If MacMillian holds up to what they said they wanted to do which is not necessarily a given considering their E-book track record I am mostly in support of their side. I think $15 is reasonable for a new release hardcover. However I don't think that is a reasonable price for a mmpb that has been on the market for a few months. $6 is probably a reasonable price for an E-book of a paperback. I have paid $15 for e-books (e-arcs hot off the authors word processor) but typically I pay closer to $6 for the e-books I buy.
However there is an elephant in the room I think those prices are reasonable if I am buying the e-book so that I can have it forever and read it on any device that I choose. Adding DRM (Digital Rights Management or Don't Read Me) so I don't send it to a million of my friends and strangers greatly reduces the value of the e-book because now I can't read it as I choose to read it. I do understand the publishers worries about the million friends and strangers, but I would rather see watermarking as a solution for that problem rather than DRM.
I think that most reader are honest and willing to make a fair trade for fair value. I also know that there are people who will pirate for the sake of pirating and DRMed editions are no barrier to that. I believe that our lovely host has already discovered and been distressed by that fact. Unfortunately I don't know of a better solution than letting the publishers legal department play whack a mole with the pirates.
I really hope that in the next 3-5 years a stable e-book marketplace evolves around non DRMed ePub books that allow us to spend our beer and pizza money supporting authors and publishers of stuff we like.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2010-02-01 11:52 pm (UTC)However there is an elephant in the room I think those prices are reasonable if I am buying the e-book so that I can have it forever and read it on any device that I choose. Adding DRM (Digital Rights Management or Don't Read Me) so I don't send it to a million of my friends and strangers greatly reduces the value of the e-book because now I can't read it as I choose to read it. I do understand the publishers worries about the million friends and strangers, but I would rather see watermarking as a solution for that problem rather than DRM.
I think that most reader are honest and willing to make a fair trade for fair value. I also know that there are people who will pirate for the sake of pirating and DRMed editions are no barrier to that. I believe that our lovely host has already discovered and been distressed by that fact. Unfortunately I don't know of a better solution than letting the publishers legal department play whack a mole with the pirates.
I really hope that in the next 3-5 years a stable e-book marketplace evolves around non DRMed ePub books that allow us to spend our beer and pizza money supporting authors and publishers of stuff we like.