I think that it's interesting that this endeavor is essentially demonstrating that the value of a pirated e-book is about $1 or $2. If a user has the choice between downloading a free copy of a book he owns so that he can put it on his laptop, or registering the book with WotC for $2 in order to get an official electronic version, I think most users will choose the latter. I will pay $2 for a hassle-free electronic document, but probably not $5 or $10.Remathilis said:5.) Will it stop piracy? No. Will it slow it down by giving it a legitimate alternative (like iTunes did) yes.
There phrase is "Windows rich client". Just means that it runs as a native app on Windows and not in a browser or a Flash player or similar.JVisgaitis said:If I read the phrase "Windows rich" one more time I think my head would asplod.
Why won't it work with dual booting a Mac? If you can boot into WinXP through BootCamp, you should be able to run anything, right? Except for Game Table and Character Visualizer, everything should even run on MacOS through Parallells.Seems like they are saying that the Game Table and the Character suite of options won't work with dual booting a Mac unless I am reading that wrong. Sucks for me/WotC. 7 subscriptions from my motley group that they aren't getting. On a positive note, I like everything I read. It sounds awesome. Just wish I could run it on my Mac...
Dragonblade said:The only problem I see is that it pretty much requires them to shrink wrap their books. Otherwise, you could just go to Barnes and Noble, copy the code out of a book and then use the code online. Then that customer who did buy the book in good faith is screwed.
Pyrex said:For example, say that each copy of the PHB that ships to retailers comes with a scratch-ticket with the individual code that is intended to be kept behind the counter and handed to the purchaser.
Or just put said scratch ticket in a sealed envelope on the last page of the book; kind of like how the 3.0 PHB came with a demo CD for the then-vision of the online toolset...
Agree, though I'd prefer the $1 charge. I already feel entitled to "space-shift" the books I own to my laptop for easy transit, so the charge should be purely for the convenience of not needing to find the damn thing online.Dr. Awkward said:I think that it's interesting that this endeavor is essentially demonstrating that the value of a pirated e-book is about $1 or $2. If a user has the choice between downloading a free copy of a book he owns so that he can put it on his laptop, or registering the book with WotC for $2 in order to get an official electronic version, I think most users will choose the latter. I will pay $2 for a hassle-free electronic document, but probably not $5 or $10.
TheSeer said:Actually you WILL be able to have that spiffy feat/prestige class - IF you already know what it does according to the text:
To get access to the full details of the relevant rules and mechanical elements, though, you will need to own the E-version of the physical book where these rules or mechanical elements were published. When you purchase the printed book, a code will grant access to the E-version of the book for a nominal fee. As a subscriber, ownership of the E-version gives you access, when you are online, to the rules content while you’re filling out or updating your character sheet. Without the E-version, however, the character sheet will give you only the barest information (such as the names of feats and such) and refer you to the appropriate published books.
So you will be able to borrow your buddy's book to look up the feat, put it on your character in the generator, but just not have access to the full text of the feat/prestige class is what I get from that, right?
Riley said:It better be a VERRRY cheap cup of coffee of there's not a PDF involved. Especially considering that I have to re-login to Gleemax/DDI almost perpetually in its current incarnation.
Scribble said:I wionder if they'll have a CD included with the books... You put the cd in, log into the system and download the digital version plus unlock the features in DDI.
If someone else uses the CD to do the same, your copy disapears. (like if you sell a book now...)