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Doctorow and Stross Release Latest Novels for Free

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the internet-books dept.

FleaPlus writes "Two prominent science fiction authors have recently released their newest novels as free downloads to coincide with their in-store releases. The first is Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town, by Cory Doctorow. This is an unconventional story about an entrepreneur (who happens to be the child of a mountain and a washing machine) who gets involved in a scheme to blanket Toronto with free wireless mesh network, among other things. The second is Accelerando, by Charles Stross, which tells the tale of three generations of the Macx family (beginning with perptually-slashdotted venture altruist Manfred Macx) in the years leading up to and beyond a technological singularity."

4 of 236 comments (clear)

  1. Re:DRM by mwvdlee · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think what is meant is that DRM doesn't stop people who want to get the media illegally AT ALL, it only inconveniences their customers.

    You say a protection scheme works for a short while. With the latest protection schemes, they were hacked within a few days; most people wouldn't even have had the time to buy the player yet.

    So for the benefit of just a few days of additional income, DRM inconveniences all paying customers for the rest of the DRM's existence.

    DRM doesn't work since nobody who matters benefits, not the companies nor the paying customers.

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  2. Re:DRM by kotku · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I think what is meant is that DRM doesn't stop people who want to get the media illegally AT ALL

    Maybe it doesn't stop a core of people who know how to apply the patches, upgrade thier firmware or browse warez sites but there are plenty of people who wouldn't have a clue. These are the people the content providers have to muddle to keep them in the shops and they are the majority. It doesn't have to be impossible just inconvienient.

    --
    The bikini - security through obscurity since 1943
  3. Re:Don't want to sound cynical but by charlie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Considering that Cory is employed as the tech evangelist for The EFF in Europe, and is currently leading their campaign to block the broadcast flag for DRM in hi-def TV, you might want to re-think your idea that he's anti-DRM purely for pose value.

  4. Let it be said by braindead · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't see it in the comments yet, so I'll say it myself: thank you Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross!