[Jonathan1]

Originally Posted by limit

pls forgive my ignorance, what program is needed to view these ebooks.

the reader that is on their site. Palm Reader

[Jonathan1]

Originally Posted by limit

pls forgive my ignorance, what program is needed to view these ebooks.

the reader that is on their site. Palm Reader

[Jonathan1]

Originally Posted by McFLY

The site may be totally reputable, but I will never enter my credit card number to get something for free. It's shady. Come on guys, design your database so that you can work without it.

Get real. It’s not called Digital Rights Management for nothing. You enter your CC to authenticate the book. That is how YOU own the book not someone else and its a heck of a better system then Microsoft has.

[sylvangale]

In real life when you make an online purchase you usually provide a credit card number for said purchase. That is how ereader operates... they just lowered the price of some books to $0.00 as a Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Yule gift for ereader users.

FYI... your credit card number is NOT embedded in the ebook. They formulate a number from your credit card number which cannot be traced back to your credit card HOWEVER they DO embed your full name on the ebooks as such. Which is fine and dandy... unless you like to distribute ebooks (for shame).

[jonathanchoo]

Originally Posted by Maximus

... and what happened when you change credit card number ?

As long as you do not purchase a book, and just buying 'free' books then its fine. My eReader account is still embedded with my old CC which has long since expired.

BTW, today's free e-book is H.G. Well's classic The Time Machine.

[Ed Hansberry]

December 8
Time Machine
HG Wells.

www.ereader.com/promo

[McFLY]

Originally Posted by Jonathan1

Get real. It’s not called Digital Rights Management for nothing. You enter your CC to authenticate the book. That is how YOU own the book not someone else and its a heck of a better system then Microsoft has.

I realize that. I also realize the fact that credit cards are for spending money, not identifying people. They could simply identify you with a UID and a PIN, randomly generate a unique psuedo-credit card number to be used for the DRM, and associate them in their system.

Would you be comfortable if you had to give them your social security number too? Just because it's a unique identifier that many people have, it doesn't make it the right one to use.

eReader is probably a totally trustworthy site. I may eventually by some books from them, and when I do I'll give them my CC#. Until then, the fewer sites storing my info, the better.

[phillypocket]

Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry

Just curious. How would you propose they deliver this to you with assurances that you won't share it? They can either lock it to the device with complex software and make it a pain for you to transfer to a newer Pocket PC later, or you can open an account with them and they can encrypt it using a one way hash derived from your credit card number. The only way you'd share it is if you also shared your credit card - something you aren't likely to do.

Well... they could provide it in MSreader format. My passport works just fine, and doesn't have a credit card attached to it. I support the DRM that's most convienent for me.... not for them.

BTW, I'm not faulting them for their choice. Their method is just not for me. And I can live with that. 8)

[McFLY]

Originally Posted by ignar

If you see it as "buying" an ebook for $0.00, giving credit card number will be a bit easier.

Personally, I have no problem with that. I guess that's because I've been a customer for some time, and I like its service and DRM policy.

I think this is a good promotion for existing customers since they've already got your card. It's probably not the right way to draw suspicious new people (like me :wink: ) in.

[coder33404]

I have been getting one book a day since it started and you for the The Land That Time Forgot, which is what I'm reading right now. It's great. 0X

[Ed Hansberry]

Originally Posted by McFLY

I realize that. I also realize the fact that credit cards are for spending money, not identifying people.

1. Airports use credit cards to identify people. I swipe it all of the time at the checkin kiosks.

2. eReader gets your credit card when you buy stuff. If you never do any business with them and only want the freebies, I think your concerns are falling on deaf ears. If, on the other hand, it gets you to open an account with them, you both win. You got some free books and eReader got a new potential customer.

It amazes me how much people can complain over free things. :roll: