Whither DRM?

[Eric_W]

For discussion of DRM and its effect on buying habits

[Eric_W]

David Burton has posted a poll re DRM at http://davidhburton.com/

[Jim]

I've taken it & am not surprised by the results, almost completely against. I won't buy anything with DRM on it. I figure a file is mine if I buy it, I won't be limited further by the device & software. Unlike a real book, I'm already limited to a large extent by the fact that it is in electronic format. I've had to pay out big bucks for a reader or computer. I can't swap it with someone else - or won't, I should say.

[David]

Poll results in. I also posted two new polls around ebook pricing.

[Eric_W]

A recent study by Kobo ebooks cited above in the references section revealed that people are very reluctant to pay more than 9.99 for an ebook, but it has less to do with the actual price than what they think they are getting. They don't like inability to move purchases between platforms and feel they are getting a license rather to do something rather than buying. The publishers need to pay attention to that. If they removed DRM and just let you buy the book and do what you want with it, as with a physical book, I suspect there would be much less reluctance to pay a price equivalent to the hardcover, yet the cost to produce it would be much less and with no returns.

[Jim]

A lease is not a sale in the customer's mind. I've seen a lot of the same thing with software. People will often buy a program with limited tech support far more easily than they'll buy support. They see that as a subscription, but they will pay for a service. I have to sell a montage of such products to the owners of the company for budget every year. It's amazing how those twist in people's minds.

Conspicuous consumption was built in to many older products. We'd pay less for a paperback that lasted fewer years than a hardback. Music used to come on very fragile media that changed fairly frequently. A file without DRM could last forever, though.

[David]

I blogged about some of my polls today. Not particularly scientific and not as eloquent as someone like Cory Doctorow, but it's there for the reading. :)

[Jim]

Good blog, David. I have that very same cartoon posted on my wall at work.

[David]

It was quite apropo!

[Jim]

Read this thread:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2...
You'll see that issues with Fictionwise & their publishers has just made another person decide they'll never buy another DRM file among other interesting points.

[David]

Here is a great new survey from tor.com - check on the right-hand side where it says: "Like books? Have opinions?"

http://www.tor.com/

Maybe someone is listening?

[Jim]

Thanks, David. That was worth taking.

[Jim]

Interesting, Brian. I wonder how Amazon will do with that?