This is why I would make a HORRIBLE juror:
Because I argue with EVERYTHING. (As an abrupt aside, I'm posting this stuff over here because I'm not interested in getting into a fight on my actual-author-blog. I'm an argumentative weenie!)
So someone just posted, and posted IN FAVOR OF, the "E-book User's Bill Of Rights". While it's a great idea, and one that stems from something that is deeply horrible*, it makes me want to write a snide little email that runs a little something like this:
'So, you're all in favor of this? You do understand that by signing on to DRM-free ebooks that you can no longer legitimately whine about the evul eeeevul pirates, right? Oh, sure, DRM slows them down for about five seconds, but if you give ANYONE carte blanche to use the file however they choose, that includes posting it wherever they please.'
I personally am all in favor of stripping the DRM from ebooks, primarily because I'm pretty sure that's why I CANNOT change the font size on some of my (legitimately purchased!) books, which means that I can barely read them on my Nook. It's particularly and supremely annoying because they happen to be Shea Meier titles. (NB: I have been rather lazy and haven't yet tried running them through Calibre, which a housesitting client of mine says may fix the problem.)
I'm not sure there's really a market for "used" ebooks, the same way there's one for used books -- I suppose there might be. The problem is that doing so edges into the twilit swamp of digital "piracy" -- Granny sells her ebook of Huck Finn to Jenny; then three months later, after rereading it for the eightieth time, sells it again to Bobby... You see? Is Granny really an eeeeevul pirate?
And no, unfortunately, I don't have a solution -- my imagination has never worked that way. Also, I promise NOT to send that email.
* Harper Collins wants to limit the number of times an ebook can be lent to 26. Come patron 27, they want to charge libraries the purchase price of the ebook again. My favorite search result while looking up what was going on? The one that suggests the organizers of ALA11 count the visitors to Harper Collins' booth and, come visitor 27, charge them another booth fee. See how they like it!
So someone just posted, and posted IN FAVOR OF, the "E-book User's Bill Of Rights". While it's a great idea, and one that stems from something that is deeply horrible*, it makes me want to write a snide little email that runs a little something like this:
'So, you're all in favor of this? You do understand that by signing on to DRM-free ebooks that you can no longer legitimately whine about the evul eeeevul pirates, right? Oh, sure, DRM slows them down for about five seconds, but if you give ANYONE carte blanche to use the file however they choose, that includes posting it wherever they please.'
I personally am all in favor of stripping the DRM from ebooks, primarily because I'm pretty sure that's why I CANNOT change the font size on some of my (legitimately purchased!) books, which means that I can barely read them on my Nook. It's particularly and supremely annoying because they happen to be Shea Meier titles. (NB: I have been rather lazy and haven't yet tried running them through Calibre, which a housesitting client of mine says may fix the problem.)
I'm not sure there's really a market for "used" ebooks, the same way there's one for used books -- I suppose there might be. The problem is that doing so edges into the twilit swamp of digital "piracy" -- Granny sells her ebook of Huck Finn to Jenny; then three months later, after rereading it for the eightieth time, sells it again to Bobby... You see? Is Granny really an eeeeevul pirate?
And no, unfortunately, I don't have a solution -- my imagination has never worked that way. Also, I promise NOT to send that email.
* Harper Collins wants to limit the number of times an ebook can be lent to 26. Come patron 27, they want to charge libraries the purchase price of the ebook again. My favorite search result while looking up what was going on? The one that suggests the organizers of ALA11 count the visitors to Harper Collins' booth and, come visitor 27, charge them another booth fee. See how they like it!