DRM is killing me

[4-eyes]

This is a prime example of why DRM sucks so much and why I won't buy a DRMed eBook download unless it's in format for which I have the means to remove the ludicrous restrictions placed upon it.

[blueglide]

OK.. I may only be half way there! This morning w/o the reader I logged into Sony Store and my account showed the PC and the reader authorized...no problem. ADE was also authorized for the computer. Tonight, I plug in the ereader and ADE doesn't see it (It seems ADE may have some MAC issues which other forum posters are also experiencing). Whats driving me nuts is that the Sony store AGAIN said my PC was authorized on another account and did I want to reauthorize....I declined so as not waste an activation again. The eReader is still authorized in the Sony store account though! Any one have any ideas whats going on?? I'm not reauthorizing anything until I know a clear direction so I don't have to get more activations from Adobe.

[Jim Lester]

ADE won't recognize the Sony Readers on the Mac, only on Windows. You'll want to either use the Sony software on the Mac.

For the Sony asking to reactivate the account the problem is that they think you have a different AdobeID (probably the one they created for you). Unfortunately this is only an issue that Sony can fix - let me know how that goes.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by blueglide

OK.. I may only be half way there! This morning w/o the reader I logged into Sony Store and my account showed the PC and the reader authorized...no problem. ADE was also authorized for the computer. Tonight, I plug in the ereader and ADE doesn't see it (It seems ADE may have some MAC issues which other forum posters are also experiencing). Whats driving me nuts is that the Sony store AGAIN said my PC was authorized on another account and did I want to reauthorize....I declined so as not waste an activation again. The eReader is still authorized in the Sony store account though! Any one have any ideas whats going on?? I'm not reauthorizing anything until I know a clear direction so I don't have to get more activations from Adobe.

Wait, so you are using both a PC (windows machine) and a MAC or JUST a MAC? And a single reader?

Originally Posted by Jim Lester

ADE won't recognize the Sony Readers on the Mac, only on Windows. You'll want to either use the Sony software on the Mac.

For the Sony asking to reactivate the account the problem is that they think you have a different AdobeID (probably the one they created for you). Unfortunately this is only an issue that Sony can fix - let me know how that goes.

So let me make sure I understand. On a Mac ADE will not recognize the Sony Readers. And because of that the Sony Library Software will do the Automatic Registration with Adobe and create an ID for that machine and then register the reader as part of that Mac/Sony created ID.

That id is different than the ADE ID set up on the PC and so when the Reader is connected (after being on the Mac) the ADE(and Sony Lib APP) thinks it is registered to the MAC.

Am I understanding this?

[jaxx6166]

Jim, I want to thank you as a member of the MR community. It's always nice to get a response from someone that actually works for the company. Makes the whole eBook community seem that much more personable. And I can only wait for ePub to become the dominating factor in the digital publishing world.

Mainly, because it would make everyone's life easier.

Oh...and to the O/P: I know your frustration. I spent 14 hours trying to get my copy of Windows 7 to work. And after my third call to "Jim" in Pakistan, I got way too frustrated.

The worst part of it all was knowing I had a legit copy of W7 that was bought at a physical software store.... and M$ told me that my product key was invalid.

Their solution for the first hour of me dealing with "Jim" was this:

"Go buy another copy."

And it wasn't an attempt to install on 3 or 4 computers -- I couldn't even get the darn thing to work on ONE!

[kalex]

Glad we have people who are wiling to help out and troubleshoot the issue. but its still shows how screwed up and idiotic these companies are. You spend big money to get all these different readers and companies treat you like crap. Person who bought the reader is being treated by default like a criminal going through hoops to what amounts basically beta testing of whatever these companies want you to do. Why is it so hard to create a DRM where it follows the user and not tied to stupid things like reader, computer or credit card number. Who at Adobe came up with a notion that 6 devices is all that person needs. and if they did come up with this, who is the genius that decided not to let people manage their own devices. why does the person who just wants to read need to jump through hoops, go to portals, call useless customer service in order to read the book on a device that he/she paid for and for a book that he/she paid for. This is one of the reasons why piracy exists and going strong. Think about this which is easier to go through hoops as stated above or just run the book through DRM removal and read it on as many devices as you like? Hmm this is a tough one (not). So to all these companies out there please use brains and common sense and fix this mess you have created.

[blueglide]

[QUOTE=kennyc;718511]

Wait, so you are using both a PC (windows machine) and a MAC or JUST a MAC? And a single reader?




I have a MAC that also has a Windows XP partition via Boot Camp. I am not doing anything on the Windows XP platform however. After my last post I fooled around some more and got ahold of Sony Tech support level 2. They made me reluctantly reauthorize my computer (scratch one more activation ) and I have restarted/logged in and out of the store now several times successfully. It appears that my computer and reader have remained authorized with Sony. ADE is still successfully authorized but ADE refuses to see my reader on the MAC. Having read Jim's latest post it sounds like that may be a bug for Adobe to work on in a later release. At least for now I can use the eReader. I am going to research other software other than ADE that may work well on the Mac.

[Tony Hoyle]

Odd.. works perfectly on the mac for me and I've never had to use windows... The DRM has been largely unobrusive apart from the initial irritation of having to use a different app to download books on some websites vs. the sony one.

I'm using ADE 1.7.1085

[blueglide]

I have a MAC running Leopard 10.5.8. My wife's eReader is a Sony PRS600. According to Jim, ADE on a Mac won't see Sony readers. Is your reader a Sony??

I am also using ADE 1.7.1085

[huari]

I tried posting to another thread but it didn't take. Anyway, if it helps anyone, I posted my resolution from Sony at pthwaite's Mac thread.
Long story short, Jim's right, Sony was able to resolve my Adobe ID authentication issue by resetting my account to accept a different email address. I concur with everyone here about the helpful community here at MobileRead to share, learn and find solace in all this DRM frustration.

Off-topic:
My better half and I were strolling home from dinner and passed by the last days sale of an institutional bookstore in our neighborhood. The musty nostalgia and remaining oddments added to the pang of longing for a much simpler time.
No messing with reinstalls or IDs here.
Books reigned.

[Jim Lester]

Originally Posted by kennyc

So let me make sure I understand. On a Mac ADE will not recognize the Sony Readers.

Correct Sony didn't release Mac software until August. ADE 1.7.1 was released in April. Although that's only half an excuse, as our next bug fix release will not have support for the Sony Readers on the Mac either. Integrating the driver support will have to wait until at least our next major release (the same one where we integrate RMSDK 9.1 - public date is sometime in 2010 - expect later rather than earlier)

However the Sony EBL software (for both Mac and Windows) that was released in August (and updated since) will do authorization of the Sony devices.

And because of that the Sony Library Software will do the Automatic Registration with Adobe and create an ID for that machine and then register the reader as part of that Mac/Sony created ID.

No this was added recently (both Mac and Windows). Sony's desire here to make it easier on the customers (as long as you just use their software), by not having to do a separate step of registering for an AdobeID.

That id is different than the ADE ID set up on the PC and so when the Reader is connected (after being on the Mac) the ADE(and Sony Lib APP) thinks it is registered to the MAC.

ADE and Sony EBL with share the activation information. However Sony's setup creates problems if you already have an AdobeID and it doesn't match your Sony ID (or potentially if your password doesn't match). They were supposed to ask you if you already had an AdobeID, but they didn't.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Jim Lester

...


ADE and Sony EBL with share the activation information. However Sony's setup create problems if you already have an AdobeID and it doesn't match your Sony ID (or potentially if your password doesn't match). They were supposed to ask you if you already had an AdobeID, but they didn't.

You may not know the answer to this one, but is that Sony issue new with the 3.1/latest release? I ask because in my case when I installed the previous Sony Lib software 3.0.xxx I am almost certain it asked my if I has an adobe ID and what it was etc. When I upgraded there were no questions and everything just kept working. Also my sony account ID/Password are different than my AdobeID/Password in both cases

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Take this with a grain of salt, but I think if you can get Adobe to clear out your ADE account, remove both the Sony Library Software and the Adobe Digital Editions software and then reinstall the ADE software and activate the Adobe account, then install the Sony Library Software with the same (new Adobe DE) account when it asks for that, you will be good.

I know this is all very complicated if you haven't dealt with it before.

And that is the Kindle Advantage.

I own a Sony 300 and a Sony 505 despite the Sony Library Software & ADE. Having handled Kindles, Sonys and the Nook, I prefer the ergonomics of the Sonys, even though they are a bit behind the others re fonts & such.

But last night, at a party, I was talking ebook devices with a guy who is not computer literate, but was interested in getting a reader for his wife. I had to tell him to get a Kindle, because I knew that with his limited skills, he needed Amazon to make things work.

It seems to me that Sony should be committed to making their devices work. That would mean, for instance, one stop registration. (Which if I understand correctly, they finally have.) It would mean working with customers concerning any outlet that their devices were sold at.

As far as I can tell, the only reason that Sony is even remotely competitive with Amazon or B&N is that they have worldwide market penetration.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Harmon

And that is the Kindle Advantage.

I own a Sony 300 and a Sony 505 despite the Sony Library Software & ADE. Having handled Kindles, Sonys and the Nook, I prefer the ergonomics of the Sonys, even though they are a bit behind the others re fonts & such.

But last night, at a party, I was talking ebook devices with a guy who is not computer literate, but was interested in getting a reader for his wife. I had to tell him to get a Kindle, because I knew that with his limited skills, he needed Amazon to make things work.

It seems to me that Sony should be committed to making their devices work. That would mean, for instance, one stop registration. (Which if I understand correctly, they finally have.) It would mean working with customers concerning any outlet that their devices were sold at.

As far as I can tell, the only reason that Sony is even remotely competitive with Amazon or B&N is that they have worldwide market penetration.

Very True!

[Cactusgod]

Hang on here...I'm completely lost. I've owned my reader for quite a few days and I have known absolutely NOTHING about this activation stuff....

Granted, I've been using mostly PDF's and haven't been downloading books from any book store yet, but whats the deal with this? Can anyone explain exactly whats going on here from the start? If I were to download a book now, would the reader erase all of the stuff I currently have stored on the reader that have nothing to do with the book stores ? I'm thoroughly confused here..