DRM a drag on e-book growth, say critics

Imagine bringing home a music CD from Best Buy and discovering that it will only play on some of your stereo equipment. Moreover, you’re limited in the number of times you can switch the CD from one stereo to another.

That is the kind of restriction and hassle that e-book enthusiasts face today, according to critics, because of the widespread use — misuse, they would argue — of digital rights management (DRM) technology.