Microsoft is shutting down its DRM servers for its ebooks, which means that anyone who ever bought a book from them will no longer be able to read them.

Cory Doctorow warned us about this, as he strongly notes:

“The books will stop working”: That’s the substance of the reminder that Microsoft sent to customers for their ebook store, reminding them that, as announced in April, the company is getting out of the ebook business because it wasn’t profitable enough for them, and when they do, they’re going to shut off their DRM servers, which will make the books stop working.

Almost exactly fifteen years ago, I gave an influential, widely cited talk at Microsoft Research where I predicted this exact outcome. I don’t feel good about the fact that I got it right. This is a f%$#ing travesty.

(%$# mine)

Do not tolerate DRM in your media.