Apple will use FairPlay DRM instead of Adobe DRM on iPad ebooks

By on Feb 19, 2010 at 9:27 AM
News February 19, 2010

DRM

Computer World is reporting that Apple Inc. will offer its own brand of digital rights management (DRM) software to iPad ebook publishers to protect their digital books on the iPad; this is in lieu of the DRM system setup by Adobe. The Adobe DRM schema — although not the standard — would allow users, as Nick Bogaty, senior business development manager at Adobe, put it to, “use any e-reader they want, and purchase from any point of sale that uses [Adobe's] Content Server.” The move is fairly consistent with Apple’s App Store practices — that is, controlling the process from start to finish — however, it does not leave those who want an open and interchangeable ebook reader market feeling all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

Disclaimer: We hate DRM. It could be FairPlay DRM, Adobe DRM, or Mother Theresa’s DRM for that matter. We just, flat out, don’t like it. If you buy something, you own it.

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  • DaHarder

    Just what the electronics world needs… More Proprietary/Locked-Down Apple Nonsense.

  • mike1916

    i am so sick of apple constantly working against consumers, I find it consistently puzzling that people have such a slavish devotion to this company that earnestly attempts to limit their independence and options,

  • Russ

    You state, “We hate DRM. It could be FairPlay DRM, Adobe DRM, or Mother Theresa’s DRM for that matter. We just, flat out, don’t like it. If you buy something, you own it.”

    That’s simply not true. The copywright-holder owns it. Your “purchase” merely grants you a license to consume the content under very specific terms. If you don’t like this arrangement nobody’s forcing you to consume the content.

    If everyone acted honorably, DRM would be needless. But they don’t! Your ire should be directed at the freeloaders who made DRM necessary, not the artists and publishers who have a “right” to be compensated for their labors.

    • onepilgrim

      So right!

  • Dave

    I am a publisher of college/university text books. The iPad offers an exciting possibility to make our books much more than the printed editions. However there is the issue of DRM. In a recent meeting the youngest member of our staff (just recently out of college herself) pointed out that as soon as we convert our publications to digital files someone will find a way to circumvent the copy protection and make it their mission to provide the book free to anyone.

    Suddenly the idea of an etextbook does not seem like such a good idea. Why should I bother? As a matter of fact I do not think I will.

    • Matt

      You should bother for the good my back. Textbooks suck.

    • onepilgrim

      Dave, 25 years ago many students photocopied college textbooks and distributed them. Today there are numbers of students scanning to PDF and sharing with fellow students. This is a bit more work, but with the cost of books, its no wonder. Reduce your costs and go digital w/DRM, keep the books affordable and you’ll be pleasantly amazed at your bottom line. Think of innovative ways to protect your rights. Maybe the cost of the digital book(s) can be added to the cost of the course and the student is given some sort of credit card to download… just an idea off the top.

      • Dave

        I appreciate your comments. There are definite cost advantages for us as a publisher to go digital and these savings can be passed on to the student. However it is a big risk. Once the book is a digital file there is no going back. Printing and distribution costs are not as much as one would think so the question would be if every student in the class bought the etext would the profit equal the number of sales of the print book minus sharing, photocopying, and used book sales?

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