This would suggest that purchasing directly from author or publisher is a risky business, but I’m not going to go that far. I will go so far as to say that I would only be confident if a click on ‘Buy Me’ button led to a Clickbank (or similar) secure purchase facility with an ‘enforceable’ guarantee of satisfaction.

As I’ve said, there are all kinds of ebooks about all kinds of topics. Some are nothing more than a promotional catalogue for a given product or website. Others are simply a means to get others to sign up for myriad of lists and/or facilities, which are available. Some affiliates attempt to extend their downlines by supplying free ebooks with links to their many programs. Needless to say, these types of ebooks shouldn’t be charged for at all.

Apart from actually reviewing an ebook, there is no way to ascertain whether actual content is of value or worth what is being asked. In fact, as we all have different needs and different expectations, opinions would vary somewhat anyway. But of course, ‘money back’ guarantee would seem to negate this particular concern - if you’re not satisfied, get your money back.

There is one final consideration, which I think is important in determining value and quality of an ebook and also seriousness of author (or publisher). The way in which ebook is presented and program used to enable it to be viewed by those who access it. A number of ‘ebook compilers’ are nothing more than ‘offline browsers’. They are simply a series of web pages linked together and packaged as an ebook. Some can’t even be viewed without a browser like Internet Explorer®.

My feeling is that an author who ‘loves’ his/her book (and every author should consider their creation as a child) should only be satisfied with presenting it in best possible way. ‘3D Page Turning’ technology has been available for a few years but has come into it’s own in last twelve months. The programs needed to publish in this format are more expensive than your ‘offline browsers’ but finished product is in every respect a ‘virtual book’.

You open book at cover and you turn pages (and see them turning) as in a real book. The pages and text look every bit like a real book. In every sense (other than reality itself) you get a ‘virtual’ or ‘e’ book’. It is just my opinion and it doesn’t have any ‘real’ bearing on quality of content but to me, it represents an attempt to give reader look and feel of a real book-reading experience.

These things, to me, represent difference between a worthwhile ebook and a means to an end, which unfortunately, some are.

- Pros: Can prevent unauthorized distribution of file since file must be activated by online server.

- Cons: User must be online to register file; Can't move file to a different PC; Can't prevent access after chargeback or refund. ---

Active Password Protection: Each time user attempts to access file it checks an online server to confirm usage rights and permissions for user.

- Pros: Prevents distribution or copying of file; File Owner can revoke access to file after chargeback or refund; Access permissions can be changed and applied in real-time.

- Cons: must be connected to net to register and/or access file; User may not be able to move file to another PC; User registration can be somewhat cumbersome and difficult for some customers. ---

EVALUATING PROTECTION SERVICES

When looking to protect your digital information any protection system or service that you consider should have a few basic security bases covered.

For software and executables:

1. When opening file, a protection system must not save or copy an unprotected version of file to windows TEMP directory or anywhere on your PC for that matter.

2. The system should automatically prevent password sharing and access by unauthorized parties. This will prevent document from being passed around or distributed illegally since it can't be opened unless you are authorized.

3. It should have some method to revoke or cancel access for refunded or fraudulent users.

For PDF documents, providing adequate protection requires a bit more security as their are many more ways to obtain a protection free copy of document.

Any PDF protection system must cover three bases above, as well as:

* It must prevent emailing of file and exporting or extracting pages from file. * It must prevent copying file and text to clipboard * It must prevent redistilling of file and printing to PDF * It must prevent unlimited, uncontrolled printing of file * It must watermark all printed pages * If using Adobe Reader, company providing protection service must be an authorized Adobe DRM provider.

WHAT ABOUT COST? IS IT WORTH IT?

Is $300 a year too much to protect your copyrights? Definitely not. Protection costs money, but if your business is making money then it's a cost of doing business.

Is it for you? I don't know. Selling a few low priced applications a month probably won't warrant any sort of protection, but if you generate a substantial income from your software or information distributed is of a critical nature to your business, then you need to protect your intellectual "capital" at some level.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Personally, I believe that some level of protection should be implemented on any piece of software or document that is of any value to you. You should never mass distribute a file in an unprotected format. Otherwise you will be scrambling when you find someone misusing it... if you find them!

It's easy to listen to those that say "don't worry about it" (a common reply to document protection topic) until someone is actually stealing from you. Then all you can do is worry about it, but it's too late really. The damage is done. You can't take something back once it's out there unprotected. No amount of legal threatening is going to phase someone in Prague who just doesn't care about your copyrights.