Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have a large collection of technical books on my ipad. I can choose to read any one of them at any time in any place. I just need my ipad. This is both fun and educational. You appear to have completely missed the point of ebooks.
> You appear to have completely missed the point of ebooks. And that point is?
When Microsoft's eBook store closes, your books disappear too
291–297 of 297 posts
Re: When Microsoft's eBook store closes, your books disappear too
#292Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm fine with watermarks. The only downside to them is that they are traceable to the original buyer if someone else gets their hands on your and decides to distribute it online, so lending them to a friend is risky. But the watermarks really only matter when they get illegally copied around, and don't hurt the owner in the way more restrictive forms of DRM do.
Risky how? Is there some punishment for not perfectly securing bytes? That would be insane because companies aren't punished for sharing your stuff by accident or even selling it on purpose.
Re: When Microsoft's eBook store closes, your books disappear too
#293Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm fine with watermarks. The only downside to them is that they are traceable to the original buyer if someone else gets their hands on your and decides to distribute it online, so lending them to a friend is risky. But the watermarks really only matter when they get illegally copied around, and don't hurt the owner in the way more restrictive forms of DRM do.
in the blind community I'm a part of, there are a lot of ebooks floating as plaintext files, with watermarks either stripped or replaced by something like "there was a watermark here, but it has been stripped. Keep trying".
Re: When Microsoft's eBook store closes, your books disappear too
#294Earlier quoted context omitted.
DRM is technically a crime, too. It's infringing upon First Sale Doctrine. You, as someone buying media, actually have rights to what you purchase. The general public has just accepted the industry trampling on those rights and lobbying for laws that conflict with them.
You're not buying a book on Amazon, you're buying a personal license to use a book.
Re: When Microsoft's eBook store closes, your books disappear too
#295Earlier quoted context omitted.
> You appear to have completely missed the point of ebooks. And that point is?
That they have a much higher density of information per kilogram than paper books.
I'm well aware that you can fit lots of ebooks in one device, but so far I've not been particularly limited by the information density of regular books.
Re: When Microsoft's eBook store closes, your books disappear too
#296Earlier quoted context omitted.
I pirate ebooks for this reason. If I like the book or the book has valuable illustration done in color I will purchase the physical copy, otherwise backing up my calibre library according to 3-2-1 is easy peasy.
No, you pirate because you're selfish and self-entitled.
I must be very self entitled for downloading a digital representation of a book which I have paid for.
Re: When Microsoft's eBook store closes, your books disappear too
#297Earlier quoted context omitted.
That they have a much higher density of information per kilogram than paper books.
That's not "the point" of ebooks, it's just one attribute they have. I'm well aware that you can fit lots of ebooks in one device, but so far I've not been particularly limited by the information density of regular books.