Comments on: Dear Reader: We Feel Your eBook Pain

By: Sunday Wash-Up 9th August « Shack's Comings and Goings

Sunday Wash-Up 9th August « Shack's Comings and Goings — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:58:26 +0000

[...] Dear Reader: We Feel Your eBook Pain Quartet Press are accepting submissions and keen to cut their share of the market. Notably they are evangelists of eBooks and digital publishing. [...]

By: Kirk Biglione

Kirk Biglione — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:08:45 +0000

@Darrell As you know, DRM is probably the biggest barrier to ebook accessibility. Since we aren’t using DRM that’s one barrier eliminated.

Beyond that our ebooks will be developed using standards based markup and accessible navigational elements. There’s nothing that will prevent you from using whatever application you like to read our books.

I’m quite familiar with the WCAG guidelines for accessible web content. I’m not aware of any similar guidelines for ebook content. If there are any such guidelines I would definitely like to know more about them.

By: Darla Hatton

Darla Hatton — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:54:07 +0000

As a parent with a child who has dyslexia, I applaud your decision! Kudos!

By: thelittlefluffycat

thelittlefluffycat — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:20:37 +0000

I find myself moving more and more to people willing to produce content under these conditions: they trust me, so I trust them.

I am so happy Quartet is here!

By: Darrell Shandrow

Darrell Shandrow — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:12:57 +0000

I also hope Quartet is considering accessibility in the formats of the e-books it produces. If not, many of us in the online connected blind community stand ready to assist with the necessary consulting and testing.

By: Darrell Shandrow

Darrell Shandrow — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:11:51 +0000

I second Jim’s comment. DRM encryption on the Kindle makes those books inaccessible to any other software or e-book reading device. This makes them inaccessible to blind reader, so long as the Kindle hardware remains inaccessible. If Kindle books could be read on other hardware and through accessible software, we wouldn’t have a good case against ASU. We’re not looking to harm anyone or take anything away from the sighted; we just need to be afforded the same opportunities to read and participate.

By: Jim Fruchterman

Jim Fruchterman — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:44:32 +0000

DRM is also a technology that denies people with disabilities the right to read. Bravo for not creating a needless barrier to literacy!

By: David Shrock

David Shrock — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:27:09 +0000

Thanks!
Nobody enjoys purchasing a product and then having to ask permission to use it due to some problem or limitation in the DRM technology. One only has to look at the video game industry to see that DRM does not stop theft. After one headache purchasing software, I seek out and purchase products without DRM.

By: ev

ev — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:22:07 +0000

You now have another follower on twitter.Anyone who is willing to forgo DRM is a friend of mine.

I have wondered if the publishing world is holding onto DRM in the hopes that if they make it as hard as possible, ebooks will go the way 8-track tapes and cassetts? Then they can always write off the losses? Just a thought from my twisted mind.

Looking forward to seeing what you have to offer and that I want to buy. I love to shop.

By: Rae Lori

Rae Lori — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:03:38 +0000

“In theory, DRM is designed to prevent the theft of digital content. In reality, DRM is more likely to keep readers from buying ebooks. Or from reading an ebook, should they somehow manage to buy one.”

So so true. I’ve heard many readers restate this along with their frustration at not being able to transfer their books the way they want. After all, they bought it so it IS theirs. They shouldn’t be restricted. Ultimately (and sadly) with this experience, they give up and return to paperbacks with a bad first impression of ebooks.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what great things Quartet has in store. I’ve been following news via the owners and am really excited! Great article!