A Technical Look at D&D Insider Applications

[Lonely Tylenol]

First how many people really do any of these things?

Second look into the customer history of the code activation in the system.

Third, give the customers the benefit of the doubt and activate their code.

For the record, I really appreciate your attitude toward "benefit of the doubt."

 

[Nifft]

Dunno if it's too late to come in with an obvious technical implementation, but here goes: Have a two part digital code. One part is "public", and is the book's identification number. The second part is private, and is the book's electronic activation key.

It should be easy to set up the system such that people can use the ID for verification (of "electronic virginity") before they buy it second-hand. It's not a guarantee, but it's better than nothing.

But more importantly, it allows you to do whatever you want to obfuscate the electronic activation key later (if conditions require) without changing the ID system.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Kraydak]

First how many people really do any of these things?

As a subset of total customers? Few. As a subset of total customers that *have problems related to illegitimate code usage*? Probably many. If you are going to assume that people are going to behave, you don't need to worry about anything and don't need specific codes... if you have specific codes, you need to worry.

Second look into the customer history of the code activation in the system.

I am failing to see how you have enough information on *your* end to interpret the information on the customers' end. The customer probably *can't* prove ownership. This brings us to:

Third, give the customers the benefit of the doubt and activate their code.

If so, why bother? As you don't have enough information to tell which complainer/code user is in the right, I fail to understand the point of the whole shebang.

 

[3catcircus]

As a subset of total customers? Few. As a subset of total customers that *have problems related to illegitimate code usage*? Probably many. If you are going to assume that people are going to behave, you don't need to worry about anything and don't need specific codes... if you have specific codes, you need to worry.



I am failing to see how you have enough information on *your* end to interpret the information on the customers' end. The customer probably *can't* prove ownership. This brings us to:



If so, why bother? As you don't have enough information to tell which complainer/code user is in the right, I fail to understand the point of the whole shebang.

(sigh...) Maybe I wasn't saying it as articulately as you are, or that I came across as rude and obnoxious in my posts, but... Exactly! It has consistently (to me, at least) sounded as if they are trying to stop the inevitable fact that pdfs will be on p2p networks soon after (if not before) the hardcover is released, rather than try and maximize the number of people who would legitimately buy a pdf from them.

The other thing that I don't think has been addressed is the "buy-and-return" scenario. Person A shells out cash for the hardcover and races home to buy the pdf. He then realizes that the book isn't really of interest to him and then turns around and returns the book and gets his money back (even if they only offer store credit, that can be applied to the next book Person A wants to buy, so, for the purposes of this discussion it is the same as cash). Person B buys the hardcover because he wants the book and then decides to buy a pdf, only to find out that someone else has already legitimately bought the book and pdf. Do they really expect Person A to delete the pdf?

 

[Scott_Rouse]

As a subset of total customers? Few. As a subset of total customers that *have problems related to illegitimate code usage*? Probably many. If you are going to assume that people are going to behave, you don't need to worry about anything and don't need specific codes... if you have specific codes, you need to worry.

The system we have will be able to address the few issues without penalizing the many.

I am failing to see how you have enough information on *your* end to interpret the information on the customers' end. The customer probably *can't* prove ownership. This brings us to:

Because the user will have to enter name, address, verifiable email, and a payment method into the e-commerce/account system to activate the book we will have very good records of tracking each code. We have been doing this with Magic online for years

If so, why bother? As you don't have enough information to tell which complainer/code user is in the right, I fail to understand the point of the whole shebang.

It is about creating a balance between a user friendly system and putting a few safeguards in place.

I don't see why people think is is so onerous. Yes the system is not perfect but to me it seems to be a good balance between keeping costs low while not just giving a open door to anyone who want to come in and pirate. Piracy does and will continue to happen but we could be way more uptight about this.

Show me an example of any other major book publishers that is making this big of a leap of faith with their customers by providing e-books with every physical book they sell.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

D) If people continue to direct this insulting "they are lying to us" garbage at people like me I for one will stop posting.

As I said elsewhere, if you want to interact with the gaming public, you really need to spend more time answering the questions of the many, many posters - I assume the great majority of them, but that's just my own perception of it - who are polite and friendly and stop tussling with the more obstreperous ones. My sig says it all.

Now go tell Mearls and the rest to put Goliaths in the PHB and Frost Giants in the MM. And, man, would I like it if backwards compatibility with 3.x became a priority so I could use all those beautiful statblocks I've collected over the years.

 

[fusangite]

Is it really that important to require a book purchase prior to selling us a pdf that WotC is willing to lose sales to people who would never buy the book to begin with but would be willing to buy just a pdf?

Go picket Random House, Penguin, Norton and Knopff while you're at it.

 

[3catcircus]

The system we have will be able to address the few issues without penalizing the many.




Because the user will have to enter name, address, verifiable email, and a payment method into the e-commerce/account system to activate the book we will have very good records of tracking each code. We have been doing this with Magic online for years



It is about creating a balance between a user friendly system and putting a few safeguards in place.

I don't see why people think is is so onerous. Yes the system is not perfect but to me it seems to be a good balance between keeping costs low while not just giving a open door to anyone who want to come in and pirate. Piracy does and will continue to happen but we could be way more uptight about this.

Show me an example of any other major book publishers that is making this big of a leap of faith with their customers by providing e-books with every physical book they sell.

I know you've ignored me, but this is for the benefit of anyone else who might be interested.

No one is asking for a free pdf/e-book with the book purchase. What *I* am asking for is to be given the option of buying either or both - if I don't want a hardcover I shouldn't be forced to buy one just to buy the pdf.

 

[3catcircus]

Go picket Random House, Penguin, Norton and Knopff while you're at it.

What is your point?

Unlike what WotC has so far indicated, none of the publishers you listed above seem to require me to purchase the hardcover if I just want the ebook.

 

[Michael Morris]

What is your point?

Unlike what WotC has so far indicated, none of the publishers you listed above seem to require me to purchase the hardcover if I just want the ebook.

Fusangite's point is that the large print houses and distributors refuse to allow a publisher to distribute PDF's at any price point below the printed version. WotC isn't the only publisher who's hit a roadblock with this policy - White Wolf is affected as well.