Adobe Digital Edition 1.5 final is available

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

I'm waiting to see if DE shows up on more open hardware, such as the Iliad. I've been seriously burned before by orphaned DRMed PDFs and will not purchase anymore until I *know* that I'm not just purchasing a limited license.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong... but from what I read in the FAQs DE will convert any DRMed PDFs that you have to the new DE "adobeid" DRM so that it will be portable to any device that supports DE... which right now currently seems to be Windows PCs.

BOb

[Peter Sorotokin]

Originally Posted by MerLock

I wonder how hard it is to get customer support to authorize DE to more than 6 devices. I can imagine installing it on my laptop, desktop and perhaps a reader if and when that option becomes available. Count in a few reformatting of the computers, os upgrades or device upgrades and I would reach the original 6 allowed authorizations in probably a year or two. I know some users might reach this cap faster if the software becomes available on more mobile devices.

It is 6 desktop/laplop devices and 6 handhelds. I cannot talk about specifics, but there is clear understanding that device lifetime is 2-3 years and one will need to activate more devices without calling customer support. I know that this still may feel too restrictive, but many publishers won't authorize their content for unlimited number of devices.

I just hope it isn't too much of a hassle. Wish it was like the sony software where you have the ability to de-authorize a device that needs to be upgraded or formatted so it didn't count against the 6 original allowed authorizations.

It is my understanding that there should not be a need to re-activate it when upgrading the software (but that depends on how exactly Sony implemented their updater).

I read almost all my PDF files on DE's and I love the way it looks and it does all the things I need but the DRM thing is so annoying. It's like a punishment for those who legitimately bought their books.

It is understood that DRM adds hassles. I think that can be improved a lot, though. The good thing is that most people are much more realistic now about the level of protection that it can provide against a motivated attacker (very low), so it can be made into much more lightweight and robust component.

I'm not that knowledgeable on tech but I just wish there was one standardized format for ebooks and if I purchased it, I could read it on any device that handles ebooks for as long as I want. The inability to do this is the only reason I haven't been to enthusiastic about ebooks.

That's the goal.

[Peter Sorotokin]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong... but from what I read in the FAQs DE will convert any DRMed PDFs that you have to the new DE "adobeid" DRM so that it will be portable to any device that supports DE... which right now currently seems to be Windows PCs.

BOb

Mac as well ;-)

Seriously, what we do it to burn enough information into PDF (or EPUB), so that same document can be opened on any device activated by the same user. This is a different approach from Acrobat days, where the PDF file was re-encrypted and locked to a particular handheld device.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by ProfJulie

You THINK it's an important part of reading, but that's your perception now. I thought so too, but after using my Cybook for a while, my perception has changed.

The Cybook does not use page numbers and, really, for an electronic book on an electronic book reader, page numbers are not very relevant - at least the page numbers that are associated with a paper book. The progress indicator that runs along the bottom of the screen is a much better indicator for an electronic reading device.

Have you tried reading a short story collection on the Cybook and one were some of the stories are bad so if they are short you will finish them but otherwise you will skip them? Page number is irrelevant but an indicator that tells how long a chapter or a short story is is very relevant and for me necessary.

Before buying the Cybook I did not think this was important.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Peter Sorotokin

Mac as well ;-)

Seriously, what we do it to burn enough information into PDF (or EPUB), so that same document can be opened on any device activated by the same user. This is a different approach from Acrobat days, where the PDF file was re-encrypted and locked to a particular handheld device.

So, am I right in that it will convert any currently DRMed PDF's using the Acrobat approach to work with the DE DRM? That seemed to be what the dialog said when I first installed and imported the PDFs on my machine.

What was a bit weird is that the PDFs on my PC were not protected in any way. But, DE seemed to imply that it was going to apply the DE DRM to them. Is this correct? Or was that dialog a little ambishish?

BOb

[Peter Sorotokin]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

So, am I right in that it will convert any currently DRMed PDF's using the Acrobat approach to work with the DE DRM? That seemed to be what the dialog said when I first installed and imported the PDFs on my machine.

Yes, your reading is correct

What was a bit weird is that the PDFs on my PC were not protected in any way. But, DE seemed to imply that it was going to apply the DE DRM to them. Is this correct? Or was that dialog a little ambishish?

We do not know if any particular file is DRM-protected or not until we open it. But, of course, we don't apply DRM to anything that was not DRM-protected, non-DRMed files stay as is.

Peter

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Peter Sorotokin

We do not know if any particular file is DRM-protected or not until we open it. But, of course, we don't apply DRM to anything that was not DRM-protected, non-DRMed files stay as is.

Ah... that's good, and what I would expect. (It's good when software does what you expect it to.) However, the message was a bit misleading and should probably be tweaked.

Thanks for the info.

BOb

[ProfJulie]

Originally Posted by tompe

Have you tried reading a short story collection on the Cybook and one were some of the stories are bad so if they are short you will finish them but otherwise you will skip them? Page number is irrelevant but an indicator that tells how long a chapter or a short story is is very relevant and for me necessary.

Before buying the Cybook I did not think this was important.

Yes, I have read all your arguments in support of page numbers for short stories. I don't share your perspective there either. I've read several collections of short stories on my Cybook, and page numbers have never been a big deal for me with short stories. I don't need them and never really consider them for short stories even when reading a paper book collection of short stories.

[edsohsmith]

Downloaded DE 1.5 and the sample EPUB Alice in Wonderland book. The reflowable text works very well with the embedded pictures. I am impressed!

I cannot wait for PRS 505 compatibility to be released!

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by edsohsmith

Downloaded DE 1.5 and the sample EPUB Alice in Wonderland book. The reflowable text works very well with the embedded pictures. I am impressed!

I cannot wait for PRS 505 compatibility to be released!

Why don't you plug in your 505 and see if DE recognizes it?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Why don't you plug in your 505 and see if DE recognizes it?

Won't that need new firmware at the 505 end of the connection?

[MerLock]

Originally Posted by Peter Sorotokin

It is 6 desktop/laplop devices and 6 handhelds. I cannot talk about specifics, but there is clear understanding that device lifetime is 2-3 years and one will need to activate more devices without calling customer support. I know that this still may feel too restrictive, but many publishers won't authorize their content for unlimited number of devices.

Well thanks for clearning that up. 6 desktops/laptops AND 6 handheld devices would go a long way as well as an understanding that we do replace these devices.

It is my understanding that there should not be a need to re-activate it when upgrading the software (but that depends on how exactly Sony implemented their updater).

Probably just a bad explanation on my part. I meant that whenever I have to format my computer I can deauthorize the computer before I do so. That way when I authorize it again after the computer format, the computer only counts as being authorized once. Wasn't referring to upgrade of the sony software.

Thanks for taking the time to address my concerns.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Won't that need new firmware at the 505 end of the connection?

Maybe, maybe not. The 505 appears as a USB drive. It's entirely possible that DE might already know to check for attached USB devices.

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Won't that need new firmware at the 505 end of the connection?

No, for instance calibre recognizes the reader.

[HarryT]

I see what you're saying, yes. I was sort of assuming (perhaps wrongly) that it would work a little like the Mobi Desktop Reader which does "smart things" with a portable Mobi device plugged in via USB. You can set it up, for example, to automatically sync new content to the attached device. That requires it to specifically recognise the device that's connected as being another Mobi device, rather than merely an external USB file system.