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Why O'Reilly Media doesn't use DRM

forbes.com

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Re: Why O'Reilly Media doesn't use DRM

#31

Post by betageek »

xbryanx wrote: post #17

No DRM? What are they talking about. As a "Safari Books Online by O'Reilly" subscriber I'm constantly confounded by annoying "features" that seem to have almost no purpose but to prevent you from copying anything from the online versions (like code sections). While it's not technically blocked or prohibited, these features sure don't seem to be there to enhance online reading.

I still can't get over how bad Safari is when O'Reilly are so great in everything else they do. Does O'Reilly proper run the site?

Re: Why O'Reilly Media doesn't use DRM

#32

Post by allwein »

xbryanx wrote: post #17

No DRM? What are they talking about. As a "Safari Books Online by O'Reilly" subscriber I'm constantly confounded by annoying "features" that seem to have almost no purpose but to prevent you from copying anything from the online versions (like code sections). While it's not technically blocked or prohibited, these features sure don't seem to be there to enhance online reading.

Keep in mind that 1)Safari Books is a separate operating unit from the main O'Reilly publishing and that 2) a majority of th books on Safari aren't owned/published by O'Reilly. I'm sure some of the security measures are a result of Microsoft, Addison-Wesley, etc. allowing their books to be in Safari.

Re: Why O'Reilly Media doesn't use DRM

#33

Post by Kadrith »

betageek wrote: post #31
xbryanx wrote: post #17

No DRM? What are they talking about. As a "Safari Books Online by O'Reilly" subscriber I'm constantly confounded by annoying "features" that seem to have almost no purpose but to prevent you from copying anything from the online versions (like code sections). While it's not technically blocked or prohibited, these features sure don't seem to be there to enhance online reading.

I still can't get over how bad Safari is when O'Reilly are so great in everything else they do. Does O'Reilly proper run the site?

I haven't used Safari in a long time, but it used to have non-O'Reilly books. I'm sure some of those publishers aren't as willing to go without DRM.

Re: Why O'Reilly Media doesn't use DRM

#34

Post by pjscott »

RyanMcGreal wrote: post #29
GrandMasterBirt wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was an article on HN a few weeks ago about a guy who was selling something I don't remember. But he used to sell books. And when talking about piracy he asked the audience who did not agree with him "how many of you are fanboys/fangirls of an author and will buy everything that person makes" which was followed by "how many of you bought the anything made by that author as your very first introduction to him/her…

That sounds like Neil Gaiman's take on piracy: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2351978

Or Eric Flint's take on it, which resulted in Baen Books putting a respectable number of their books online for free:

http://www.baen.com/library/

It's been a good boost to sales.

Re: Why O'Reilly Media doesn't use DRM

#35

Post by TheAmazingIdiot »

GrandMasterBirt wrote: post #26
RyanMcGreal wrote: post #9

I'm really gratified that the guy who once wrote, "Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors and creative artists than piracy" has built his business successfully on this same principle.

There was an article on HN a few weeks ago about a guy who was selling something I don't remember. But he used to sell books. And when talking about piracy he asked the audience who did not agree with him "how many of you are fanboys/fangirls of an author and will buy everything that person makes" which was followed by "how many of you bought the anything made by that author as your very first introduction to him/her…

The comment below this one mentions Gaiman, which is pro-customer.

However, I believe the reference you are looking for was the comic author who was pirated on 4chan. Then he showed up and starting talking with them, and encouraging them. Of course "Pics or it didnt happen" occurred, so Steve Lieber (author/artist) posted the BoingBoing vs 4Chan chart.

"If nothing else, I'm flattered someone thought enough of the book to take the time to scan and post it" - Steve Lieber.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101021/10481211524/comic-...

Re: Why O'Reilly Media doesn't use DRM

#36

Post by TheAmazingIdiot »

jgrahamc wrote: post #18
RyanMcGreal wrote: post #9

I'm really gratified that the guy who once wrote, "Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors and creative artists than piracy" has built his business successfully on this same principle.

I agree. I wrote a book for O'Reilly and it has sold well, but I know that there are people out there with pirate copies of the eBook (perhaps there are lots), and although I'm happy to receive money from people two factors play together: I make hardly anything from the book (author royalties are small and compared to the effort, 6 months full time work, insignificant) and I'm much happier when someone reads it and l…

And sometimes, those ebooks dont exist for a physical copy. At least in the computer related fields, a physical book is good when the electricity is down, and a ebook is good for grep.

Yes, I am a "pirate" if by that you mean I havent paid twice: one for physical and one for digital. And dont get me started on DRM....

Re: Why O'Reilly Media doesn't use DRM

#37

Post by Entlin »

kragen wrote: post #27
pmjordan wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if there's any legal precedent for a friend being the jerk in a scenario like this. "Friend" uploads ebook/music track/magazine I bought and "lent" him/her to file sharing site or whatever. It's my name in there, so I'm going to be the one who's going to be sued.

Yes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmine_Caridi#Piracy_incident

In other words, giving your book to somebody in good faith but the person then pirates it will cost you $300'000 (or at least it did in this case with Caridi and DVD screeners).

In other words, you better not share, unless you've got a lot of money laying around...

Re: Why O'Reilly Media doesn't use DRM

#39

Post by chadgeidel »

RyanMcGreal wrote: post #9

I'm really gratified that the guy who once wrote, "Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors and creative artists than piracy" has built his business successfully on this same principle.

It appears that musician Martin Atkins had the same opinion. "It's not a problem if 20,000 people 'illegally' download your music. It's a problem if they don't."

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2011/03/sx...

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