NOT a debate -just a DRM question

[ficbot]

Here a a quick round-up for you of the popular stores:

DRMd and Cannot Convert with Calibre:

Amazon- DRM'd mobi. Will only work on Kindle.
Kobo- DRM'd epub. Will work on Sony, Kobo and other devices using 'Adept' but not Kindle
B & N- DRM'd epub of a different kind than Sony. Will only work on Nook.

Non-DRMd, Use Mobi (or epub, and convert with Calibre)

Baen- sci-fi publisher
Smashwords- indie books

Mixture (some DRM, some not DRM)

Fictionwise- do not buy any 'secure' formats for Kindle as none of them will work. Secure epub will work on Sony and Kobo but it cannot be converted with anything. Secure eReader is a mess and a half. However, any 'multiformat' title can be used on the Kindle, downloaded in any format, and manipulated with Calibre.

[Josieb1]

Also, I haven't bought any myself, but WHSmith and Waterstones sell DRM's epubs

[abookreader]

Well - a certain person that I'm uh well, very acquainted with was setting up her new computer yesterday and when she went to install Calibre she might have noticed on a certain blog that there are now

CALIBRE PLUG-INS FOR MANY OF THE MAJOR TYPES OF DRM


ADE ePub/ePDF
Barnes and Noble
The Amazons (not Topaz I think but MobeDeDRM and Kindle4PC)

Which means for those who don't understand this that once the Plug-Ins are installed into Calibre you don't have to run a stand alone python script. You just load the book into Calibre and magic happens.

Or so I've heard.

If another person that you might know would be interested in learning of these plugins they should Google

Apprentice Alf Blog

[Jack Tingle]

Originally Posted by JLeighs

I've tried following some DRM threads, but they get pretty heated, so I'm hoping that someone can answer my question. If an ebook is DRM protected, does this mean that I cannot use Calibre to convert it to a different format? I'm on information overload here, and I'm trying to understand how DRM affects me as a consumer. I gather that is used to prevent piracy, but does it also prevent me from, say, ordering a B & N ebook and then converting it to a format that Kindle accepts? Thank you for any understanding you can give me!

You are exactly correct.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[TomF]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Well - a certain person that I'm uh well, very acquainted with was setting up her new computer yesterday and when she went to install Calibre she might have noticed on a certain blog that there are now

CALIBRE PLUG-INS FOR MANY OF THE MAJOR TYPES OF DRM


ADE ePub/ePDF
Barnes and Noble
The Amazons (not Topaz I think but MobeDeDRM and Kindle4PC)

Which means for those who don't understand this that once the Plug-Ins are installed into Calibre you don't have to run a stand alone python script. You just load the book into Calibre and magic happens.

Or so I've heard.

If another person that you might know would be interested in learning of these plugins they should Google

Apprentice Alf Blog

Woohoo! I wasn't aware of Tools 2.0 and the new Calibre plugins. And the day this was released I spent most of the afternoon getting a B&N e-book, which isn't available in Kindle format on Amazon, converted to MOBI so I can read it on my Kindle.

[JLeighs]

Originally Posted by ficbot

Here a a quick round-up for you of the popular stores:

DRMd and Cannot Convert with Calibre:

Amazon- DRM'd mobi. Will only work on Kindle.
Kobo- DRM'd epub. Will work on Sony, Kobo and other devices using 'Adept' but not Kindle
B & N- DRM'd epub of a different kind than Sony. Will only work on Nook.

Non-DRMd, Use Mobi (or epub, and convert with Calibre)

Baen- sci-fi publisher
Smashwords- indie books

Mixture (some DRM, some not DRM)

Fictionwise- do not buy any 'secure' formats for Kindle as none of them will work. Secure epub will work on Sony and Kobo but it cannot be converted with anything. Secure eReader is a mess and a half. However, any 'multiformat' title can be used on the Kindle, downloaded in any format, and manipulated with Calibre.

I didn't see this before --thanks very much!

I appreciate all the responses.

[KevinH]

Originally Posted by TomF

Woohoo! I wasn't aware of Tools 2.0 and the new Calibre plugins. And the day this was released I spent most of the afternoon getting a B&N e-book, which isn't available in Kindle format on Amazon, converted to MOBI so I can read it on my Kindle.

FYI: Mac Users, there is a new Calibre plugin that works with Kindle for Mac now too!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by jphphotography

That's not actually correct, the act of breaking "digital locks" is illegal regardless of what the intent is. I'm not saying I like DRM or agree with it, just trying to clarify the info given to the OP.

Some people have expressed the legal opinion in the US that, although creation and distribution of DRM-removal tools is a crime under the DMCA, their personal use is not. This will remain merely an opinion until an appropriate court case sets a precedent one way or the other. As yet, it's never gone to court.

[jphphotography]

@Bikeridr
Good call, I didn't think of the international implications, I suppose what you're saying is legal depending where you reside.

@wallcraft
Sorry, my bad

@abookreader
Thanks for the hypothetical heads up

@HarryT
Gotta love grey areas, it seems that has been the case with just about every form of DRM until there is some definitive precedent set.

Interesting thread all in all, OP I hope you got all the info you wanted and I hope my apparently erroneous comment didn't allow the topic to stray too far from your question.