The DRM battle is on - what's your take?

DRM is like a key-less padlock from Flickr (CC)

The story behind Digital RM is this - DRM is a way for publishers to digitally control how, where and in what format you read a purchased book. For example, if you buy an ebook on the Kindle, and later if you want to read it on your new Nook, it is illegal to convert and read that book, if it is DRM-protected. In actual fact, it is easy enough to transfer it to your computer, convert using calibre and read on any format - pdf, mobi, doc etc.
However, it is illegal to do so for all DRM protected books. 

What does this mean for you?


Publishers use third party software to handle the DRM-locks on your books. If that software or server goes " dark" (shuts down) then the ebooks are gone too, like with Fictionwise ebooks protected by Overdrive software. You keep paper books for years, don't you expect ebooks to do the same?


Interestingly, O'Reilly publishing discovered that sales of their textbooks more than doubled since they dropped DRM books 18+ months ago


Cory Doctorow's view: A Whip to beat us with 
Ebook DRM provider goes dark, the books you paid for disappear

Kindle purchase questions you may have: A play by play

A friend of mine was wondering whether to buy a Kindle or some ebook device, this mail conversation is what followed: (reproduced with permission)
My friend: "You have a Kindle, right?
Would you recommend I buy it? My main concerns are: it should be userfriendly (not too complicated) and it should be easy on the eyes - I am short sighted and my eyes strain when I read from a backlit screen.
One other factor is that I should be able to read non-purchased/downloaded books on it."
My reply: Long time no hearing from you - so glad you mailed me.
Let's get this out of the way : I *heart* my kindle. (that's why my blog is mostly dedicated to it and ebooks :D)

We should take this up point by point -
1. User friendly - really simple, too simple sometimes :)
Just drag and drop book from laptop to device, read book.
You can also check out Calibre: Paen to Kindle and Calibre

2. Backlit - The Kindle does not have a backlit screen.
Good points: Easy on the eyes, and very clear writing, just like on a page. No touchscreen means that the ink contrasts better with the white background.
Flipside: You need an extra light if it is dark (bedside one, or you can buy a cover from Amazon with a small light)

3. Non-purchased books - Of course you can! You download as usual, use Calibre as your library so it converts all formats (pdf, rtf, html etc) to mobi (Kindle format) so you can shift to the Kindle, reading the same book.

Follow-up Mail/Question from my friend: 
"I'm definitely getting it. Somehow I don't trust Infibeam's Pi, given that my priority is to make sure my eyes do't have additional strain. Did you buy the cover from amazon too, 'coz their covers cost half as much as the kindle itself! Was just wondering if there are cheaper options available."

(Deepali's note: You can read my post here for alternate covers - Skins for your ebook reader - Style over Substance)
Yes, I got the cover from Amazon - those are sturdy leather covers.
It was pretty expensive!! Try other options too...but make sure you plan for lights of some sort.
A bedside lamp, or a clip-on light of some kind is essential :)

*** 

That's All, Folks!

My word-for-word reply to questions you probably have too.

A Paen to the Kindle and Calibre

The kindle really revitalized my reading habits. I love to read late at night, with the lights out, on my laptop. Said laptop is usually tilted at a 45 degree angle on its side so I can curl up around it, and read with my head lying down.

It is as uncomfortable as it sounds.

When I got the kindle, I initially used it much less than anticipated. One can't use it without an external light source, so reading at night/in the car after dark was impossible at first.

Also, I read pretty fast. By the time I found an ebook, used Amazon to convert it to a kindle format, and then transferred it (the process took me a couple of days to do), I was usually done with the book in question.

I really only started using it when it gradually dawned on my mind to load all the books I had intentions of reading, but just never got to the head of my to-read list. (There is always some book I am so excited about that it supercedes my should-read books.

My use of the kindle really took off when I found this little application - 

Calibre 

An ebook organizer, viewer etc, its main strength lies in its ability to convert any format to any other format - so a html/pdf to a kindle format, for e.g.

how perfect is that?

It even works with the iphone (using an app - Stanza), and on  both Macbooks or Windows-based machines.

This software is highly recommended for anyone who reads on a laptop, and especially for anyone that reads via an ebook reader.

And its FREE!
What are you waiting for?