PB 360 and DRM

divory · 01-02-2010, 01:06 PM

I am a very contented refugee from the Opus and I moved over all my books a few days ago when I finally took delivery of the PB 360. Some were originally mobi and to read them in the Opus I had to strip the DRM and convert to ePub with Calibre. Absolutely no problem with opening any of these with either fbreader or the Adobe reader.

I have also bought rather more ePubs and once I had authorised the PB as a device under ADE I appeared to have no problem with any of these.

Yesterday I installed the fbreader config file to ensure that I always opened fbreader which I vastly prefer as an ebook reader over the Adobe. I was reading one of the old converted mobi books at the time and noticed nothing out of the ordinary until I tried to open one of my regular ePubs and it wouldn't open. Finally the penny dropped and they would open happily if I selected the Adobe reader.

Does that mean that fbreader will not open any DRM ePub even if the device is duly authorised? I would have thought that once authorised the DRM would allow the book to open. I hope that this is so, in which case can someone tell me where I have gone wrong. If I haven't, and fbreader will not open a DRM ePub despite being on an authorised device, then the DRM will have to go.

I use a Mac (Snow Leopard) and I would greatly appreciate it if some kind soul would send me a private message and point me in the right direction. All I can find so far is Windows based.

David

Katelyn · 01-02-2010, 01:42 PM

Sorry I can't answer your question but I had the same thing happen yesterday. I was testing FBReader after installing this version - FBReader_180d. I have a couple of books that, when I try to open them I get an hourglass in the middle of the screen for several seconds then I am back at the list of books view.

Since none of these books were originally DRMed, I don't know why they won't open with FBReader...but it doesn't bother me. Maybe someone else has an idea what might cause this but you aren't alone with this oddity.

tselling · 01-02-2010, 02:24 PM

FBReader will not open a DRM'd EPUB. You need to use the AdobeViewer for them or de-DRM the DRM'd EPUBs. You can set FBReader to be the default but you can still have the option to open an EPUB with AdobeViewer if you have the right extensions.cfg.

divory · 01-02-2010, 05:14 PM

Thanks tselling. I now realise that FBReader could not open protected files but thanks to the help I have received from a member of this forum my problems will be over.

Yar-PocketBooker · 01-03-2010, 12:17 AM

If I'm not mistaken Adobe does not allow existence of two authorized readers on one device - only Adobe reader and ces't tout...
That's why you can read DRMed epubs only with Adobe Reader....

fjtorres · 01-03-2010, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yar-PocketBooker

If I'm not mistaken Adobe does not allow existence of two authorized readers on one device - only Adobe reader and ces't tout...
That's why you can read DRMed epubs only with Adobe Reader....

It would be good if this can be confirmed; on most forums the lack off Mobi-DRM on ADE devices is blamed on big, evil Amazon. The assumption being that if Evil Amazon relented peace would break out the world over.

If true it might help explain why there are no ADE + eReader dual-DRM gadgets out there.

HarryT · 01-03-2010, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It would be good if this can be confirmed; on most forums the lack off Mobi-DRM on ADE devices is blamed on big, evil Amazon. The assumption being that if Evil Amazon relented peace would break out the world over.

If true it might help explain why there are no ADE + eReader dual-DRM gadgets out there.

It's Amazon who won't allow any other DRM method than Mobipocket; Adobe are fine with it - eg the Sony devices support both Adobe DRM and Sony's own DRM method.

There is an ADE + eReader dual-DRM device - the B&N "nook".

fjtorres · 01-03-2010, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

There is an ADE + eReader dual-DRM device - the B&N "nook".

It is my understanding that the nook's eReader support coes via a custom ADE implementation not through separate, independent reader apps.
It is my understanding that Astak has tried for a while to implement the latter approach and had... licensing issues.

<shrug>
No big deal; I don't particularly care what one hypocritical monopolistic company does to another. Just curious.

netseeker · 01-03-2010, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It would be good if this can be confirmed; on most forums the lack off Mobi-DRM on ADE devices is blamed on big, evil Amazon. The assumption being that if Evil Amazon relented peace would break out the world over.

The topic here is unrelated to Mobi-DRM. It just means that FBReader on PocketBook can't be modified by the PocketBook dev's to support DRMed ePubs because Adobe seems to allow only one application per device to use their DRM-framework. (Though, i doubt even that.)

wallcraft · 01-03-2010, 08:46 AM

FBReader does not support DRM. In principle Open Source applications can't support DRM because if a vendor updates its source code (e.g. to add DRM) that source code must be released to the device owners. This typically defeats the purpose of the DRM.

The only exception to the code release requirement is that the owners of the copyright can also release a variant of the same code under a different license. The authors of FBReader have left this possibility open, but so far as I know it has never been used.

Jim Lester · 01-03-2010, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It would be good if this can be confirmed; on most forums the lack off Mobi-DRM on ADE devices is blamed on big, evil Amazon. The assumption being that if Evil Amazon relented peace would break out the world over.

If true it might help explain why there are no ADE + eReader dual-DRM gadgets out there.

It is the Mobi license terms that prevent this, not the RMSDK license terms. The closest restriction in the RMSDK License terms, is that you can't modify the RMSDK itself to add a DRM scheme that isn't already in there. For example, adding in a new PDF/EPUB DRM scheme by just adding in the DRM handling into the RMSDK, while technically possible, would not be legally permitted. However adding in a new SDK that renders the format (such as say eReader or BBeB) is allowed.

As proof beside my raw word, you can see that other DRM schemes exist quite nicely (contractually) beside the RMSDK:
- The Sony Reader supports the LRX format (DRM'd BBeB) and has for quite some time.
- As Harry noted, the Nook has eReader support (which does not come from the RMSDK).

To my knowledge the FBReader team has yet to contact us about being an RMSDK customer (but I'm not on the sales end, so I don't know for sure), but being Open Source (as Wallcraft noted) would be another violation of the license that the RMSDK is issued under.

kostyan · 02-12-2010, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tselling

FBReader will not open a DRM'd EPUB. You need to use the AdobeViewer for them or de-DRM the DRM'd EPUBs. You can set FBReader to be the default but you can still have the option to open an EPUB with AdobeViewer if you have the right extensions.cfg.

How to open a file with AdobeViewer?
I've activated my PocketBook 360 with help of Adobe Digital Edition (ADE)
Activated my PC computer with the same id.
I can read EPUB file on computer, but when I open it on Pocketbook it shows only small icon at the top of screen, no text.
Context menu shows that it's FBReader.

netseeker · 02-12-2010, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kostyan

How to open a file with AdobeViewer?
I've activated my PocketBook 360 with help of Adobe Digital Edition (ADE)
Activated my PC computer with the same id.
I can read EPUB file on computer, but when I open it on Pocketbook it shows only small icon at the top of screen, no text.
Context menu shows that it's FBReader.

Select the eBook, press the open button for two or three seconds and a menu will appear. Choose "open with" and then "Adobe Viewer".

kostyan · 02-12-2010, 05:46 PM

When I click and hold "OK" central button, it shows menu, but it has only "Open" item, no "Open With"

netseeker · 02-12-2010, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kostyan

When I click and hold "OK" central button, it shows menu, but it has only "Open" item, no "Open With"

Does "Open" contain another submenu? (Perhaps it's called "open" instead of "open with" - i use the german translation)

01-02-2010, 01:06 PM	#1
divory Member Posts: 14 Karma: 18 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK Device: iLiad, Gen3, Sony 700, Opus, PB360	PB 360 and DRM I am a very contented refugee from the Opus and I moved over all my books a few days ago when I finally took delivery of the PB 360. Some were originally mobi and to read them in the Opus I had to strip the DRM and convert to ePub with Calibre. Absolutely no problem with opening any of these with either fbreader or the Adobe reader. I have also bought rather more ePubs and once I had authorised the PB as a device under ADE I appeared to have no problem with any of these. Yesterday I installed the fbreader config file to ensure that I always opened fbreader which I vastly prefer as an ebook reader over the Adobe. I was reading one of the old converted mobi books at the time and noticed nothing out of the ordinary until I tried to open one of my regular ePubs and it wouldn't open. Finally the penny dropped and they would open happily if I selected the Adobe reader. Does that mean that fbreader will not open any DRM ePub even if the device is duly authorised? I would have thought that once authorised the DRM would allow the book to open. I hope that this is so, in which case can someone tell me where I have gone wrong. If I haven't, and fbreader will not open a DRM ePub despite being on an authorised device, then the DRM will have to go. I use a Mac (Snow Leopard) and I would greatly appreciate it if some kind soul would send me a private message and point me in the right direction. All I can find so far is Windows based. David

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01-02-2010, 01:42 PM	#2
Katelyn Addict Posts: 225 Karma: 342 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Indiana Device: Pocketbook 360, Iphone 3g, Sony 505, REB1200, GEB1150	Sorry I can't answer your question but I had the same thing happen yesterday. I was testing FBReader after installing this version - FBReader_180d. I have a couple of books that, when I try to open them I get an hourglass in the middle of the screen for several seconds then I am back at the list of books view. Since none of these books were originally DRMed, I don't know why they won't open with FBReader...but it doesn't bother me. Maybe someone else has an idea what might cause this but you aren't alone with this oddity.

01-02-2010, 02:24 PM	#3
tselling Addict Posts: 366 Karma: 510 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: NookColor (MiRage/CM7.2 & Moon+ Reader Pro)	FBReader will not open a DRM'd EPUB. You need to use the AdobeViewer for them or de-DRM the DRM'd EPUBs. You can set FBReader to be the default but you can still have the option to open an EPUB with AdobeViewer if you have the right extensions.cfg.

01-02-2010, 05:14 PM	#4
divory Member Posts: 14 Karma: 18 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK Device: iLiad, Gen3, Sony 700, Opus, PB360	Thanks tselling. I now realise that FBReader could not open protected files but thanks to the help I have received from a member of this forum my problems will be over.

01-03-2010, 12:17 AM	#5
Yar-PocketBooker Fanatic Posts: 589 Karma: 6976 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New York Device: PocketBooks and Onyxes and anything E-Ink...	If I'm not mistaken Adobe does not allow existence of two authorized readers on one device - only Adobe reader and ces't tout... That's why you can read DRMed epubs only with Adobe Reader....

01-03-2010, 08:46 AM	#10
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	FBReader does not support DRM. In principle Open Source applications can't support DRM because if a vendor updates its source code (e.g. to add DRM) that source code must be released to the device owners. This typically defeats the purpose of the DRM. The only exception to the code release requirement is that the owners of the copyright can also release a variant of the same code under a different license. The authors of FBReader have left this possibility open, but so far as I know it has never been used.

02-12-2010, 05:46 PM	#14
kostyan Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Pocketbook 360	When I click and hold "OK" central button, it shows menu, but it has only "Open" item, no "Open With"

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