Amazon to provide DRM free books formats

[mmiesi]

I have recently bought Kindle from amazon store. I did it for two main reasons: it has the best value to money (nice design, WIFI, free 3G, software), and hopefully it will provide support and frequent updates to it's software and Amazon platform as a whole. What I would like to see is for Amazon to trust more it's customers when they are buying books online and offer books in DRM free formats as well. There is well known opinion that DRM is very onerous/burdensome? to customers and it doesn't solve the real problem of piracy. Many publisher already provide books in many DRM free formats (http://oreilly.com/ebooks/). There are many books that reading in AZW format is not so convenient (technical, computers, programming, books that have many side references). As the technology evolves (bigger screens, new formats, etc...) it will allow displaying it on the device without need for reformatting the paragraphs. I would like then to read my book as it was published in the original. For that reason I decided to not purchase any DRM books from amazon store, not unless they officially state they will support DRM free books and other popular formats allowing displaying original layout of the book, and buy them somewhere else where possible.

If you want to make a change, please let Amazon know at kindle-feedback@amazon.com

[Daveoc64]

Originally Posted by mmiesi

I have recently bought Kindle from amazon store. I did it for two main reasons: it has the best value to money (nice design, WIFI, free 3G, software), and hopefully it will provide support and frequent updates to it's software and Amazon platform as a whole. What I would like to see is for Amazon to trust more it's customers when they are buying books online and offer books in DRM free formats as well. There is well known opinion that DRM is very onerous/burdensome? to customers and it doesn't solve the real problem of piracy. Many publisher already provide books in many DRM free formats (http://oreilly.com/ebooks/). There are many books that reading in AZW format is not so convenient (technical, computers, programming, books that have many side references). As the technology evolves (bigger screens, new formats, etc...) it will allow displaying it on the device without need for reformatting the paragraphs. I would like then to read my book as it was published in the original. For that reason I decided to not purchase any DRM books from amazon store, not unless they officially state they will support DRM free books and other popular formats allowing displaying original layout of the book, and buy them somewhere else where possible.

If you want to make a change, please let Amazon know at kindle-feedback@amazon.com

Amazon already allows publishers to sell books without DRM, I think Amazon has been quite clear that it doesn't oppose dropping DRM - their MP3 music store has done well and they've never used DRM.

It's up to publishers whether or not they put DRM on their books.

You can tell whether a book is DRM-free by looking for "Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited" on the product page. I found a random example of this on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Innocent-e...2981522&sr=1-6 (same book on Amazon.co.uk)

Amazon offers less favourable terms to authors who want to self-publish and don't use DRM, but I'd expect that if the consensus among publishers was such that DRM was no longer being used that would change.

As for the "original layout of the book", DRM has nothing to do with that. A book sold by Amazon without DRM (or a book where you removed the DRM) could be converted into a wide variety of formats and used on different devices with different software.

[mmiesi]

The publisher does not have option to provide other DRM free formats. Imagine that in the future you bought a device that has 10 inch (or more) screen that is capable of displaying PDF formats just fine, or there is another format that let the publisher attach multimedia, or you bought other device than Kindle. You would have to purchase that book in new format somewhere else. Just other publishers and their stores support that now much better. Just look at the example of Oreilly that I have posted or below:
http://www.teleread.com/drm/amazon-s...a-little-hope/

Maybe I should restate the whole post saying to support multiple DRM free formats.

[bhartman36]

Yeah, what Dave said.

I have two stories on the Kindle store so far, and neither of them have DRM.

[DiapDealer]

I just don't care enough to contact Amazon about supporting multiple formats. The single format has been a non-issue for me for a little over two years now. It gives me plenty to read and the sky hasn't fallen yet.

I think I'm a mono-formatist.

[kranu]

This is such a misleading title. You make it sound like it's already been planned and announced. Instead, you just want people to email Amazon. Would you be so kind as to modify the title for your thread?

[mmiesi]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I just don't care enough to contact Amazon about supporting multiple formats. The single format has been a non-issue for me for a little over two years now. It gives me plenty to read and the sky hasn't fallen yet.

I think I'm a mono-formatist.

Maybe for reading novel books AWZ format is fine. But, as I have already pointed out, there are many other kind of books that this format is not right for and you can't convert it to anything better than what it is. Maybe in the near future you will have a new 10 inch screen device with color e-ink (not necessary Kindle) capable of displaying print like version and multimedia reach formats, but you will still be stuck with your books in Amazon format.

[mmiesi]

Originally Posted by kranu

This is such a misleading title. You make it sound like it's already been planned and announced. Instead, you just want people to email Amazon. Would you be so kind as to modify the title for your thread?

Title changed.

Don't expect that this will be announced by Amazon itself. You must let them know you want that.

[Barbara1955]

Then you would have to contact other ebook sellers also. Why not just hound the Publishers! My understanding is they have Control! I BTW am putting control of what I buy in my hands...getting a Tablet!

[DiapDealer]

Maybe in the near future you will have a new 10 inch screen device with color e-ink (not necessary Kindle) capable of displaying print like version and multimedia reach formats, but you will still be stuck with your books in Amazon format.

Trust me, I'm not "stuck" with anything.
Besides, the books I read only ever have words that are printed in black. I don't need/want color capabilities.

Good luck though.

[mmiesi]

Originally Posted by Katie1

Then you would have to contact other ebook sellers also. Why not just hound the Publishers! My understanding is they have Control! I BTW am putting control of what I buy in my hands...getting a Tablet!

The thing is that some publishers (see oreilly) already offer books in multiple DRM free formats, but they can't offer it through amazon store. I could buy them directly from the publisher (which I'm going to do anyway), but as I have direct access to amazon store through my device I would expect to get it from there. Besides amazon has great features like public notes, highlights, social networks, archive etc.. which I'd love to use as well.

For reading ebooks currently the best is e-ink - you can't compare it to tablets using TFT or other display technologies and designed for other purposes.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by mmiesi

The thing is that some publishers (see oreilly) already offer books in multiple DRM free formats, but they can't offer it through amazon store.

This is changing for O'Reilly, but there are still other outfits that have to release via DRM as far as I know. From what I understand it's a volume problem. Most of the other big publishers have a workflow stream separate from the DTP system that the indies go through on Amazon.

Originally Posted by mmiesi

I could buy them directly from the publisher (which I'm going to do anyway), but as I have direct access to amazon store through my device I would expect to get it from there. Besides amazon has great features like public notes, highlights, social networks, archive etc.. which I'd love to use as well.

If you can get it in an Amazon-friendly format from the publisher's website, you can download directly to the Kindle. Certainly not as convenient, but you can at least bookmark your favorite publisher so it's a little less taxing.

Originally Posted by mmiesi

For reading ebooks currently the best is e-ink - you can't compare it to tablets using TFT or other display technologies and designed for other purposes.

I've seen e-books on several different tablets, including the iPad. The Nook Color, iPad, and even my lowly Craig tablet are good, but not comparable to e-ink screens, IMO. Obviously, I'd rather have a tablet if I'm in bed reading, but for daytime reading, I think the Kindle screen is better. (But there are certainly lots of people who differ on that.)

[Piper_]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

From what I understand it's a volume problem. Most of the other big publishers have a workflow stream separate from the DTP system that the indies go through on Amazon.

As of April 2009, Amazon leaves the choice to add DRM up to the author or publisher, no matter what volume or track they take.

Prior to April 2009, there was a workflow problem which meant they could only be DRM-free if published through Amazon. (DTP - which has DRM disabled by default)

The other publishers had to publish through the same track the big publishers used. Since those publishers insisted on DRM, it was auto-applied on books using that track.

But they fixed it 2 years ago, so now Baen, O'Reilly, etc, can and do publish DRM free on Amazon.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by Piper_

As of April 2009, Amazon leaves the choice to add DRM up to the author or publisher, no matter what volume or track they take.

Prior to April 2009, there was a workflow problem which meant they could only be DRM-free if published through Amazon. (DTP - which has DRM disabled by default)

The other publishers had to publish through the same track the big publishers used. Since those publishers insisted on DRM, it was auto-applied on books using that track.

But they fixed it 2 years ago, so now Baen, O'Reilly, etc, can and do publish DRM free on Amazon.

Thanks for the correction. That's great! At least we know it's a publisher problem and not an Amazon, problem (for all the good that does ).

[Piper_]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

Thanks for the correction. That's great! At least we know it's a publisher problem and not an Amazon, problem (for all the good that does ).

indeed. Looking forward to the day we can look back on these days... just like we look back on other dark ages through history.