actually own it, such that it may be taken away again. And books are, for this reason I think, a very good jumping-off point for the rest of the DRM industry to get their heads around the idea of people sharing a product for free, with friends, or via libraries, but virally, without this bringing the medium to a screeching halt; in fact, where this mode of natural distribution is integral to our enjoyment of the medium.

I remember Neil Gaiman also had something interesting to say about the Kindle when it first came out (http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2007/11/me-in-manila.html), seeing as how he got to play with one early, and made a similarly relevant point. But rather than takin up valuable comment space (again), I might go away, think about this and possibly blog it myself. Or not.

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