Are you buying a DDI subscription?

[JVisgaitis]

I am not really a fan of digital books...how am I supposed to read them on the toilet?

Well, I use my laptop.

 

[El Mahdi]

Groups don't even need separate subscriptions for just the magazines. One account and everyone download from it.

There is no way to make a PDF that cannot be shared, as that violates the concept of the portable document format. They could open protect it and make it unable to be saved, but there is little way of copying it between a group anyway.


That is no different than a subscription letting you get every back issue free. Technically that IS what the compendium is anyway. You get EVERYTHING in it crunchwise.

So the actual eDragon and eDungeon are free for the old issues with just a single motnh subscription, but not the PDF format. The PDF back issues cost extra outside of the compendium low subscription fee.

I don't disagree with you a bit. And there's really nothing WoTC can do about what you just described, however, what I described is the only course of action WoTC can take, other than making watermarked pdf's (but even that can't stop groups sharing and copying them). I'm pretty sure that's why they are running DDI subs the way they are. However, the Compendium isn't the same as a subscription unless all you care about is the crunch. I'm sure there are people that are only interested in crunch, and I won't even speculate as to what percentage of customers/fans they represent, however, there are people who want the fluff, and may even prefer the fluff. For them, the compendium won't fullfill that desire.

 

[CleverNickName]

I am not.

 

[DaveMage]

Well, I use my laptop.

Note to self: if I ever meet him at a con, never ask to borrow Jeffrey's laptop.

 

[El Mahdi]

...how am I supposed to read them on the toilet?

Well, I use my laptop.

Hey, you may have found the only venue where anyone should be comfortable watching poop joke laden cartoons (with Red Dragons).

 

[Angel Tarragon]

how am I supposed to read them on the toilet?

Amazon Kindle? Playstation Portable?

 

[Angel Tarragon]

As per me its a definite maybe.

It all depends on how well received the first [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Magazine-Annual-2009-Supplement/dp/0786952008/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223518004&sr=8-1]Dungeon Annual[/ame] is.

 

[catsclaw227]

I am good for a year sub for $60. I might go with the gametable too, since some guys in my area are interested in getting our buddies from home in SoCal and Baltimore in a game.

For those that look at the online subscription as a rental with no other value, I imagine that they don't often subscribe to online content sites, either literature, online magazines, or other stuff. It's basically the same. You don't get the PDF back issues, but you can still get to the crunch via the Compendium.

Actually, if WOTC offered a three month sub, with say three back issue downloads, that might work too. I imagine that they are trying to prevent the one month member who DLs everything in one night. While legal it certainly violates the spirit of the subscription.

Take it from someone that has owned a content licensing and online distribution product. It sucks when someone subs for one month, scrapes everything and then cancels immediately.

 

[hvg3akaek]

I'm a no. I have read perhaps one in ten (if that) articles that have come out for Dungeon or Dragon. Used, much less. In fact, the main ones I have been interested in are the playtests of new classes...and I ain't paying to help them playtest something they are going to then sell to me again...

 

[Asmor]

There is no way to make a PDF that cannot be shared, as that violates the concept of the portable document format.

Uhh... The concept of the portable document format is that a PDF looks the same no matter what system you're using to view it.

In fact, PDFs do support DRM (i.e. a way to prevent a PDF from being shared).

So not only does it noti violate the concept, it is in fact possible.

Well, I take that back. It's not possible to make a PDF that can't be shared at all. It is possible to make a PDF that can't be shared without (illegally) circumventing restrictions.