B&N removed download option on all books in "My Nook" library

[Froide]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

Yes, it's horrible. But thankfully you don't actually have to use it. Just sign in, get your key, then never look at it again.

Do tell! How can I get the key if the app hangs/freezes?

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Froide

Do tell! How can I get the key if the app hangs/freezes?

Are you able to sign in?

[cromag]

Originally Posted by Difflugia

If you don't want to install NOOK for PC, this Greasemonkey/Tampermonkey script works with Firefox and Chrome. I just downloaded one of my B&N books to verify that it still works.



As far as I'm concerned, all of the regular DRM methods are still easy. I know this has been rehashed quite a bit, but I've listed the problems that I see with each method.

Adobe:

• Requires Digital Editions (can be run on pretty much any OS)
• There's a new DRM scheme pending (doesn't affect current books and I expect we'll know as soon as this rolls out)

Barnes & Noble:

• The download button's gone (easy workaround)
• New DRM keys are being rolled out (working fix)
• Some books are NOOK only (if you have a rooted NOOK, they can be downloaded and de-DRMed)
• PDFs can't be decrypted (no fix; don't buy PDFs)

Amazon

• You need a Kindle to get a web download link (everybody has a Kindle, apparently)
• Every device has its own key (not normally a problem, but can be annoying)
• Some books are Topaz and must be converted after DRM removal (fewer Topaz books than there used to be)
• Some books are tablet only (can be worked around if you have an Android tablet and are willing to hack the APK)

Kobo

• Some books are kepub-only (fewer than before and Obok works)
• Their catalog is a mess and dealing with CS is potluck (not really a DRM issue, but come on, guys)
• Some books are tablet-only (Obok doesn't work on tablet books)

My point is that there are really no serious impediments to buying ebooks from any of the major stores and it's still just personal preference about which things make you mad. Even with the most recent changes, I still think that Barnes & Noble is the easiest experience overall.

Re: Amazon

I don't have a Kindle, just Kindle for PC. Ebooks download just fine, and they're fixable. Since B&N made my life more difficult, and Kobo started playing hide-and-seek with purchases, I've been buying nearly all my ebooks there.



Also, Re: Google

The books that I've bought there were covered by Adobe DRM and fixable, but Dell magazines (Analog SF, Asimov's SF, Ellery Queen's Mystery, and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazines) are not in any format that I can recognize and fix for my ereaders.

[eschwartz]

Difflugia only mentioned Kindles in the context of a web download link. I believe it was assumed that each vendor also offers a desktop application to download books with.

Note that the only really good option ATM for ebooks on linux (minority OS, I get it ) is having an E-Ink Kindle. Everything else requires faffing around with WINE.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Note that the only really good option ATM for ebooks on linux (minority OS, I get it ) is having an E-Ink Kindle. Everything else requires faffing around with WINE.

I use ADE 1.7.2 in WINE on Linux, no faffing around was required.

[eschwartz]

Yes, that tends to work better. Unfortunately I have given up on seven different occasions trying to get the DeDRM key -- apparently python is very hard to install in WINE these days.

The instructions are years old too.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Yes, that tends to work better. Unfortunately I have given up on seven different occasions trying to get the DeDRM key -- apparently python is very hard to install in WINE these days.

The instructions are years old too.

The instructions for installing python in WINE are exactly the same for getting the ADE and Kindle keys, so if there was any difficulty involved with ADE it would be no more than for Kindle.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Froide

Do tell! How can I get the key if the app hangs/freezes?

If you're able to sign in to Nookstudy, then you're good to go. (Although, I find that it eventually unfreezes if you leave it alone long enough with nothing else running. Just walk away for a while.) You can download your books with Nook for PC or whichever way you prefer. The key is for the account; it's not device or app specific, like kindle.

Incidentally, I've also found my key on my rooted Nook HD with the stock ROM. Presumably, this would also be possible with other Nook devices. I've put the details in a comment over at Alf's.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Yes, that tends to work better. Unfortunately I have given up on seven different occasions trying to get the DeDRM key -- apparently python is very hard to install in WINE these days.

Windows ActiveState Python is easy-peasy to install in WINE. Launch the installer, click OK.

Not saying the rest of the faffing around to get everything configured/working is a breeze, but that install part is pretty straight-forward. At least in my worthless opinion.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

The instructions for installing python in WINE are exactly the same for getting the ADE and Kindle keys, so if there was any difficulty involved with ADE it would be no more than for Kindle.

Right, which is why I use my Kindle device instead of the app. As I said, E-Ink Kindles are IMHO easiest on linux ATM.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Windows ActiveState Python is easy-peasy to install in WINE. Launch the installer, click OK.

Not saying the rest of the faffing around to get everything configured/working is a breeze, but that install part is pretty straight-forward. At least in my worthless opinion.

Except that both the activestate and mainline python MSIs crash and burn with inexplicable errors. Numerous comment on Alf's blog agree with me, and then there are the people who inexplicably succeed and wonder what the fuss is (or never say anything, for obvious reasons).

There are WINE bugreports somewhere too I believe.

[DiapDealer]

I find that success and failure are rarely inexplicable.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Are you able to sign in?

Yes, because it's configured to login automatically. But I can't proceed beyond that point.

Originally Posted by lkmiller

If you're able to sign in to Nookstudy, then you're good to go. (Although, I find that it eventually unfreezes if you leave it alone long enough with nothing else running. Just walk away for a while.) You can download your books with Nook for PC or whichever way you prefer. The key is for the account; it's not device or app specific, like kindle.

Incidentally, I've also found my key on my rooted Nook HD with the stock ROM. Presumably, this would also be possible with other Nook devices. I've put the details in a comment over at Alf's.

Exactly what steps are involved in retrieving one's DRM-unlock key?

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Froide

Yes, because it's configured to login automatically. But I can't proceed beyond that point.



Exactly what steps are involved in retrieving one's DRM-unlock key?

Post #834 has the info.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Froide

Exactly what steps are involved in retrieving one's DRM-unlock key?

Moderator Notice
Please do not ask for information on using DRM-removal tools. It's fine to discuss DRM removal in the abstract, but providing detailed instructions is against MR's policies.

Thanks.