HarperCollins to begin digitizing books

Has no immediate plan to raise revenue from project, but says move is vital to protect its authors' rights.

The story "HarperCollins to begin digitizing books" published December 12, 2005 at 3:30 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from Reuters expires after 30 days.

[mabroox]

eBooks & DRM

Publishers are worried about fair use, while Google (and others) want to offer a digital library. How can we have both? How about DRM? The technology already exists to limit how long someone can listen to an audio file. The same could be done with eBooks. If you get the book from a digital library, such as Google, you'd have to check the book out. For two weeks you'd have unlimited access to the book. If you want longer access, you just check it out again. If you want to purchase the book, you'd link to the publisher's website (a link found at the beginning and/or end of the eBook) and purchase a unlimited version. It sounds simple to me. Essentially that brings a digital/online equivalent to today's libraries and book stores.

[VI Joker]

Simple

Seems simple to you cause you are not concerned with making money and/or working together with other competing business. I agree its simple, up until you start to talk about purchasing the book. The stores want to get a certian kind of profit. Who is going to be listed first? What about the smaller stores do they get listed? Who is responsible for the DRM? The Author's guild? Sorry I am not about thave BN putting DRM on my computer.