Of the 54 in Adobe format, about half (OK, I lost count after a dozen) are already broken links with a ‘400 error’ from overdrive. I mean, it’s no one I’m going to want to read again, only Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, Stephanie Laurens etc. (!!!) – i.e. all bigger titles from Harper Collins, Inc./PerfectBound, whom I’m now going to boycott. Ner.

(sorry for zombie-commenting)

P.S. DRM: Digital Rights Management.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management

If you use the “bulk download” option, it’ll let you add titles for as long as you like, but what I’m finding so far is, it’ll only download 100 files (plus the CSV and TXT file lists) at a go.

This is true even if you use “Bulk – Quick Picks” method.

This may not affect many of your visitors, but for those of us with lots of ebooks, it’s something to make note of.

I decided on eReader format (then “Palm Digital Media”) for reasons just like this. I don’t think I’ve had the same computer for more than 3-4 years running. The idea of “activating” or tying my purchases to a piece of hardware was just too likely to lead to heartbreak.

Plus – for those that require “online activation”, you’ve got to deal with the infringement of your privacy, because that company could theoretically monitor your reading/purchasing habits, even what else is open on your computer! And from a less paranoid point of view, I’m seldom online when I read, so I figured it’d be an annoyance to have to deal with, at the very least.

I only started buying a few mobipocket books recently, when it was the only format available for books I wanted, when the ability to remove the DRM from it became available. (And what do you know, I’ve managed to control myself and not copy the stripped copies out on some torrent site or usenet board. :eyeroll:)

I agree that it would have been nice if Fictionwise had been more upfront about it, but you certainly have to admit they’ve been great about seeking ways to replace them. Other sites have not done that.

Just last summer, I bought Eat, Pray, Love in Adobe format, and NO WHERE did it say it was DRM. Now I can’t put it on my Kindle!

Some sites have it in tiny print in some tiny corner of their websites, and some have no indication whatsoever that the Adobe file is going to be locked. I consider that false advertising. It should be in clear print on each book page. When you select “adobe format” from the list, it should SAY it’s locked.

If I buy something, I expect it to be mine. I don’t even care if you give me the right to pass the book along. I can deal with that. I just want what I bought to be mine, and to be able to read it on my computer if I want, on my palm if I want, or on my Kindle if I want. Is that too much to ask? I paid for it!

I don’t see how ebooks are going to take off in the mass market until they come up with a method for assuring perpetual use of our legally purchased books that doesn’t make criminals of us. On the other hand, a friend just bought a Kindle, and when I raised this issue with him, he said that he doesn’t normally reread books, so it doesn’t bother him.

On the other hand I’d love to replace all my print books on my keeper shelf with ebook versions. But not while they have DRM encryption. Save tons of space though costly I have a lot.

I’d prefer no DRM, and I’m hoping the market will move towards that – music finally has, though it took a while. But if I have to get books with DRM, then at least eReader’s is in the file itself and not dependent on device. As long as you know your card number that you registered it with, it will always work. That involves keeping track of one thing (that you probably know anyway) instead of expecting companies to keep track of your devices.

I only get Mobipocket now if it’s a freebie, as I have to strip the DRM and maybe convert it to read it, since Amazon hasn’t yet done a Mobi reader for iPhone, and I suspect they aren’t planning, since they think it will raise Kindle sales.

Personally, I think that’s backwards and a bit shortsighted, since for many people reading on a device they already have is more likely than going out and buying an expensive device just to read books. The reason I took a chance with ebooks was that I discovered there was a free program (eReader) for my Treo 600, and I thought I’d see if I liked reading books on it. I did, and now I’m a convert and an ‘evangelist’ to others about ebooks. I’m sure I’m not the only person out there who’s gone this path to ebooks, and I won’t be the last.