DRM-free Star Trek ebooks?

[Radio Cicero Rockettes]

Are current Star Trek ebooks available without DRM? I'd like to download new releases rather than searching them out in increasingly unreliable local (chain) bookstores. (Specifically, I'll be looking for this year's Vanguard books when they're released.)

 

[JWolf]

If you're looking for DRM-free, stop now. They have DRM. You won't find Star Trek eBooks from S&S without DRM.

 

[DeafPoet]

I've only bought a couple Trek e-books over the years (I still like actual paper better). But I say buy it and strip the DRM yourself.

It IS technically against the agreement you agree to when you buy it, but as long as you don't do anything unscrupulous like distributing it to those who haven't paid for it, there's really no ethical conflict.

 

[JWolf]

Actually, it's not against any agreement I've ever agreed to. I've never had to read the EULA and I've never had to check a box to say I've read it and understand it. So I'm not really sure those EULA are enforceable.

 

[Deano2099]

If you're in the US, removing DRM is against the DMCA laws regardless I think.

 

[label]

I've only bought a couple Trek e-books over the years (I still like actual paper better). But I say buy it and strip the DRM yourself.

It IS technically against the agreement you agree to when you buy it, but as long as you don't do anything unscrupulous like distributing it to those who haven't paid for it, there's really no ethical conflict.

This is where I stand (on the DRM rights thing, I actually much prefer electronic). I buy a book then I should be able to read that book however I want. As long as I don't steal it or assist others in stealing it, I feel like I've upheld the spirit of the law.

The grey area with DRM and eBooks is what do we mean when we are talking about doing the "right" thing? Does "right" mean "legal" or does right mean "moral"? Sometimes the two overlap, other times, not so much. For me, I try to honor the principal of buying books to support the work that authors have put into it and to reward those authors I enjoy with my patronage.

Where these discussions get eschewed is when people fail to first define the parameters of the discussion and whether we are arguing whether something is legal or moral because the word "right" is far too ambiguous and contextual to be of much use in any effective discussion.

 

[Radio Cicero Rockettes]

If you're looking for DRM-free, stop now. They have DRM. You won't find Star Trek eBooks from S&S without DRM.

That's unfortunate. As much as I've enjoyed them, tracking down Star Trek books has become an incredible hassle where I live. One Borders store in the area (unfortunately, the most remote bookstore I'd call local) always shelves the books immediately and in quantity (and seems to mostly sell through), but the other two Borders nearby and the four Barnes & Nobles often entirely miss books, and tend to shelve the books they do carry toward the end of their release month.

I can't say I like the prospect of having to strip DRM. Maybe I'll just skip the books.

If you're in the US, removing DRM is against the DMCA laws regardless I think.

The distribution of software intended to facilitate removal is illegal, as is removal for the purpose of illegal distribution, but, as I understand the law, removing DRM solely for personal use is legal.

Here's an Ars Technica article discussing an opinion of the US 5th Circuit regarding DRM circumvention.

 

[JWolf]

If you're in the US, removing DRM is against the DMCA laws regardless I think.

Why do so many people think the DMCA is the be all and end all? There is the exception to the removing DRM from eBooks and there is fair play.

And as far as fair play, we do not know if the DMCA trumps fair play or not. It's not yet been proven in a court of law. So for right now, removing DRM from eBooks is a gray area that will remain so until a judge rules one way or the other.

So please do not say removing DRM in the US is illegal when we don't actually know for sure if it is or not.

 

[sojourner]

Can I sell my ebooks to a used book store?

 

[JWolf]

Can I sell my ebooks to a used book store?

Nope. You cannot even sell them to another user.

 

[Ktrek]

Can I sell my ebooks to a used book store?

Nope. You cannot even sell them to another user.

And even if you could you wouldn't get anything for them these days!

Kevin

 

[Deano2099]

So please do not say removing DRM in the US is illegal when we don't actually know for sure if it is or not.

Okay.

 

[jhempel24]

is not illegal but breaks the user agreement from the bookstore you bought it from, and the then have the right to not sell you anyrhing and remove your account and all books purchased. Not that they would do that.

 

[sojourner]

Can I sell my ebooks to a used book store?

Nope. You cannot even sell them to another user.

Why not? What makes the Ebook different from the paper copy? As long as multiple copies of the ebook aren't being made how is it any different?

 

[Ktrek]

In my opinion if I have already paid my hard earned money to support Star Trek books by buying the DTB version then I feel I can have a ebook version no matter how I obtain it. I own the original and it I decide to scan the damn thing to make my own ebook copy or download someone else's who has already done the work I really don't care. There is no way in hell I am buying TWO copies of a Star Trek book. Not that I don't want to support the authors, because I do and show that in buying my dtb version, but if I can find an electronic version to read on my ereader I feel like I have supported the industry enough by buying the DTB version. No way am I buying the same book twice!

Kevin

 

[jhempel24]

Can I sell my ebooks to a used book store?

Nope. You cannot even sell them to another user.

Why not? What makes the Ebook different from the paper copy? As long as multiple copies of the ebook aren't being made how is it any different?

It breaks the agreement you made when purchasing it, that's what's different, there is nothing like that in the print version.

And technically you break the DRM to sell it, which means that you have already broken the agreement.

 

[JWolf]

In my opinion if I have already paid my hard earned money to support Star Trek books by buying the DTB version then I feel I can have a ebook version no matter how I obtain it. I own the original and it I decide to scan the damn thing to make my own ebook copy or download someone else's who has already done the work I really don't care. There is no way in hell I am buying TWO copies of a Star Trek book. Not that I don't want to support the authors, because I do and show that in buying my dtb version, but if I can find an electronic version to read on my ereader I feel like I have supported the industry enough by buying the DTB version. No way am I buying the same book twice!

Kevin

If you have a movie on VHS and you want it on blu-ray, are you entitled to a free copy?

If you have a hardcover book, are you entitled to a free paperback copy?

If you have bought an eBook, are you entitled to a free paper copy?

You bought the content in a specific format. You are not entitled to a free copy in another format unless you do the conversion yourself. And you are 100% not entitled to a commercial eBook copy of your paper copy.

 

[label]

If you have a movie on VHS and you want it on blu-ray, are you entitled to a free copy?

If you have a hardcover book, are you entitled to a free paperback copy?

This is not an apples to apples comparison to the eBook situation. First off, the movie(story) may be the same, but when people purchase a movie in Blu-Ray format, it's because people pay more to receive higher quality picture which is valuable. Your not paying to see the movie again........you're paying to see the enhanced picture of the movie. Secondly, AFAIK, there's nothing legally stopping me from ripping my VHS movie onto a Blu-Ray disc for my own personal use and watching it that way if I choose to do so, but I won't receive the upgraded quality in picture. Same with a nice HardBack vs. Paperback.

You bought the content in a specific format. You are not entitled to a free copy in another format unless you do the conversion yourself.

That's just silly......why would you manually converting your eBook be the moral line in the sand here vs. downloading the same eBook that someone else converted?? Either you purchase the book and converting it to any other format is always wrong (whether you do it or download someone else's work) - or - once you bought a copy of the book, you are entitled to read that book in whatever way you want, short of stealing an actual book from a store or person.

My two cents: I could careless about the artificial format constraints that companies want you to adhere to in cases like this. I understand that if I want to upgrade my VHS copy of a movie to Blu-Ray, that I should pay for the more expensive technology because I'm getting an upgrade in the quality of my picture for the movie.

However, once I've purchased a hard copy of a book, whether I read the copy I bought or an electronic version regardless of whether I converted it or someone else did, there is no "upgrade" to reading the book. The story is not somehow made better because of where I read it........the only thing that's impacted is where and how I read what I purchased.

 

[23skidoo]

As much as I've enjoyed them, tracking down Star Trek books has become an incredible hassle where I live. One Borders store in the area (unfortunately, the most remote bookstore I'd call local) always shelves the books immediately and in quantity (and seems to mostly sell through), but the other two Borders nearby and the four Barnes & Nobles often entirely miss books, and tend to shelve the books they do carry toward the end of their release month.

Unless you live in a part of the world Amazon for Book Depository doesn't deliver to, that really shouldn't be an issue anymore. I prefer supporting retail stores as much as possible because I never want to lose the bookstore experience. But if a certain book isn't brought in, then I know I can order online and save a few bucks in the process most times. And that would apply whether I lived in Los Angeles or Tuktoyaktuk.

I'm going to refrain from commenting on DRM aside from pointing out that an absolute advantage print has over digital (aside from its longevity, of course, as I look at my copy of Night Thoughts, printed in 1762 and still perfectly readable) is the fact DRM is not an issue. If they ever wish to win us Luddites over to the side of digital, they need to drop that s*it, just like the music industry more or less has.

Alex

 

[Destructor]

If you have a movie on VHS and you want it on blu-ray, are you entitled to a free copy?

Well, a lot of Blu-ray releases are coming with iPhone-compatible versions on the disc these days...