Fictionwise and the Kindle

Nate the great · 09-21-2008, 09:07 PM

Over the past few days we have been getting reports from members of MobileRead that Fictionwise has started blocking Kindle PIDs. I just checked my account, and it's happened to me, too.

If you have a Kindle registered at Fictionwise, you will need to log in to your account and request that Fictionwise Support remove or replace that PID before downloading and Kindlizing another Mobipocket ebook. You cannot do it yourself, unfortunately.

It's possible for Fictionwise to do this because all the Kindles have a PID that is slightly different from the other Mobipocket devices (they have an asterisk "*" as the eighth character of the PID). I bet this was a deliberate design choice on the part of Amazon/Mobipocket. I believe this because www.Mobipocket.com drops the asterisk from a PID. Most of the other Mobipocket retailers also drop the asterisk. Fictionwise was the only major ebook retailer that did not.

It looks to me like Amazon/Mobipocket is pressuring retailers to close the few remaining loopholes that let Kindle owners buy ebooks from anyone other that Amazon. However, I may be jumping to conclusions because only existing Kindle PIDs are disabled. If you remove the bad PID, you can reenter it and it will be accepted as valid.

tlrowley · 09-21-2008, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

However, I may be jumping to conclusions because only existing Kindle PIDs are disabled. If you remove the bad PID, you can reenter it and it will be accepted as valid.

I was bitten by this problem, as well. My (completely unsubstantiated) thought was that with the "new encryption" that the FW support rep mentioned, they had to re-import the PIDs and the '*' was lost in translation, so to speak. That could explain why they aren't blocking re-entry of Kindle PIDs.

They promised 2 days ago to remove the bad PID from my account, but I'm still waiting.

pilotbob · 09-21-2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

However, I may be jumping to conclusions because only existing Kindle PIDs are disabled. If you remove the bad PID, you can reenter it and it will be accepted as valid.

Of course you can always just deDrm the mobi books and then the Kindle PID isn't even an issue.

BOb

HarryT · 09-22-2008, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Over the past few days we have been getting reports from members of MobileRead that Fictionwise has started blocking Kindle PIDs. I just checked my account, and it's happened to me, too.

It's nothing to do with FictionWise - MobiPocket have updated the software on their DRM server, which Mobi (and many other eBook stores) use. There's a separate thread with an e-mail from FW explaining what happened.

AJ Starr · 09-22-2008, 09:11 AM

I had to re-download my purchased books at Books on Board. I thought it was a flake in my system which I was messing around with. Maybe it was this situation. I was able to download them again just fine.

SpiderMatt · 09-22-2008, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Of course you can always just deDrm the mobi books and then the Kindle PID isn't even an issue.

BOb

Ditto. I just use my computer's PID to deDRM the files.

tlrowley · 09-22-2008, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Of course you can always just deDrm the mobi books and then the Kindle PID isn't even an issue.

BOb

That required creating/discovering the PID for my Windows VM so that I had a valid PID - Mac user here! When I downloaded the files with the Kindle PID (that FW/Mobi stripped the '*'), the deDRM tools didn't work - quite rightly.

Lemurion · 09-22-2008, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's nothing to do with FictionWise - MobiPocket have updated the software on their DRM server, which Mobi (and many other eBook stores) use. There's a separate thread with an e-mail from FW explaining what happened.

Can you post a link please?

Thanks

HarryT · 09-23-2008, 11:51 AM

I don't have it to hand, I'm afraid, but it was in the last few days.

Nate the great · 09-23-2008, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

Can you post a link please?

Thanks

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...270#post254270

scroll down

HarryT · 09-24-2008, 07:20 AM

Thanks Nate - post #29 in the thread is the relevant one.

pilotbob · 09-24-2008, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Thanks Nate - post #29 in the thread is the relevant one.

Ah... I thought you meant it was a general mailing or in their news letter.

BOb

09-21-2008, 09:07 PM	#1
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	Fictionwise and the Kindle Over the past few days we have been getting reports from members of MobileRead that Fictionwise has started blocking Kindle PIDs. I just checked my account, and it's happened to me, too. If you have a Kindle registered at Fictionwise, you will need to log in to your account and request that Fictionwise Support remove or replace that PID before downloading and Kindlizing another Mobipocket ebook. You cannot do it yourself, unfortunately. It's possible for Fictionwise to do this because all the Kindles have a PID that is slightly different from the other Mobipocket devices (they have an asterisk "*" as the eighth character of the PID). I bet this was a deliberate design choice on the part of Amazon/Mobipocket. I believe this because www.Mobipocket.com drops the asterisk from a PID. Most of the other Mobipocket retailers also drop the asterisk. Fictionwise was the only major ebook retailer that did not. It looks to me like Amazon/Mobipocket is pressuring retailers to close the few remaining loopholes that let Kindle owners buy ebooks from anyone other that Amazon. However, I may be jumping to conclusions because only existing Kindle PIDs are disabled. If you remove the bad PID, you can reenter it and it will be accepted as valid.

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09-22-2008, 09:11 AM	#5
AJ Starr Guru Posts: 815 Karma: 1029784 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nebraska, USA Device: PEZ, Color Libre, 2@Sony T1, Onyx i62HD	I had to re-download my purchased books at Books on Board. I thought it was a flake in my system which I was messing around with. Maybe it was this situation. I was able to download them again just fine.

09-23-2008, 11:51 AM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I don't have it to hand, I'm afraid, but it was in the last few days.

09-24-2008, 07:20 AM	#11
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Thanks Nate - post #29 in the thread is the relevant one.