A few issues here…
1) I have typed in fictionwise. com.au or co.uk – nothing comes up. Or ereader. com.au or co.uk – nothing comes up.
I am tempted to bet my entire ebook collection that we won’t see any site come up for Australia (or at least in the next 12 months).

2) “The correct geographic rights holder gets paid for the ebook” – given that ebooks are supplied through on source (owning multiple websites) which applies to the printed version – not electronic version. This is in effect setting up artificial boundaries for restriction of trade.
If the country has an objection to the ebook, then let their internet filters deal with it (like Australias non-existent R rating for computer games – making us the laughing stock of the civilised world).

Just out of curiosity, I did a search on Dan Browns latest book “The Lost Symbol” and found many, many sources on bit torrent within 48 hours of first release. Please note that I did NOT download it. (So much for the RIAA statement of “making available” = downloaded a copy!!)

I don’t advocate illegal downloads nor do I encourage people to do so. But this business model is straight out of the same playbook as music (and RIAA) and movie studios. It just doesn’t work or hold up in the real world. The author should be more concerned about loss of revenue when people turn to torrent sources to download the ebook.

Sorry about the rambling notes – this issue just doesn’t mesh with internet reality on so many levels…

“What is Fictionwise doing to resolve this situation?
Fictionwise is working with our suppliers and publishers to set up a system whereby we run multiple storefronts in different countries. Once we have this system in place, we should be able to sell eBooks that have these kinds of restrictions to many more areas. We would deliver the correct country version of each such eBook in a way that makes sure the correct geographic rights holder gets paid for the eBook. That’s ultimately what people care about. We are trying to make this as transparent to our customers as possible. But it is a complex problem because it deals with issues like tarifs, VAT taxes, currency conversions, and other issues involving multiple parties”

I wish they would hurry up.

And with regards to Diesel, I think it’ll only be a matter of time before publishers come down heavy on them.

Why can’t publishers get their act together — afterall it’s their and their authors’ hip pockets it’s affecting. Personally, I can’t see why as an example ereader.com can’t pay the royalties for the Australian sales to whichever publisher holds the Australian electronic rights for that book. I know it’s not as simple as that, but you get the gist.

At the moment, it’s a lose-lose situation for all concerned.