Remove DRM in Linux

[Spektakel]

Is there any linux compatible software to remove DRM from PDF and/or other e-book formats?

I've just received my Cybook, and wanted to try to convert a PDF to Mobi, using Calibre (I'm running Ubuntu), but the DRM is preventing that from happening.

Any suggestions are welcome, also on other possible/useful e-book software for Linux.

Thanks!!

[wallcraft]

Calibre does not remove DRM.

Almost all DRM removal tools use Python and should be Linux compatible. ConvertLIT is C, but there are pe-built Linux versions.

With LIT and Adobe ADEPT, you may need to get a key on a Windows PC (and you can't download DRMed ebooks from the ebook stores except with a Windows PC or, for Adobe, from a Mac). The actual DRM removal can be done under Linux.

[Spektakel]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Calibre does not remove DRM.

Almost all DRM removal tools use Python and should be Linux compatible. ConvertLIT is C, but there are pe-built Linux versions.

With LIT and Adobe ADEPT, you may need to get a key on a Windows PC (and you can't download DRMed ebooks from the ebook stores except with a Windows PC or, for Adobe, from a Mac). The actual DRM removal can be done under Linux.

Thanks for answering. However, I don't understand half of what you're saying. Although I use Linux, I'm a simple man, and I haven't got much experience with manualy installing software in Ubuntu, except for double clicking some .deb files...

So, what I'm asking is basically: what "ready to install/use" software is available for Linux / Ubuntu for removing DRM from (all kinds of e-book) files, and/or for other e-book needs?

I hope this question is not too basic or broad, I've searched the forum and internet for a while, but I haven't got much further then Calibre (which I know won't strip any DRM).

[wallcraft]

Python may already be installed. If not, I'm sure it is installable using your standard methods for finding applications. Make sure you install Python 2.6, not the new 3.0.

Once you have Python, mobidedrm.py will strip the DRM from MOBI ebooks, for example, and you can buy MOBIs using any web browser. This is a command-line program, which means that it is no harder to use from Linux than from Windows.

Part of the difficulty in answering your question is that DRM tools are specific to particular DRM schemes and also that DRM stripping tools don't typically have fancy interfaces (because no one wants to go to jail for providing "frills" to a working program). In the US, it might be legal to use a DRM removal tool but it is definitely illegal to write one.

[Spektakel]

Thanks a lot for taking the time to elaborate! I did not know of mobidedrm.py, it seems hard to even find the names of these programs/scripts. If there are any other scripts (for other file types for example) that could be mentioned, it would be very helpful!

So, thanks again. By the way, I really think it's absurd that writing or even using software like this (or any software, for that matter) could get you in trouble or even in jail...

[notsure]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Once you have Python, mobidedrm.py will strip the DRM from MOBI ebooks, for example, and you can buy MOBIs using any web browser. This is a command-line program, which means that it is no harder to use from Linux than from Windows.

In my home life, I only use Linux and I'm having a hard time trying to buy books because of the lack of DRM support for Linux (not that I'm a fan of DRM but that's a whole other thread). When I've tried buying Mobi formatted books from Fiction Wise, it says I need to set a code before I can download the book but I need a Mobi device to get the code. Any way around that?

I am enjoying my PRS-505 tremendously but it still seems to be easier to get in the car and drive to a brick & mortar store to buy my books!

Thanks!

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by notsure

In my home life, I only use Linux and I'm having a hard time trying to buy books because of the lack of DRM support for Linux (not that I'm a fan of DRM but that's a whole other thread). When I've tried buying Mobi formatted books from Fiction Wise, it says I need to set a code before I can download the book but I need a Mobi device to get the code. Any way around that?

I am enjoying my PRS-505 tremendously but it still seems to be easier to get in the car and drive to a brick & mortar store to buy my books!

Thanks!

You might try the windows version of mobipocket, if you have an emulator.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by notsure

When I've tried buying Mobi formatted books from Fiction Wise, it says I need to set a code before I can download the book but I need a Mobi device to get the code.

MOBI is one of the best formats for Linux because does not require machine-specific software to download it. You do need a PID though. This is the kind of thing that a variant of the kindlepid.py could do on your Mac (but the current version probably won't work). For now, you could try Windows MobiPocket Reader under Wine (WineHQ - MobiPocket Reader). You don't need it to work completely, all you need is for there to be an entry under "Reading Devices" in the left pane that gives the PID of your Mac.

An alternative is to find any Windows PC that you can load Windows MobiPocket Reader on, or a PDA/cell phone that can load MobiPocket Reader, and get a PID from that. I think you need a PID not allocated to another user - but I'm not sure. If not, there are plenty of PIDs floating around in posts at MobiPocket Forums.

[notsure]

Thanks wallcraft.

I'll give that a try, wine is already installed and running. I'm not running a mac though, just your regular run of the mill intel box with no windows.

I would hesitate to use someone else's PID because FW indicated you can only change it once every 6 months. That could cause someone problems and I wouldn't like to be the one having the problems.

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by notsure

In my home life, I only use Linux and I'm having a hard time trying to buy books because of the lack of DRM support for Linux (not that I'm a fan of DRM but that's a whole other thread). When I've tried buying Mobi formatted books from Fiction Wise, it says I need to set a code before I can download the book but I need a Mobi device to get the code. Any way around that?

Penguin country, this little town of ours. Me too.

Vmware player and wonderful site www.easyvmx.com, one burned MS Win activation, and everything except games runs (safely, if you disconnect the net) under Linux.

[notsure]

Thanks Ankh!

I think I found an easier way... my crackberry is getting mobipocket installed on it now.

Would you happen to know if that script is 100% effective at DRM removal? I figure I can't go wrong as all the books I'm interested in are $5-$10 USD. That's MUCH less than I pay for books at Chapters.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by notsure

Would you happen to know if that script is 100% effective at DRM removal?

Yes it is. There are some MOBIs without DRM but with passwords that can't be handled, but these are not sold by mainstream ebook sites.

If you are using FBReader to read the MOBIs, a few will be using MobiPocket's high compression mode, which FBReader can't decompress. The fix for this is to convert it using Calibre (e.g. use the command any2mobi --compress, in this case from mobi to mobi).

[notsure]

Thank you sir!

I use Calibre exclusively so life should continue to be great by the sounds of it.

[jeffcobb]

I know this is old but I just got my first taste (bitter, nasty) of Adobe DRM WRT Linux. Forum restrictions prevent me from truly describing what I think of Adobe, DRM, Windows and the general parentage of those involved with this travesty. I run Linux, my ereader (Nook) runs Linux yet in order to read the book that I bought, I had to run windows in a VM, install flash, install Adobe Digital Editions, authorize my computer (the VM), then used that to download the "real" ebook, copy it from the VM to the host machine, then to the attached ereader. Now when I go to read it the Nook says the device is not authorized. Is there anything remotely resembling "ease of use" here at all?

Bah. I still cannot get the frakkin' thing to work right. I also cannot escape the knowledge that all of this pain was a result of trying to do things "the right way" when I knew that I could be reading the book in about 2 minutes if I just wanted to grab a pirated copy.

I hate DRM and no one can convince me it has a rightful place in our ecosystem...

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by jeffcobb

I know this is old but I just got my first taste (bitter, nasty) of Adobe DRM WRT Linux. Forum restrictions prevent me from truly describing what I think of Adobe, DRM, Windows and the general parentage of those involved with this travesty. I run Linux, my ereader (Nook) runs Linux yet in order to read the book that I bought, I had to run windows in a VM, install flash, install Adobe Digital Editions, authorize my computer (the VM), then used that to download the "real" ebook, copy it from the VM to the host machine, then to the attached ereader. Now when I go to read it the Nook says the device is not authorized. Is there anything remotely resembling "ease of use" here at all?

Huh, I am not sure if that step applies to Nook as well as to other ADE readers, but you either forgot to mention, or did not authorize the reader (in your case, Nook) with ADE. It is my understanding that both computer (or VM) and the reader have to be authorized for ADE DRM to work.