No wonder ebooks aren’t selling

I decided that I would like to try the first book of the Dresden files, but I have no more shelf space, and I have my new ereader, so I thought I would get it in ebook format.  Bloody hell!  They really do do everything in their power to stop you from reading your ebooks once you have them, don’t they?  The e bookshops in the US don’t sell to the UK.  Once I’d found it in Waterstones UK, they force you to download some kind of Adobe software to enable you to read it.  Do I look like I have 13 MB of computer space going spare?  Well I don’t!  And then, even if you cave in and have this unwanted software, you then have to register it with Adobe before they’ll allow you to take your ebook off your computer and put it on your e-reader.

Do I want to register my computer with Adobe?  No I don’t.  Who knows what they will do, once they’ve got me?  Put DRM on the rest of my ebooks?  Prevent me from using the rest of my library unless that too is registered with them?

Call me paranoid, but I don’t care to find out.  So I have refused to register – which means that I can only read the ebook on my computer.  There’s no way I’m sitting at my computer to read a book – that’s why I bought an ereader in the first place.  So I’ve uninstalled the unwanted Adobe Lit thingy, and have spent £6 on an ebook I have no way of reading.

I’ve never been tempted to get a pirate copy of any book I could get on MBAM or one of the other romance etailers, because there you just pay the money, download the file, and it’s yours to put on your laptop or your e-reader as you like.  Simple – it’s like buying the book and receiving it.  But this rights management palaver that says I can grudgingly download the book but I’m not allowed to read it without signing over my firstborn first.  Fuck that.  I didn’t want to read it that badly anyway.

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Zoe Devlin
13 years ago

Yes. Exactly. This is the reason I haven’t gotten a Kindle or Sony Reader, even though I’m a huge gadget geek and love the idea. I’m just not sure I buy enough DRM-free ebooks to justify it, and I refuse to be locked in by the DRM for the books I buy in paper now. It would be like putting all my books in a safe and having to ask someone to unlock it when I want to read. No thanks.

Zoe Devlin
13 years ago

Yes, I’m sticking with print for the most part too. I hear you on the bursting bookshelves though. I’ve been thinking lately that I need another bookcase . . .

I just hope the trend moves away from draconian DRM. Surely publishing will learn from the music industry? I can dream anyway.

Karin
Karin
13 years ago

there is a way to buy them with your credit card from amazon even from europe if you give an U.S. adress. At least that works for me and since I buy the book fair and square and I don`t think it`s cheating. I have all the books by Jim Butcher because I am a fan since his firts book (i think one of his best) and would offer them to you, but that would be piracy and I don`t. If you would kike to make an exception let me know
Karin

Karin
Karin
13 years ago

I am reading on an iPhone and there you have to download the kindle reader app. I don`t know how it is with you reader…
I really hate all this DRM stuff, especially as it isn`t really stopping piracy on the net

Zoe Devlin
13 years ago

Alex, how do you like your Cybook? Talking about e-readers is making me itch to get one. Though I’m also thinking about getting a Droid phone, so maybe that will be enough of an e-reader for me. Choices, choices.

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