1. Why DRM is Stupid for By C. David Gammel
www.highcontext.com
Small Publishers

2. Origins of Digital Rights Management
• Customers did not cry out for effective copy protection technology
on the digital products they buy!
• Big media executives, however, did cry out for it once they figured
out how easy it is to copy and distribute their files.
• Early DRM efforts were horrific for the most part, getting in the way
of a customer using the content at best or breaking their
computers at worst.
• Media companies are trying to protect a very large, existing, stream
of income based on an old business model that the Internet is
rapidly eroding.
High Context Consulting. www.highcontext.com

3. Problems with DRM
• A small number of people refuse to buy products with DRM. They
will even actively discourage people from buying these products,
which is worse.
• Some portion of customers who do buy DRMed products won’t be
able to use them if the technology is incompatible with their
computer (I’m looking at you, Mac people!).
• It will cost you, the publisher, money and effort to implement DRM.
• Many DRM schemes get in the way of customers using the content
fully or for very long. No print PDFs, expiring PDFs, files that
require a key or password to access each time, etc.
High Context Consulting. www.highcontext.com

4. You do not need to act like a big media
executive just because they do.

5. Where Do Small Publishers Typically Fall?
No DRM DRM Protected
Big Sales! Sales!
High Demand
Low Demand Sales! No Sale!

6. But what if someone shares our content with
someone who didn’t pay for it!

7. You should be so lucky.

8. Benefits of No DRM Digital Products
• No barriers to use by anyone who purchases them.
• It is easy to implement! No costly or challenging technical issues
for the publisher.
• Some copies will be shared, spreading word of your brand to
those who might not have seen your value before. This is not the
end of the world! It’s even good for you!
• Most people are willing to not be criminals if there is an easy way
to do so. (iTunes, for example.)
• You’ll sell more. I always like increasing revenue while reducing
costs. How about you?
High Context Consulting. www.highcontext.com

9. Some Things You Can Do without DRM
• Include language in the product encouraging anyone viewing it
who did not pay for it to buy their own copy so you can continue
to make more good things for them.
• Dynamically add the purchaser’s name to the product, indicating
it is licensed solely for their use. (CON: This gets a bit technical
but has worked for some small publishers.)
• Sell the rights to share. 5 packs, enterprise licenses, etc. Make it
easy for your customers to not be criminals.
• Market the lack of DRM as a benefit! “We trust you!”
High Context Consulting. www.highcontext.com

10. About C. David Gammel
• David is a consultant who helps his clients to use the Web
effectively in support their overall goals.
• David really doesn’t like DRM and believes it is harmful for most
small publishers.
• David writes a blog: http://www.highcontext.com/weblog/
• David (I love the third person) asks you to share this set of slides
with anyone you think might benefit from the content. David
trusts you! It’s perfectly legal!
High Context Consulting. www.highcontext.com