[JoeBlot]

I gave up my mailed subscription to PCWorld last year because I was missing about half the issues thru the USPS system. It was a pain getting a replacement which usually arrive after the following issue.

Question: Is it possible to get a PCWorld emagazine subscription for a Kindle reader? I've looked everywhere and searched without any luck.

[smax013]

JoeBlot, on 26 November 2011 - 08:04 AM, said:

I gave up my mailed subscription to PCWorld last year because I was missing about half the issues thru the USPS system. It was a pain getting a replacement which usually arrive after the following issue.

Question: Is it possible to get a PCWorld emagazine subscription for a Kindle reader? I've looked everywhere and searched without any luck.

http://www.amazon.co...24777390&sr=8-2

You should note that it will ONLY work on a Kindle Fire and an iPad (using the Kindle reader app).

The other option is PCWorld's digital edition:

https://w1.buysub.co...223014967&vid=2

I believe the digital edition using Zinio, which was originally just on computers, but is now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android.

[LiveBrianD]

My PCMag subscription got converted to Zino a while ago, and using it felt like reading a PDF - not the most natural format for a PC. Soon after, I abondoned PCMag entirely.

[smax013]

LiveBrianD, on 24 December 2011 - 06:00 PM, said:

My PCMag subscription got converted to Zino a while ago, and using it felt like reading a PDF - not the most natural format for a PC. Soon after, I abondoned PCMag entirely.

For me as well...and since I wanted a paper copy (I keep my copies for a while for reference) and did not want to read it on a computer (iPads were not around yet), I cancelled my PCMag subscription. With the advent of tablets, I could consider going with a digital version that I could then read on my tablet...assuming copy protection stuff is not too onerous (i.e. I can have a downloaded version on my iPad so that I don't need a WiFi connection just to read my magazine). I have been using an eTextbook for a class that I am teaching and it is WAY better than lugging around a (3" or so thick) textbook.

[LiveBrianD]

smax013, on 24 December 2011 - 06:17 PM, said:

LiveBrianD, on 24 December 2011 - 06:00 PM, said:

My PCMag subscription got converted to Zino a while ago, and using it felt like reading a PDF - not the most natural format for a PC. Soon after, I abondoned PCMag entirely.

For me as well...and since I wanted a paper copy (I keep my copies for a while for reference) and did not want to read it on a computer (iPads were not around yet), I cancelled my PCMag subscription. With the advent of tablets, I could consider going with a digital version that I could then read on my tablet...assuming copy protection stuff is not too onerous (i.e. I can have a downloaded version on my iPad so that I don't need a WiFi connection just to read my magazine). I have been using an eTextbook for a class that I am teaching and it is WAY better than lugging around a (3" or so thick) textbook.

I don't see why they need copy protection at all. I have said this several times on various websites and will say it again: IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOU DO, PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO PIRATE, AND YOU WILL JUST PISS OFF THE PEOPLE WHO LEGITIMATELY PAY FOR YOUR CONTENT. Of course, corporations never seem to understand stuff like that... if someone wants to pirate a, say, magazine, they'll just go to bittorrent. The last time I checked, Zino was online only, and used (UGHHH.....) Adobe Flash. That was a few years ago though, so hopefully they changed it.

[smax013]

LiveBrianD, on 24 December 2011 - 07:12 PM, said:

smax013, on 24 December 2011 - 06:17 PM, said:

LiveBrianD, on 24 December 2011 - 06:00 PM, said:

My PCMag subscription got converted to Zino a while ago, and using it felt like reading a PDF - not the most natural format for a PC. Soon after, I abondoned PCMag entirely.

For me as well...and since I wanted a paper copy (I keep my copies for a while for reference) and did not want to read it on a computer (iPads were not around yet), I cancelled my PCMag subscription. With the advent of tablets, I could consider going with a digital version that I could then read on my tablet...assuming copy protection stuff is not too onerous (i.e. I can have a downloaded version on my iPad so that I don't need a WiFi connection just to read my magazine). I have been using an eTextbook for a class that I am teaching and it is WAY better than lugging around a (3" or so thick) textbook.

I don't see why they need copy protection at all. I have said this several times on various websites and will say it again: IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOU DO, PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO PIRATE, AND YOU WILL JUST PISS OFF THE PEOPLE WHO LEGITIMATELY PAY FOR YOUR CONTENT. Of course, corporations never seem to understand stuff like that... if someone wants to pirate a, say, magazine, they'll just go to bittorrent. The last time I checked, Zino was online only, and used (UGHHH.....) Adobe Flash. That was a few years ago though, so hopefully they changed it.

I agree and don't agree with you.

I agree that "true" criminals are going to find ways around copy protection and "steal" content. For example, criminal organizations that pirate computer software or DVDs have more than enough money to employ someone to crack any copy protection that some movie studio or magazine, etc will put on their content. So, I fully agree that trying to "defeat" those people with copy protection is realistically a waste of time.

For most "normal" people, however, REASONABLE copy protection will generally tend to deter them from copying and giving stuff to their friends and relatives, etc. So, I can see how REASONABLE copy protection can be useful.

Now, there are some "middle" groups who are not part of some criminal organization and are not quite "normal", typical non-techie users.

One of these groups are some people who just don't feel like they should have to pay for content. This is typically people who have limited income (students are the classic example) but still want "stuff". They feel like they are entitled to "stuff" and so they go take it without paying for it. They then try to self justify it by claiming that the "rich, greedy" music labels or movies, etc charge too much for stuff, but in the end it is still stealing.

The other group is the one that you describe. They are legitimate users who just want to use the content that they paid for in the way that they want and the copy protection is getting in the way of that. Now, if such a user circumvents copy protection in order to use content that they already paid for, then I see nothing wrong with that. If they decide to stop paying for content and just find the stuff for free, then they are now stealing and are no better than any other criminal.

In the end, as the old saying goes, "two wrongs don't make a right". So, while some copy protection annoys the crap out of me, that does not mean that I have the right to go find that content on some Torrent INSTEAD of buying it. I would argue that I would have the right to strip copy protection (or maybe find it on a Torrent) in order to use that content in a way the suits me that the copy protection won't allow as long as it is for content that I paid for and that is for my own use...but I also realize that if I do that, I might face some legal trouble as the "system" might not see it the same way that I do (which is why I don't use Torrents).

In the end, I will agree that sometimes content providers get so wrapped up in what they perceive as protecting their content that they don't realize that they are potentially creating a self-realizing prophecy to some degree. Take the digital video market right now. The movie studios still cannot seem to agree to some universal copy protection system. Most seems to agree to Ultraviolet, but some are pursuing their own scheme, I believe. That is because it requires them to change their business model (i.e. sell DVDs) and they don't want to change....but if they don't change, then they might end up coming out on the short end of the deal like the music labels did when they fought the digital music age.

In the end, copy protection has a place, but if it becomes too intrusive, then I agree that it can do more harm than good.

As to Zinio, they do have reader apps now for iPhone, iPad, and Android, so it cannot be only Flash based (no flashy Flash on iPhones and iPads).

[LiveBrianD]

Certainly, I use no-CD cracks on games I've paid for and have the disc for simply because it's otherwise annoying. The thing is, some people pirate content JUST because they want to avoid the DRM. Certainly, it may stop some causal pirates who don't really know what they're doing. However, take into account the cost of developing the copy protection, and I start to wonder if they're actually getting less money by implementing DRM. Hey, there's a reason that DRM is no longer used on mp3s - it's too restrictive for a lot of people. Besides, it's pretty easy to pirate that - I just searched the name of a song, with the word download after it, and the first result lead me to beemp3.com where I can download an un-DRMed mp3. Pretty easy to do, if you ask me, and that's probably why lots of people pirate. On the other hand, I searched "adobe photoshop free full download", and only on the 10th result did I get anything helping me - a link to the CS3 version on thepiratebay. If a guy doesn't know that torrents exist, that might be enough to stop him. Admittedly, I have a pirated copy of adobe CS5, but that's only because I think it's dramatically overpriced, and I rarely use it (come to think of it, I reinstalled Windows 2 weeks ago, and haven't bothered reinstalling Adobe CS yet). I definitely cannot afford to buy a copy of photoshop or dreamweaver, not even remotely close, and I simply do not think it is worth anywhere near what they demand for it. On the other hand, I also have pirated copies of a lot of versions of windows for virtualization purposes, but then again, MS is no longer selling Windows 98 and even if I managed to get a copy on ebay, it's not like they would get any revenue from it, so it doesn't really matter. Besides, I hardly use it.

I also rip DVDs that I own, which of course involves breaking copy protection (not completely legal), but I think it's perfectly resonable there since I paid for it, and maybe I want to view it on an mp3 player or a netbook, neither of which has a DVD drive. I'm not paying for it twice, perhaps on itunes, just so I can view it there!