eBook Converter -- any good?

[rhadin]

I came across a program called eBook Converter. I know that it charges for soemthing that can be done for free, but it seems to have an easy-to-use interface and doesn't require command line skills -- the first I need and the second I lack .

Has anyone purchased this program and if you have, how have you found it? I am interested in the ePub DRM removal one, not the converting from ePub to PDF.

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by rhadin

I came across a program called eBook Converter. I know that it charges for soemthing that can be done for free, but it seems to have an easy-to-use interface and doesn't require command line skills -- the first I need and the second I lack .

Has anyone purchased this program and if you have, how have you found it? I am interested in the ePub DRM removal one, not the converting from ePub to PDF.

DRM removal is a tricky topic legally... at least if you are in America. I am not at all sure that a tool that removes DRM from books can be legally sold in the USA. That means if you buy it, you could find that the company might not support it (or be able to support it).

Now, if you are looking for something that simply converts from say ePub to Mobi or LRF (I tend to convert books to LRF since it allows for full justification on the PRS-505 I am using right now!), then Calibre is about as easy as it gets. No command line skills required if you don't want to go there.

--
Bill

[rhadin]

Thanks, Bill. I use Calibre. The problem is that I would like to be able to buy ebooks at B&N (I like to help prop up Amazon competitors if I can) but I can't currently read them on my Sony. Thus I would like to strip the DRM.

Copyright law is pretty vague about whether I have the right to strip DRM on a book I purchased so I can read it; it is clear that I can't do it and then pass the book around. It really angered me when B&N came out with its own DRM scheme and then Sony refused to upgrade the firmware to accomodate it. You would think the two companies would recognize that they have a common enemy in Amazon and should be supporting the consumer, but neither seems brighter than a adim lightbulb in this respect.

[ATDrake]

For what it's worth, B&N's DRM is the easiest and most convenient to deal with of the lot and I'm sure you'll quickly get the hang of it should you decide to try a more DIY route.

They have plenty of free books you could practice on, and if you don't care for their current offerings, you can get 12 free B&N Classics when you download their NookStudy application.

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

For what it's worth, B&N's DRM is the easiest and most convenient to deal with of the lot and I'm sure you'll quickly get the hang of it should you decide to try a more DIY route.

I agree... i've gotten to the point of checking both B&N and Amazon for books I'm looking for and if the prices are reasonably close, i purchase from B&N (Sorry Amazon). Since I *rarely* boot into Windows (I'm a Linux guy) and the DRM removal script is a fairly simple Python script, that's the path of preference. Remove DRM, load into Calibre and convert to my heart's content.

[JeremyR]

Bear in mind, just saying that it's easy to remove DRM doesn't actually make it so. A lot of people just can't handle python scripts, period, so things like this program are attractive.

I mean, yeah, of course people who run Linux can figure this out. But the average person can't.

Heck, I used to be a whiz at dos commands, writing batch files and config.syses for computers. But python leaves me puzzled...

[jbcohen]

I am interested in DRM removal for one book purchase that I stupidly did a few months ago when I did not know any better. I did not realize that BN DRMed their books and I bought an ebook from them and my reader was not able to read it because of the DRM. So what I would like to do is to download the book once more, strip out the DRM, read the book and put it in my electronic book shelves. I have found some software that could possibly perform the job for me.

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

Bear in mind, just saying that it's easy to remove DRM doesn't actually make it so. A lot of people just can't handle python scripts, period, so things like this program are attractive.

Well, in the case of the B&N stuff, they really have made it the easiest to handle now. It's a point-and-click widget thing where you just press buttons to tell it to process the things you want processed.

You don't even have to install PyCrypto anymore, which seemed to be the hardest part for most people to grasp. The only real difficulty left is that there's no batch option, so you kind of have to do it one book at a time.

I don't see any way these "eBook Converter" people could possibly make it more user-friendly, short of sending trained monkeys over to your house to do the point and clicking for you. Okay, drag and drop and automatic batch processing, but I kind of doubt they've included that.

Besides, unless they've managed to reverse-engineer the various forms of DRM independently, they're probably using other people's freely-released work and charging for it, and I personally would avoid giving them money for that alone.

[SensualPoet]

Originally Posted by rhadin

The problem is that I would like to be able to buy ebooks at B&N (I like to help prop up Amazon competitors if I can) but I can't currently read them on my Sony. Thus I would like to strip the DRM.

Or ... just buy a Nook. For $149 you get a purdy e-ink screen and a back-up for your Sony and a legal way to buy and enjoy your B&N purchases. And no need to break the law stripping DRM ... something I would have thought someone in the industry might choose to avoid.

[Manichean]

Since Calibre has been mentioned as not being able to convert DRMed books, I thought I'd add this: There are, I hear, third-party plugins available that can strip DRM. They are published by someone called Alf in his blog.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Manichean

Since Calibre has been mentioned as not being able to convert DRMed books, I thought I'd add this: There are, I hear, third-party plugins available that can strip DRM. They are published by someone called Alf in his blog.

mmmm

that must be so, I've also noticed that plugin ....

[KenJackson]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

I mean, yeah, of course people who run Linux can figure this out. But the average person can't.

That's very high praise for Linux users. Thank you.

However, it might do the subtle disservice of suggesting that Linux requires great intelligence or education to use. It doesn't.

For example, Ubuntu Linux (the most popular distro of Linux right now) loudly proclaims, Ubuntu is easy
to use. I use Fedora Linux, which I find easier to use than Windows.

[iandix]

Yes I also have heard about these calibre plugins, that make stripping DRM all so simple. I was told that all you need to do is load the book into calibre and it strips the DRM as it loads ..how easy is that ...

but stripping DRM is WRONG! and I would never do that myself...

So do NOT google "Apprentice Alf's Blog" and then do NOT go to that site to find links to download the tools needed to do strip DRM from within calibre.

stripping DRM for your own use is W-R-O-N-G!!

[KenJackson]

Originally Posted by iandix

stripping DRM for your own use is W-R-O-N-G!!

Apparently you are saying it is morally wrong to strip the DRM of a book you paid for and only using yourself.

That's wrong.

That's no more morally wrong than it is to do your own car maintenance and use generic replacement parts.

[Superlucky]

The scripts I use to liberate my books don't require command-line skills.