DRM on B&N Ebooks

BaenSidhe · 11-02-2011, 02:07 AM

Is there a way to tell if there is DRM on ebooks sold by B&N from their website? When looking up books from B&N's computers in their b&m store it'll say No DRM, but I don't see anything like that on their website. Am I blind or something?

Kevin8or · 11-02-2011, 02:48 AM

No way at all. Assume there is DRM on anything you purchase there. Of course stripping away the DRM is trivial. Google "Apprentice Alf".

user_none · 11-02-2011, 03:41 PM

They do not disclosure DRM status. The majority of the time it will have DRM but some titles I've gotten there without.

brudigia · 11-02-2011, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by user_none

They do not disclosure DRM status. The majority of the time it will have DRM but some titles I've gotten there without.

From my experience I would say that it is safe to assume that if it is not free, then it will have DRM.

VicLavigne · 11-04-2011, 12:07 AM

Impossible to tell until you download it. Most classics (but not all) are DRM-free. And if the book is distributed to B&N from Smashwords, then it is also DRM-free. Your best strategy, if you don't like DRM, is just remove it as soon as it is downloaded. But if you want to take a stand and refuse to buy books with DRM, then consider just shopping at Smashwords, where they only distribute DRM-free items.

Vic

Tony1988 · 11-04-2011, 08:56 PM

All the classics I got from Barnes and Nobles are drm protected.

BaenSidhe · 11-05-2011, 04:06 AM

Hmm. Well, that's annoying. Thanks for the info!

Doug Pardee · 11-05-2011, 08:48 PM

B&N doesn't mark them, which is a bit of a nuisance. However, certain publishers don't use DRM. They include Carina, Samhain, Ellora's Cave, E-Reads, Angry Robot, Baen, Microsoft, O'Reilly, Springer, and Smashwords.

Generally, if it's available DRM-free at Amazon, it's available DRM-free at B&N (not counting self-published works). However, there's no way to be absolutely sure, and B&N won't give you a refund if you bought an e-book thinking it was DRM-free when it wasn't.

You can also check at Fictionwise to see which e-books are available in Multi-Format. Those don't have DRM.

11-02-2011, 02:07 AM	#1
BaenSidhe Groupie Posts: 150 Karma: 1087916 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: PRS-500 and PRS-650	DRM on B&N Ebooks Is there a way to tell if there is DRM on ebooks sold by B&N from their website? When looking up books from B&N's computers in their b&m store it'll say No DRM, but I don't see anything like that on their website. Am I blind or something?

11-05-2011, 08:48 PM	#8
Doug Pardee Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 106318 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: B&N NOOK 3G	B&N doesn't mark them, which is a bit of a nuisance. However, certain publishers don't use DRM. They include Carina, Samhain, Ellora's Cave, E-Reads, Angry Robot, Baen, Microsoft, O'Reilly, Springer, and Smashwords. Generally, if it's available DRM-free at Amazon, it's available DRM-free at B&N (not counting self-published works). However, there's no way to be absolutely sure, and B&N won't give you a refund if you bought an e-book thinking it was DRM-free when it wasn't. You can also check at Fictionwise to see which e-books are available in Multi-Format. Those don't have DRM. Last edited by Doug Pardee; 11-05-2011 at 08:52 PM.

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11-02-2011, 02:48 AM	#2
Kevin8or Guru Posts: 977 Karma: 43409226 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Device: Kindle 3	No way at all. Assume there is DRM on anything you purchase there. Of course stripping away the DRM is trivial. Google "Apprentice Alf".

11-02-2011, 03:41 PM	#3
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,487 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	They do not disclosure DRM status. The majority of the time it will have DRM but some titles I've gotten there without.

11-04-2011, 12:07 AM	#5
VicLavigne e-reading since 2008 Posts: 197 Karma: 112730 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hinesville Georgia Device: Nook STR, Sony PRS-T1	Impossible to tell until you download it. Most classics (but not all) are DRM-free. And if the book is distributed to B&N from Smashwords, then it is also DRM-free. Your best strategy, if you don't like DRM, is just remove it as soon as it is downloaded. But if you want to take a stand and refuse to buy books with DRM, then consider just shopping at Smashwords, where they only distribute DRM-free items. Vic

11-04-2011, 08:56 PM	#6
Tony1988 Guru Posts: 718 Karma: 4033862 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: sony prs-350	All the classics I got from Barnes and Nobles are drm protected.

11-05-2011, 04:06 AM	#7
BaenSidhe Groupie Posts: 150 Karma: 1087916 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: PRS-500 and PRS-650	Hmm. Well, that's annoying. Thanks for the info!

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