For the record: HumbleBundle frequently does eBook bundles. Obviously that's niche - generally comics, programming books, stuff like that, and you're just buying a bundle and not getting to peruse a library. However, all their ebooks are DRM-free.
I've bought into a few ebook kickstarters, and the books came in open files visibly watermarked with my KS email address. That seems a reasonable approach.
For KS, from the author's perspective this is ultra-high-risk. Their book isn't even on store shelves yet, and yet they're selling DRM-unencumbered copies. Meanwhile if I want to buy a 60-year-old book that's obviously available on every pirate site, the seller will still foist DRM onto me.
So I think we're getting there. There are new businesses working with DRM-free ebooks, since the encumbered ones are basically pirated instantly anyways.
I've bought into a few ebook kickstarters, and the books came in open files visibly watermarked with my KS email address. That seems a reasonable approach.
For KS, from the author's perspective this is ultra-high-risk. Their book isn't even on store shelves yet, and yet they're selling DRM-unencumbered copies. Meanwhile if I want to buy a 60-year-old book that's obviously available on every pirate site, the seller will still foist DRM onto me.
So I think we're getting there. There are new businesses working with DRM-free ebooks, since the encumbered ones are basically pirated instantly anyways.