Re: ebook security

Hi All

Looking again at eBook security, the one thing that is clear
is to avoid a system of security which inconveniences the
user.

Unlike a conventional book, and unsecured eBook (I like PDF)
is easily transferred and copied. Great for the buyer who
wants a backup. Also great from someone who wants to copy
and sell your eBook as if their own to do so and thus profit
from something you have made, perhaps leaving you out of
pocket had the buyer simply unwittingly bought this pirated
copy.

This place looks interesting: http://www.ebook-security.com/ 
and I wondered if anybody has any experience with this system. 

Unlike an .exe file, it works with PDF and means you can at
least track how many copies of a particular download are
being used, and you are able to 'switch off' copies should
you suddenly see thirty IP addrresses using the same
download.

As far as I am aware it seems a flat rate no matter how many
books you use it for-about £30 a month. However, I guess if
this ever changed you are then obliged to be tied to an ever
increasing cost for fear of losing the security.

I guess the simple fact is if you release an eBook, it will
get copied and others may profit and this is just something
you live with. Had you gone the traditional publishing
route, you would not object to a publisher taking the lions
share of the income made by a book. With eBooks, you are
kind of transferring that share of losses into counterfeit
sales instead.

There are no physical copies stolen unlike a paper book, so
no real money is 'lost'-especially if the buyer would not
have bought from you in the first place. What if the
counterfeit seller just gets more traffic through their site
and sells more than I ever could simply because they have a
bigger web presence and there are more people out looking
for free or cheap stuff than honest people looking to buy my
stuff directly from me.

I don't want to lose money this way but I accept that this
is a brave new world for us willing to put stuff out there.
You either do nothing for fear of what may happen, or do it
and accept that it will cost you financially. Either in
costly security measures and the legitimate customers who
dislike them or in lost revenue from those that hijack your
stuff and end up selling them without your consent and
profiting from it.

I can't see a conclusion to this issue anytime soon.

Regards 
Stuart


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