Mobipocket ebooks useless after firmware upgrade - Page 3

Over · 08-09-2009, 07:40 AM

Why not remove it only when you can't really read your ebook due to DRM?
I guess one thing is to remove DRM because it's stopping you from reading what you have a right to read. Another thing is removing... Just in case or because you're agains't DRM.

Sweetpea · 08-09-2009, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Sorry, Sweetpea, no offence meant. It just gets me going when I read comments assuming that removing DRM is illegal and or that it is criminal to do so, and I seem to have over reacted.

I routinely remove DRM from all Mobipocket files before I install them on my Cybook.

Regards, Alex

Np, I just wanted to clarify in case you had misunderstood

Quote:

Originally Posted by Over

Why not remove it only when you can't really read your ebook due to DRM?
I guess one thing is to remove DRM because it's stopping you from reading what you have a right to read. Another thing is removing... Just in case or because you're agains't DRM.

I do it primarily for the first reason. But that goes for every book I buy in DRM. I'm not against the idea of DRM, only against the current implementations of it.

Crowl · 08-09-2009, 08:01 AM

The most stupid thing about drm is that it causes most hassle for the people that have actually paid for a product, the person that has downloaded the pirated version of the book or game has paid nothing for it and has none of the problems and if things like this force more people to investigate drm-stripping then at least some of them will take the next step and stop buying the books.

joobies · 08-09-2009, 08:35 AM

Off subject for just a moment... OVER... whelmed, Your moving bug in your messages gets to me every time.

Now, DRM.... I confess I know next to nothing about this.. other than, I don't like it based on what everyone has stated.

Now, how do I go about removing it from my purchased files?

I suppose I really don't need to, as I have a Kindle... but, we are talking principle here... aren't we.

pwjone1 · 08-09-2009, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebookreaders

The new (beta) BeBook firmware update, which adds Adobe drm-ed ePub and pdf support to the first generation BeBook ereader, doesn't support drm-ed Mobipocket ebooks anymore, hence making your legally bought Mobipocket ebooks a heap of worthless bits&bytes.

Amazon is to blame here; they don't allow ereader manufacturers to add Mobi drm on ereaders that also have another drm system installed. So either you can stick with Mobipocket, and will not be able to buy drm-ed ePub ebooks, or you can switch to ePub, and say goodbye to your Mobipocket ebook collection.

More ranting in this Dutch article on the subject. Please join me and also sign the anti-drm petition at Defectivebydesign.org.

So what do you think? Would you rather skip the update, in order to be able to keep reading your drm-ed Mobipocket ebooks? Or are you ready to ditch your old ebook collection in order to switch to ePub with Adobe drm?

(please note that this is not BeBook specific; the Cybook update will also remove support for Mobipocket with drm. Also all new models (Cybook Opus, BeBook mini, etc) will not support protected Mobipocket if you want to read Adobe drm-ed ePub.)

I dislike DRM as much as the next person, but observationally, I'm kind of surprised that Amazon is not getting sued by one of these small eBook manufacturers. Amazon obviously has deep pockets, so there's $s to be had, and just as obviously, they're acting in a monopolistic fashion (not opening their formats to other manufacturers, not permitting alternate DRM formats on the same device, etc.). DRM seems a necessary evil for now, for the pulishers, to get the content for the devices, but the incompatibility and nonstandardization of DRMs, should not be the case. That's all about lockin and market control.

HarryT · 08-09-2009, 09:42 AM

Amazon are not a "monopoly", or even close to it, and are doing absolutely nothing illegal in requiring DRM exclusivity. But you will have noted, I'm sure, that the current trend among book reader manufacturers is to go for ePub support, not Mobi.

JSWolf · 08-09-2009, 09:54 AM

if Mobipocket had not had this exclusivity and allowed Sony to use Mobipocket with DRm, ePub would not be making such inroads as it is.

K-Thom · 08-09-2009, 10:09 AM

Quote:

if Mobipocket had not had this exclusivity and allowed Sony to use Mobipocket with DRm, ePub would not be making such inroads as it is.

Let me rephrase your sentence:

If Amazon wouldn't demand this exclusivity and allowed Sony to use Mobipocket with DRM, ePub would not be making such inroads as it is.

prc ist a stable, robust format with a lot of possibilities. I will indeed miss it. But then, it still may be used (as I do) in a non-DRM fashion. For the common customer, epub doesn't have any outstanding advantages. Right now the format is more of a contemporary whim of eBook tinkerers to me (note: strictly personal opinion).

ProDigit · 08-09-2009, 10:15 AM

maybe it's good to give an English version of this Dutch website for those interested:
See Here

It's translated by google, fairly accurate.

K-Thom · 08-09-2009, 10:20 AM

"The only solution to this problem is to completely abandon DRM."

Now, isn't this a nice core sentence, even for a Google translation? The problem isn't the exclusivity but the DRM.

koland · 08-09-2009, 11:58 AM

Mobipocket has long had a policy that dictated that theirs could be the only DRM scheme on a hardware device. Long before being purchased by Amazon. True, it hasn't changed since they were bought out, but don't lay the blame entirely on Amazon's shoulders (technically, they abide by the same legal restrictions as any other vendor licensing mobipocket's software for their device).

I would not be surprised, actually, if Adobe doesn't have the same clause in their license for hardware vendors, nor if any other vendors don't do the same - after all, you want to lock a hardware vendor into using your format, since that affects future income. Who would consider upgrading their hardware such that all current customers lose all their purchased content, after all....

wallcraft · 08-09-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

I would not be surprised, actually, if Adobe doesn't have the same clause in their license for hardware vendors

We know that they don't, because Astak is on track to include both Adobe DRM and eReader DRM on all its ebook readers. We also know that Bookeen, for example, isn't saying that both Adobe and MobiPocket are preventing them producing devices with both DRM schemes - only MobiPocket is doing this.

Lilly · 08-09-2009, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

We know that they don't, because Astak is on track to include both Adobe DRM and eReader DRM on all its ebook readers. We also know that Bookeen, for example, isn't saying that both Adobe and MobiPocket are preventing them producing devices with both DRM schemes - only MobiPocket is doing this.

That's true, plus Sony also have their own proprietary DRM .LRX on their readers beside the DRM ePud & PDF.

Sweetpea · 08-09-2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-Thom

Let me rephrase your sentence:

If Amazon wouldn't demand this exclusivity and allowed Sony to use Mobipocket with DRM, ePub would not be making such inroads as it is.

prc ist a stable, robust format with a lot of possibilities. I will indeed miss it. But then, it still may be used (as I do) in a non-DRM fashion. For the common customer, epub doesn't have any outstanding advantages. Right now the format is more of a contemporary whim of eBook tinkerers to me (note: strictly personal opinion).

I'll probably keep format shifting books to mobipocket. I have three WinCE/WinMobile devices and while there is one epub reader for that platform, I like my mobipocket better.

JSWolf · 08-09-2009, 03:49 PM

Once you go ePub, you never want to go back.

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08-09-2009, 07:40 AM	#31
Over Wizard Posts: 1,462 Karma: 6061516 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cascais, Portugal Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2", OnePlus 6	Why not remove it only when you can't really read your ebook due to DRM? I guess one thing is to remove DRM because it's stopping you from reading what you have a right to read. Another thing is removing... Just in case or because you're agains't DRM.

08-09-2009, 08:01 AM	#33
Crowl Wizard Posts: 1,340 Karma: 1160346 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Southport, GB Device: Kindle Voyage, PW Signature edition	The most stupid thing about drm is that it causes most hassle for the people that have actually paid for a product, the person that has downloaded the pirated version of the book or game has paid nothing for it and has none of the problems and if things like this force more people to investigate drm-stripping then at least some of them will take the next step and stop buying the books.

08-09-2009, 08:35 AM	#34
joobies Addict Posts: 234 Karma: 1856 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Midwest USA Device: Kindle 1, Sony PRS-505	Off subject for just a moment... OVER... whelmed, Your moving bug in your messages gets to me every time. Now, DRM.... I confess I know next to nothing about this.. other than, I don't like it based on what everyone has stated. Now, how do I go about removing it from my purchased files? I suppose I really don't need to, as I have a Kindle... but, we are talking principle here... aren't we.

08-09-2009, 09:42 AM	#36
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Amazon are not a "monopoly", or even close to it, and are doing absolutely nothing illegal in requiring DRM exclusivity. But you will have noted, I'm sure, that the current trend among book reader manufacturers is to go for ePub support, not Mobi.

08-09-2009, 09:54 AM	#37
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,841 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	if Mobipocket had not had this exclusivity and allowed Sony to use Mobipocket with DRm, ePub would not be making such inroads as it is.

08-09-2009, 10:15 AM	#39
ProDigit Karmaniac Posts: 2,553 Karma: 11499146 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Miami FL Device: PRS-505, Jetbook, + Mini, +Color, Astak Ez Reader Pro, PPW1, Aura H2O	maybe it's good to give an English version of this Dutch website for those interested: See Here It's translated by google, fairly accurate.

08-09-2009, 10:20 AM	#40
K-Thom The one and only Posts: 3,302 Karma: 535819 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: yup!	"The only solution to this problem is to completely abandon DRM." Now, isn't this a nice core sentence, even for a Google translation? The problem isn't the exclusivity but the DRM.

08-09-2009, 11:58 AM	#41
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Mobipocket has long had a policy that dictated that theirs could be the only DRM scheme on a hardware device. Long before being purchased by Amazon. True, it hasn't changed since they were bought out, but don't lay the blame entirely on Amazon's shoulders (technically, they abide by the same legal restrictions as any other vendor licensing mobipocket's software for their device). I would not be surprised, actually, if Adobe doesn't have the same clause in their license for hardware vendors, nor if any other vendors don't do the same - after all, you want to lock a hardware vendor into using your format, since that affects future income. Who would consider upgrading their hardware such that all current customers lose all their purchased content, after all....

08-09-2009, 03:49 PM	#45
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,841 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Once you go ePub, you never want to go back.

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