[PLUG-TALK] DRM for eBooks Poll

[Keith Lofstrom]

On Tue, Jun 25, 2013 at 09:08:26AM -0700, Michael Rasmussen wrote:
> What do you do about DRM on eBooks you have?  (Kindle, Nook, Sony ...)
> 
> a) I don't do eBooks
> b) Live with the restrictions
> c) Grind teeth and live with it
> d) Use SW to convert eBook to something unencrypted
> e) Only purchase eBooks unencumbered by DRM.

(e) Packt publishing provides unencumbered PDFs with their printed
books.  Other than that, if I can't read and remix it on my linux
laptop, I'm not interested.

There is one /major/ issue;  local libraries (Multnomah, Washington
County, PSU) are increasingly moving towards eBooks.  There are
Multnomah County library Linux books that are only available with
DRM that plays only on Mac and Windoze.  

Ah well.  If the rules exclude me, I exclude the rules.  While I
don't do (d) yet, I applaud the people who do, because it pisses
off idiot rulemakers. 

A more positive approach is to generate our own information. 
When superior material is freely available on the web, up-to-date
and produced by cooperative effort, encumbered eBooks go away. 
Restricting access increases the incentives to look elsewhere.
Wikipedia is a foretaste of the end of the publishing industry.

Keith

-- 
Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com         Voice (503)-520-1993