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.
