Epub and DRM Question

[Zarich]

One of the major downsides to the kindle is lack of epub support natively. The biggest issue is the library lending. I get annoyed at amazon for not allowing it. Others get annoyed at Amazon not supporting as many formats (actually if you look at the format support charts amazon supports 1 more than most EXCEPT epub). People say epub is the open standard.
IS IT? I grabbed a library book to my computer last night. Couldn't open it without adobe digital editions??? So it appears that the group making bank off this situation is ADOBE. They have a massive DRM racket going that everyone seems to dismiss here. What is the deal?

[Elfwreck]

Epub is an open standard. Adobe's ADE DRM is not open.

Not everyone dismisses the difference; some of us won't touch DRM regardless of how common it is. But a lot of the anti-DRM crowd (self included) are willing to allow that DRM for library books, which are supposed to be limited-use items, is reasonable.

You can read an epub from Mobileread's book downloads, or from feedbooks, or from Gutenberg, with any epub reader.

[delphin]

Adobe Digital Editions is a FREE download, so I am not sure that I understand where the 'racket' is as far a you are concerned.

Once you have ADE installed, you can also easily transfer your ebooks to about 90% of the EPUB compatible readers out there, because virtually everyone now supports Adobe's ADEPT.

Amazon only supports 'Kindle Apps' on a few hardware platforms, and you can't then buy 'Kindle Books' from anyone but them.

Unlike Amazon, with ADEPT you can have 6 different devices from six different manufactures all registered on the same license, and all will be able to read your ebooks purchased from any of several different sources.

So you can buy a book from Sony, and read it on your Kobo, or buy a book from Kobo and read it on your Sony, or buy a book from Google Books and read it on either one, or a Nook, or a Jetbook or Aluratek or any of a half dozen other readers.

So, although not a 'open' standard, Adobe's ADEPT DRM is about 50 times more flexible than Amazon.

The reason you ran into it on your library book is not because of Adobe's 'racket' but rather because Adobe is willing to license it's DRM on generous terms to allow it to be used by just about everyone including libraries or other non-profits.

I have found Adobe's ADE DRM is less intrusive and more flexible than most others like Apple and B&N, and it should not give you trouble if you take the time to set it up and get it authorized correctly.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Zarich

One of the major downsides to the kindle is lack of epub support natively. The biggest issue is the library lending.

That's a personal choice. Lot of people never visit a public library, myself included. They can also be too far or lack of good titles.

Because the type of books I read and like, I find nothing useful or interesting there. I am not saying public libraries are bad, but they are not for me. Other users share the same opinion and that's the main reason Kindle 3 is so popular.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Zarich

One of the major downsides to the kindle is lack of epub support natively. The biggest issue is the library lending. I get annoyed at amazon for not allowing it. Others get annoyed at Amazon not supporting as many formats (actually if you look at the format support charts amazon supports 1 more than most EXCEPT epub). People say epub is the open standard.
IS IT? I grabbed a library book to my computer last night. Couldn't open it without adobe digital editions??? So it appears that the group making bank off this situation is ADOBE. They have a massive DRM racket going that everyone seems to dismiss here. What is the deal?

Don't confuse DRM with format. Library books have DRM. Books you buy from Barnes and Noble, or Borders, or Amazon usually have DRM. Adobe is in the DRM business (hence the Library books have Adobe DRM on them.)

Calibre converts formats to whatever you need. It can't convert DRM'd copies, however, without help. But help is available if you want it.

I have a Kindle. I read library books. I buy from Kobo, B&N, Amazon, whomever. And I read all of them on my Kindle. And if my next reader is not a Kindle, I'll convert MY books to whatever format it needs. (Note: that does NOT include library books, which are deleted when I'm done.)

Please don't confuse DRM and format. DRM is the issue, not the format of the books you can buy or borrow.

[Zarich]

I am just saying adobe drm is on just about everything. So adobe seems to be making money hand over fist licensing their drm. No we aren't paying for it. Someone is.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Zarich

I am just saying adobe drm is on just about everything. So adobe seems to be making money hand over fist licensing their drm. No we aren't paying for it. Someone is.

I don't have ADE installed. I don't deal with DRM at all. I don't consider ADE any more troublesome than Mobipocket or the Kindle DRM, and I don't think companies are being any more deceptive about it. They all just say "click here to get started!" instead of explaining that you can only read their ebooks through a third-party filter. (Except, of course, for Amazon, who controls both the filter and the content. But they don't make it clear that the book itself is separate from the DRM access-lock.)

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Zarich

I am just saying adobe drm is on just about everything. So adobe seems to be making money hand over fist licensing their drm. No we aren't paying for it. Someone is.

You are paying for it - at least indirectly. Whenever you buy an ePub book with Adobe DRM, Adobe get a payment which is reported to be 22c. Do you really think that isn't figured into the price of the book?