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taming · 01-05-2011, 04:51 AM

Just a follow up on ePUB and DRM...

ePUB is a common file format for books. It does not have any kind of DRM applied, by default. Sony, Kobo, and many other sellers use an Adobe flavour of DRM for ePUB books that is based on the email address associated with the buyer's Adobe account. Apple, for it's iBooks, and Barnes and Nobel for Nook Books, have a different, and proprietary, DRM. Barnes and Noble's DRM is a version of Adobe DRM based, as far as I know, on the credit card people use when they open an account with B&N.

Publishers decide whether a book must be sold with DRM. All books sold through the Sony store have Adobe DRM applied. Kobo sells both DRM and DRM free books in ePUB format. PDF books also come in DRM and non-DRM. They, too, can be bought from Kobobooks.com.

Kobo has a DRM ePUB format called kepub. That is the scheme applied to Kobo books that one syncs to the Kobo readers via the desktop, WiFi, or one of the Kobo mobile applications. Kobo books downloaded as ePUB files have the "standard" Adobe DRM applied using the Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) application, or if DRM free, can be downloaded using Calibre, or simply saved and transferred to the Kobo by means of drag and drop, copying, etc.

Kepub books can only be used on Kobo readers and mobile applications. DRMd books for iBook or Nook are restricted to their associated readers/applications. ePUB with standard ADE DRM can be read on a wide variety of readers and mobile devices, including Kobo.

You can only have one Adobe DRM ID on any reader at a time. So, for example, if you have books with standard Adobe DRM on your Kobo, associated with your email address, and your great Uncle Louie sends you an ePUB book with standard Adobe DRM associated with his email address, you will find that you have locked content on your reader. The book last added will control which books are available to you. All other Adobe DRM'd books will be locked. So, for example, you can have added 387 books through your own Adobe account, and when you add Uncle Louie's book to your reader, they will all be locked. Removing Uncle Louie's book and adding in/re-adding one of your own will fix it.

Someone else here will probably be able to clarify this. I may be muddying the waters.

01-05-2011, 04:51 AM	#6
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Just a follow up on ePUB and DRM... ePUB is a common file format for books. It does not have any kind of DRM applied, by default. Sony, Kobo, and many other sellers use an Adobe flavour of DRM for ePUB books that is based on the email address associated with the buyer's Adobe account. Apple, for it's iBooks, and Barnes and Nobel for Nook Books, have a different, and proprietary, DRM. Barnes and Noble's DRM is a version of Adobe DRM based, as far as I know, on the credit card people use when they open an account with B&N. Publishers decide whether a book must be sold with DRM. All books sold through the Sony store have Adobe DRM applied. Kobo sells both DRM and DRM free books in ePUB format. PDF books also come in DRM and non-DRM. They, too, can be bought from Kobobooks.com. Kobo has a DRM ePUB format called kepub. That is the scheme applied to Kobo books that one syncs to the Kobo readers via the desktop, WiFi, or one of the Kobo mobile applications. Kobo books downloaded as ePUB files have the "standard" Adobe DRM applied using the Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) application, or if DRM free, can be downloaded using Calibre, or simply saved and transferred to the Kobo by means of drag and drop, copying, etc. Kepub books can only be used on Kobo readers and mobile applications. DRMd books for iBook or Nook are restricted to their associated readers/applications. ePUB with standard ADE DRM can be read on a wide variety of readers and mobile devices, including Kobo. You can only have one Adobe DRM ID on any reader at a time. So, for example, if you have books with standard Adobe DRM on your Kobo, associated with your email address, and your great Uncle Louie sends you an ePUB book with standard Adobe DRM associated with his email address, you will find that you have locked content on your reader. The book last added will control which books are available to you. All other Adobe DRM'd books will be locked. So, for example, you can have added 387 books through your own Adobe account, and when you add Uncle Louie's book to your reader, they will all be locked. Removing Uncle Louie's book and adding in/re-adding one of your own will fix it. Someone else here will probably be able to clarify this. I may be muddying the waters. Last edited by taming; 01-05-2011 at 06:11 AM. Reason: more mud