DRM is killing me

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Jim Lester

...

2.) Deactivation only deletes the activation record from your machine, it doesn't do anything else. Specifically deactivation doesn't give you any activations back, so you only really want to do it if "you sell a reader or computer " and not for any other reason.

What? You're serious?

So if I upgrade my computer or reader or any combination of those 6 times, that's it. I have to get a new Adobe DE Id and none of my existing books will work? I'd have to download them (assuming I could etc.) from the original seller.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you've gone over the limit of 6 device activations on your Adobe ID, then that will apply to all ePub bookstores.

Your only solution would be to create a different Adobe ID, and activate the Reader using that ID instead of the original one. Of course, you then wouldn't be able to read the books you'd bought using the old ID.

Don't forget that B&N are using a different DRM for ePub.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by kennyc

What? You're serious?

So if I upgrade my computer or reader or any combination of those 6 times, that's it. I have to get a new Adobe DE Id and none of my existing books will work? I'd have to download them (assuming I could etc.) from the original seller.

No, you'll need to contact Adobe to get them to reset the activations.

It still sucks.

[Jim Lester]

Originally Posted by kennyc

What? You're serious?

So if I upgrade my computer or reader or any combination of those 6 times, that's it.

No, instead of having deactivation increase your activation allowance, we increase your activation allowance over time to account for upgrades (both software and hardware). If you go through your activation allowance more quickly than expected you'll need to contact tech support to get your activation allowance increased.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Jim Lester

No, instead of having deactivation increase your activation allowance, we increase your activation allowance over time to account for upgrades (both software and hardware). If you go through your activation allowance more quickly than expected you'll need to contact tech support to get your activation allowance increased.

Thanks Jim.

So it's something of a "increasing count" (i.e. more than 6) that grows over time?

[MerLock]

Originally Posted by Jim Lester

No, instead of having deactivation increase your activation allowance, we increase your activation allowance over time to account for upgrades (both software and hardware). If you go through your activation allowance more quickly than expected you'll need to contact tech support to get your activation allowance increased.

Just something to throw into the suggestion box but it would be nice to be able to see how many more activation allowances I currently have left. Or is there already a way to do this besides contacting tech support? Are you able to tell us the rate of increase to our activation allowance or is that a trade secret?

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Don't forget that B&N are using a different DRM for ePub.

Right. A kind of DRM that doesn't require us to go through this Adobe server rigamarole. I would rather never have to deal with Adobe again. So I have fingers crossed that Sony will upgrade its version of ADE when Adobe rolls out the new version which allows for the choice between activation and B&N's/eReader's version of DRM.

[blueglide]

Thanks to all for the advice and suggestions. I appreciate Jim's advice and am taking it. I will try to be patient and let Adobe sort out my web support request. I will follow up here with the results so others with similar problems may know what to do. I heartily agree with one poster's suggestion that it would be nice if there was some type of 'counter' available so users would know how close to their activation limits they are. The Sony store had some major server issues right after Christmas which caused many people like myself to have to login several times in attempts to get the servers to 'authorize' our new devices.....so I was logging in several times over the weekend and the Sony store kept asking if I wanted to reauthorize or I wouldn't be able to see my purchases...so I click yes not knowing that I'm spending my activations each time I did it.

[perversity]

Could you imagine...
"THIS BOOK IS REGISTERED TO ANOTHER USER, PLEASE ENTER THE CORRECT PASSWORD IN 5 SECONDS BEFORE YOU ARE TERMINATED"

[Jim Lester]

Blueglide, send me a pm with the AdobeID you are having problems with, and I'll check to make sure it is fixed (or fix it myself) by tomorrow (my PST) morning ( I'm getting ready to go out right now, and supposedly I'm on vacation ).

Also once it is fixed, pay attention to the bit below (Launch ADE outside of the browser).

Originally Posted by MerLock

Just something to throw into the suggestion box but it would be nice to be able to see how many more activation allowances I currently have left. Or is there already a way to do this besides contacting tech support?

Nope we just haven't had the need to do account management on the server side yet and are trying to avoid the complexity. We may eventually need to go there, but our general idea is that you shouldn't have to worry about this, unless something goes wrong.

Such as the problem, that the OP described, where you continually get asked to Authorize on each launch. So far we have identified two causes of this problem:

1.) When switching domains (ie a notebook going between work and home) can sometime change the case of your username.

2.) Vista/Win7 when launched from the browser, depending upon UAC settings, ADE silently fails to write the activation information to the registry
(Workaround here is to launch ADE from the desktop shortcut, and authorize. Subsequent browser launches will pick it up).

Both of these we hope to have fixed in an upcoming bug fix release.

Originally Posted by MerLock

Are you able to tell us the rate of increase to our activation allowance or is that a trade secret?

We don't publish the rate, because we reserve the right to tinker with it as needed. Similarly for Kenny, yes you can have more than 6 activation allowances under some circumstances, but we play around with the cap as well to make it work out.

[blueglide]

Jim, not to bother you but a quick question, in my case I have a Mac running Leopard 10.5.8. Do you think the problem with me being asked to reauthorize each time was a Mac OSX issue or perhaps on the Sony store server side?? I have some concerns that once this is sorted out and I can again authorize my computer I will be faced with the need to reauthorize again each time I logon to the store. I just tried to logon in the store again and it said my PC was authorized to another account and did I wish to reauthorize. I backed out not wanting to go any further.

[blueglide]

PM sent...thank you

I was typing the above post before I saw yours.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Jim Lester

...



We don't publish the rate, because we reserve the right to tinker with it as needed. Similarly for Kenny, yes you can have more than 6 activation allowances under some circumstances, but we play around with the cap as well to make it work out.

Thanks Jim, now get back to your vacation!

[blueglide]

Here's a partial follow up to my problem. This morning, taking Jim's advice , I installed and opened ADE on the computer that we've been unable to activate. It activated flawlessly and the ePub books stored in a folder on the computer appeared. At the moment I can't test to see if the books transfer to the reader or see if the Sony Store software will work properly now as my wife has her reader with her while waiting at the hospital with a relative and I won't have the reader until this evening. Once she gets home I will see if ADE recognizes the reader and then attempt a logon to the Sony Store and see if their software recognizes the computer. I think things are coming together. I can't express my gratitude enough to members of this forum for their suggestions and especially Jim who stepped in without my asking and offered his assistance.

Duhh...I remembered I could access the Sony Store without the reader so I tried and SUCCESS!! I wonder if the problem may have been with the Sony Store and their server failure issues they had right after Christmas...thats when I was continually having to logon and reauthorize the computer (not realizing I was using up my activations each time I did). Everything appears to be working now and I only have to wait until tonight to tether the reader and make sure that works. The day is getting better already.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by blueglide

.... especially Jim who stepped in without my asking and offered his assistance.

that's cause he's one of the Good Guys!