Avoiding ebook copying?

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by outspan, Sep 13, 2008.

  1. #1
    I know it's impossible, but what do you do to at least limit the unauthorized copying of your ebooks?
     
    outspan, Sep 13, 2008 IP
  2. Hoster1983

    Hoster1983 Active Member

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    #2
    Sorry to tell you, its next to impossible. Unauthorized copies of ebooks will find their way to warez forums somehow. :(. Its a unfair world, you have to live with it....
     
    Hoster1983, Sep 13, 2008 IP
  3. marketjunction

    marketjunction Well-Known Member

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    #3
    One thing I do is lock up the editing features of the PDF (using Adobe Acrobat Pro).

    Nothing is foolproof, but your goal should be to make it as challenging as possible to the masses and just move on.

    You can get into licensing, unique copies (helps you track down who shared it) and all sorts of stuff. But at the end of the day it's a time/money issue.
     
    marketjunction, Sep 13, 2008 IP
  4. ShaukatSDGuide

    ShaukatSDGuide Guest

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    #4
    If you want to sell your ebook in PDF format then you may definitely want to do the following:

    1) Disable "Selecting and Copying" Content
    2) Disable "Printing"
    3) Disable "Screen Shots"

    If you have time and if you can manually send passwords, then password protect your ebook too.
     
    ShaukatSDGuide, Sep 14, 2008 IP
  5. lightless

    lightless Notable Member

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    #5
    The thing is, it may frustrate genuine buyers.
     
    lightless, Sep 14, 2008 IP
  6. outspan

    outspan Active Member

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    #6
    What do you think about a disclaimer in the page footer? Something like: "UNAUTHORIZED COPYING WILL BE PERSECUTED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF APPLICABLE LAW" (it looks scarier in all caps :D)
     
    outspan, Sep 14, 2008 IP
  7. latoya

    latoya Active Member

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    #7
    I think you mean "prosecuted." :)

    Depending on what country the thief lives in, you might not be able to use the law against them.

    I read about a product called White Knight Protector that lets you activate/deactivate licenses for each product. Only one license can be assigned per PC so if someone sells their copy, the buyer won't be able to use it.
     
    latoya, Sep 14, 2008 IP
  8. lightless

    lightless Notable Member

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    #8
    "Executed" [As regards illegal copiers] will fit too and might actually deter some. :D
     
    lightless, Sep 14, 2008 IP
  9. fireworking

    fireworking Peon

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    #9
    Licenses could be annoying. The best way i think is to put a watermark that says your website. I think the future of ebooks will be in obooks.

    Online ebooks which you have to sign up for and you get a license for it. (I dont know if this has been made before)
     
    fireworking, Sep 14, 2008 IP
  10. webgal

    webgal Peon

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    #10
    I have pdf pro. I need to figure out how to do this. The copying thing is easy to get around but I will still implement that. I want them to be able to print it, though. So I'll take my chances.
     
    webgal, Sep 15, 2008 IP
  11. notricks

    notricks Member

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    #11
    Licenses is good
     
    notricks, Sep 16, 2008 IP
  12. impact-productions

    impact-productions Well-Known Member

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    #12
    Good call. A lot of people, myself included, would ask for a refund if printing was enabled.
     
    impact-productions, Sep 17, 2008 IP
  13. fireworking

    fireworking Peon

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    #13
    One thing still left out. You forgot to talk about video recorders. You could record a video in 800x600 (set your screen to 800 x 600. Then watch it. And screenshot your video. What do we do with that?
     
    fireworking, Sep 17, 2008 IP
  14. outspan

    outspan Active Member

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    #14
    I don't think anybody would go to those lengths just to let others read the ebook they bought :)
     
    outspan, Sep 17, 2008 IP
  15. snarke

    snarke Peon

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    #15
    People would actually take a video of an ebook and then take screen shots of the video? Seriously?
     
    snarke, Sep 17, 2008 IP
  16. latoya

    latoya Active Member

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    #16
    Who would go through all that trouble when you could pay someone $5 to retype it?
     
    latoya, Sep 18, 2008 IP
  17. DeanKennedy

    DeanKennedy Peon

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    #17
    You can do this via the security settings.

    Keep in mind though, as has been discussed in the thread, there's no real way to prevent someone from copying it if they are really determined. They could even read it out aloud and then have it transcribed!

    And there's also software too that will unlock the pdf security settings -- so that's not necessarily going to be the perfect solution.

    Personally -- I'd cater to my genuine buyers and accept there's a percentage that will always do the wrong thing.

    You could add in bonuses to your product that aren't just eBook related -- so those bonuses might not be able to be shared (eg email support).

    You could also just "brand" your pdf the whole way through so that even if it is distributed without purchase, your website/other products will be prominently displayed in every copy/on every screen, even if it wasn't purchased the right way in the first place!
     
    DeanKennedy, Sep 20, 2008 IP
  18. outspan

    outspan Active Member

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    #18
    Here's what I came up with:

    1) a disclaimer in the book cover and the footer of each page saying that unauthorized copying will be actively prosecuted;
    2) at the end, I put instructions on how to report unauthorized copies of the book, implying that an URL, a forwarded email or a cached Web page is more than enough to track the guy;
    3) Free updates for life for those who can prove they bought the book regularly;
    4) a small part of the eBook promotes a service that I do so even in the worst case, I still get a bit of free advertisement...
     
    outspan, Sep 20, 2008 IP
  19. ShaukatSDGuide

    ShaukatSDGuide Guest

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    #19
    People do video tape ebooks and then take snapshots. PDFs are vunerable but there are other ebook software that don't even allow video recording.
     
    ShaukatSDGuide, Sep 21, 2008 IP