Update: Malhavoc PDFs no longer available at RPGnow (merged)

[rushlight]

2) Break the law and remove the DRM encryption. And as many others have pointed out, this is NOT HARD. If you understand exactly what DRM is and how it protects the PDF, you dont even really need to go find some shady hack... There are legit (As in, there is a good chance you have the stuff on your computer already, if you do PDF publishing or the like) ways to do this already. (No, don't PM me asking me how, I'm not going to tell you.)

Again, breaking the DRM is not illegal. It's not. You can do it, I can do it, he/she/it can do it. Whenever, wherever, and however you like. You can do it with a shoe, you can do it with a canoe. You can do it in a house, you can do it in... Alright, I'm getting carried away.

What you cannot do is share the cracked file. (And even that is shady, as I can buy a physical book and give it to a friend - legally, a case could be made against all this hubub saying sharing is illegal. But that would take money - that's why the RIAA only sues poor kids and old people. Let's see 'um sue a lawyer's son or someone with enough income to blow some on principle.)

If there's a PDF you want, buy it. If it's protected by some ignorant scheme, crack it. Then use your file however you want. As long as you don't actually give it to anyone, you never enter the grey area - thus no worries.

 

[Berandor]

Well, I jump in quite late, but I wanted to investigate into the change before I posted. Rest assured, though, that I have indeed read the whole thread, and some of its spawn.

Let me describe my preferences. I use PDF a lot for my personal files, and while I own a few freebies, I have only bought somewhat around 5 PDF books. Among these are Malhavocs AU (except the core book, which I own in print), as well as BoEMII. I was also looking forward to Book of Iron Might, and am still.

I don't like reading a book on my computer. In fact, I tend not to do that when I can avoid it. For example, I even print out some of the Story Hours I read, especially when I have a lot to catch up on. I don't mind the electronic format of PDF files when dealing with so-called "crunch", because rules can be digested small parts at a time. I also like to cut/paste minor parts, like spell descriptions of feats, to other files.
But so far, I have printed out every PDF book that I own. To do that, I have either used the printer at work or a friend's work printer. I only have an inkjet at home, and I really don't want to print 200 pages with it. But I don't like reading on my computer.

I already have an Acrobat ID, thanks to my registering Acrobat 5.0 full. So it's not a privacy issue, even though I am a little weary about a checking up my reading rights online and maybe wading through my HD in the process.

However, thanks primarily to the limited use on different computers, I cannot use PDFs the way I want to, and therefore I don't think I will buy from DriveThruRPG. I have also downloaded the free Exalted copy, as well as the free AU copy, to try it out. Aside from the speed problems, the download of the AU goodie was interrupted the first time, and I had to click on the file again on DriveThruRPG's home page. Now, I don't know whether I could have somehow resumed my original download, but I know that I don't want to risk paying for naught just because they don't get their connection to work properly.

I don't think DRM is the satan that some make it out to be, but I don't want to search online for a possible crack of a way to circumvent its protection, and I can't use my property the way I like to use it without cracking it, so I won't buy.

Sorry.

 

[dungeondweller]

As a smaller RPGNow publisher, my take is this:

GREAT!

I've got no concerns about the continued prosperity of RPGNow and this just means we've lost some major competition. People are going to hate the protected format.

I'm betting this is a good thing for the remaining publishers at RPGNow.

 

[derverdammte]

Also:

All sorts of sites on the internet demand you register to use the site, such as many newspaper sites. I find it irritating too, but it's becoming a reality.

You've obviously never heard of http://www.bugmenot.com. Required registration is a joke, especially when no one gives truthful information in the unlikely event that they actually register.

 

[Funksaw]

Drive Thru Car Dealership

** A customer heads to Drive Thru Car Sales **

Customer: Hello there. I was in the market for a new car.

Car Salesman: Well, we sell cars. Let me show you this beauty: The Ford Ebook.

Customer: Well, it looks nice... but uh...

Car Salesman: Yes?

Customer: Well, uh?

Car Salesman: Yes?

Customer: Why is there a boot on the wheel?

Car Salesman: Prevents theft. Lotsa joyriders.

Customer: Why isn't there a boot on that car over there?

Car Salesman: Oh, some jerk with a bobby pin picked the lock in 30 seconds and took the car for a joyride - we're just about to get it put back on.

Customer: It doesn't seem to be all that effective in preventing joyriding then.

Car Salesman: Oh, we know. But it's only to deter casual joyriders.

Customer: Like the one that picked the lock in 30 seconds?

Car Salesman: Exactly.

Customer: So the boot does come off?

Car Salesman: Well, no.

Customer: What do you mean no?

Car Salesman: Well, here's how it works. We deliver it to your place, and if you want to drive, all you have to do is get an Austin cop to come over, unlock it. You can drive it on ten highways over ten days, then the cop comes and locks it up again.

Customer: Why does he do that?

Car Salesman: To make sure you're the only one driving the car, silly!

Customer: What if my friend needs to borrow it?

Car Salesman: He can't.

Customer: Can a San Antonio cop unlock it? See, I'm thinking of moving to San Antonio....

Car Salesman: No... only an Austin cop. And anyway, when you move, you need to buy a new car. Maybe a car isn't for you. Buy one of our bicycles instead. Our main business IS bicycles.

Customer: Can I speak to the manager? I think this is absurd and would like to complain.

Car Salesman: If you have a complaint, you should bring it up with the company that makes the boots.

Customer: But I don't want to buy a boot. I want to buy a car!

Car Salesman: Do you reeeeeeally?

Customer: No, I guess I really don't.

**Walks across the street to Honest Phil's.**

Customer: Hello there. I was in the market for a new car.

Honest Phil: What do you think of the new Chrysler PDF?

Customer: Well, it seems to be what I'm looking for.

Honest Phil: Well, we are having a sale...

Customer: So, where's the boot?

Honest Phil: We don't use boots. They're more of a hassle than not using a boot.

Customer: Then how do you stop joyriders.

Honest Phil: We don't *sell* to joyriders. We sell cars to *customers.*

Customer: I want to have your love child.

Honest Phil: There's a futon in the back office.

 

[Flyspeck23]

As a smaller RPGNow publisher, my take is this:

GREAT!

I've got no concerns about the continued prosperity of RPGNow and this just means we've lost some major competition.

Well, as another small(er?) publisher, I'm not amused. Just as the Complete Spell Cards were about to climb higher than some Malhavoc products (and in fact had already surpassed one or two), that joy is now stolen from me

Besides, I won't ever regard fellow publishers as "competition". If they'd publish the same friggin' products, that'd be a different matter. But simply because they and TOGC share(d) the same market place we're not competing for customers. Heck, some of my customers probably visited RPG Now the first time, because they could get their Malhavoc Press stuff there...

 

[tm80401]

So, basically, everyone goes to bugmenot, gets the address listed there, uses it, and can access every file available.

cool.

 

[Jim Hague]

** A customer heads to Drive Thru Car Sales **
*SNIP*

Oh, good lord. Funky's got a cause again.

 

[Krypter]

Damn funny though. I have to agree with him. The only way epublishers will get people to use DRM is if they force them to do so by telling them they can only buy from this one location.

 

[Goddess FallenAngel]

Thank you. That totally sums up my feelings on the subject.

Edit: This was in reference to the Drive Through Car Dealership - it was merged with this thread.