DRM protection on purchased books

[Soss210]

My friend bought a book for me for Xmas, and because I dont have the internet, she managed to download it to her PC. Then she copied it to a memory stick for me to transfer to my PC and Sony Reader 505. The first error message I got was that I could not read EPUB files, which I got around by obtaining a copy of Calibre. Now I have an error message telling me I cannot read the book because it is DRM protected. She bought me the book from Waterstones. Is there anuthing I can do to get past the DRM protection ?

[EowynCarter]

So, she used Adobe Digital Edition to download ?
Hopefully, she had ADE autorized to an adobe account. Autorize ade on your pc with the same account, then the reader.

If the ade on the PC you download the book was not authorized, do not autorize it. That would destroy the key that would allow reading or de-drming the e-book. Use inept (google is your friend), to get the key, and get rid of the drm.

Is the 505 up to date ? The first firmware didn't read ePub.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

So, she used Adobe Digital Edition to download ?
Hopefully, she had ADE autorized to an adobe account. Autorize ade on your pc with the same account, then the reader.

How can you authorize if you don't have internet?

The OP: the only way is for her to remove the DRM and then return the book again to you.

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

How can you authorize if you don't have internet?

Good point.
So that would requires bringing the reader to the other computer to do the job.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Soss210

My friend bought a book for me for Xmas, and because I dont have the internet, she managed to download it to her PC. Then she copied it to a memory stick for me to transfer to my PC and Sony Reader 505. The first error message I got was that I could not read EPUB files, which I got around by obtaining a copy of Calibre. Now I have an error message telling me I cannot read the book because it is DRM protected. She bought me the book from Waterstones. Is there anuthing I can do to get past the DRM protection ?

Yeah, breaking the DRM encryption .. which here in USA it's illegal. Google that, you'll find tons of resources of what are the steps you need to follow in order to do it.

DRM protection is a really stupid thing and law but I do not advocate for breaking it. Instead, I recommend people to buy an ereader based on the book titles they like and enjoy. That way, you will always find and buy your books from a bookstore that already have all the titles you can read on your own device.

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by jocampo

I recommend people to buy an ereader based on the book titles they like and enjoy. That way, you will always find and buy your books from a bookstore that already have all the titles you can read on your own device.

Easier said than done. Until recently I assumed Amazon would carry every ebook available, but that isn't the case. It isn't a problem for me because I know how to disinfect and convert them. But what is a problem is sites that will refuse to sell to me in any format because I live in the wrong country.

[EowynCarter]

DRM protection is a really stupid thing and law but I do not advocate for breaking it. Instead, I recommend people to buy an ereader based on the book titles they like and enjoy. That way, you will always find and buy your books from a bookstore that already have all the titles you can read on your own device.

Yeah, until say bookstore goes under, decide to implement geo-restriction...
Legal or not, I have no moral problem with striping the DRM for my own use. And seriously, as long as I don't put the books on the internet, i don't think anyone cares. And that was a life savior when switching to ePub.

I once had to buy book again, because i made a mistake with ADE. Forget to register it after install... Borders support didn't bother responding my e-mails...
Fighting piracy ? More like encouraging it by making a pain of the people stupid enough to be honest.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Yeah, until say bookstore goes under, decide to implement geo-restriction...
Legal or not, I have no moral problem with striping the DRM for my own use. And seriously, as long as I don't put the books on the internet, i don't think anyone cares. And that was a life savior when switching to ePub.

I once had to buy book again, because i made a mistake with ADE. Forget to register it after install... Borders support didn't bother responding my e-mails...
Fighting piracy ? More like encouraging it by making a pain of the people stupid enough to be honest.

My father was a judge, passed away long time ago, and he used to say: "Son: dura lex sed lex", which is Latin and means, "Law is harsh but it is the law".

I hear you ... I'm with you ... but there is a fine line between what's legal and what's not ... regardless of how moral or fair that could be. Even if no ones care, it's still illegal. Of course, it's your prerogative and I have zero authority to tell you what to do or not.

Again, I think it's a really stupid law and we should work on implement a smarter way to avoid electronic piracy.

[queentess]

Originally Posted by jocampo

My father was a judge, passed away long time ago, and he used to say: "Son: dura lex sed lex", which is Latin and means, "Law is harsh but it is the law".

I hear you ... I'm with you ... but there is a fine line between what's legal and what's not ... regardless of how moral or fair that could be. Even if no ones care, it's still illegal. Of course, it's your prerogative and I have zero authority to tell you what to do or not.

Again, I think it's a really stupid law and we should work on implement a smarter way to avoid electronic piracy.

Prohibition used to be the law in the U.S. too... turns out that it's difficult to legislate morals. And people tend to ignore what they consider to be "stupid" laws.

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by queentess

Prohibition used to be the law in the U.S. too... turns out that it's difficult to legislate morals. And people tend to ignore what they consider to be "stupid" laws.

Even if no ones care, it's still illegal

And still perfectly moral. And it allows fixing the crap the publishers make.

Again, I think it's a really stupid law and we should work on implement a smarter way to avoid electronic piracy.

Yes. Ditching DRM would be one step forward against piracy. And ditching geo-restrictions too.

[astra]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

And still perfectly moral. And it allows fixing the crap the publishers make.
Yes. Ditching DRM would be one step forward against piracy. And ditching geo-restrictions too.

We are on the same wave link

[SensualPoet]

Cavaet emptor also applies here.

It's very nice of the friend to gift an ebook but it's a bit like buying a side of beef for a family of vegetarians: make sure the recipient can use what you are giving. Kobobooks has fixed that problem with gift cards for the most part for owners of Sony 505s. But, um, you still need a computer and the Internet to download the ebook.

DRM is really the least of the problem in this gift scenario.

[Worldwalker]

It's not DRM protection; it's DRM restriction. Unless you feel that you need your books to be protected from yourself?

[MasterGame]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

It's not DRM protection; it's DRM restriction. Unless you feel that you need your books to be protected from yourself?

The irony of DRM is that it's supposed to be protection for the publishers' and authors' rights. (Whatever gave anyone the idea it might be protection for the readers' rights?) But the music world discovered that DRM was actually restricting the money that the music publishers and musicians made.

[screwballl]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Easier said than done. Until recently I assumed Amazon would carry every ebook available, but that isn't the case. It isn't a problem for me because I know how to disinfect and convert them. But what is a problem is sites that will refuse to sell to me in any format because I live in the wrong country.

Theres always a proxy to resolve that