Adobe Digital Editions 3.0 released

[simond]

The problem is I do the same with GoG as I do a lot of ebooks, buy them and then they sit waiting for me to read/play for ages

[John F]

Originally Posted by Mivo

We weren't reviewing video games, we were talking about DRM-free games that we remember from our younger days that are now sold at GoG.com, a vendor that does not use DRM and yet has a large customer base. This was directly related to the DRM topic and the claims made that DRM is essential to prevent people from not spending money.

...

Let's talk about books we remember from our youth that are now available as ebooks*.



*This topic is directly related since pbooks didn't have DRM and ebooks do/don't have DRM.

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

There's DRM lessons to be gleaned from other industries.
In this case that ignoring consumer needs/interests can kill companies.

humble bundle: I've bought lots of computer game steam keys from them with money going to charity. I'll probably never play most of them but.... ( hey, back on topic , almost) ... they did an excellent e-books bundle last year - all DRM free, and they have also recently offered some DRM - free audio books

http://blog.humblebundle.com/post/33...e-ebook-bundle

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/...Book_Bundle_II

[pdurrant]

So, back on topic, the really interesting question is when/whether retailers will turn on the 'new DRM' switch. I can't think they'll be keen to do it themselves, given the support problems it will cause. So will publishers actually take a stand and insist that they use this new DRM they asked Adobe to develop? Or will we be able to carry on using ADE 2.0 and old devices to buy books indefinitely?

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

So, back on topic, the really interesting question is when/whether retailers will turn on the 'new DRM' switch. I can't think they'll be keen to do it themselves, given the support problems it will cause. So will publishers actually take a stand and insist that they use this new DRM they asked Adobe to develop? Or will we be able to carry on using ADE 2.0 and old devices to buy books indefinitely?

I'm a pesimist; I expect MacMillan will insist all Adept vendors and Overdrive switch to the new DRM by August 1st. And then Sargent will send out an open letter to authors, agents, artists, editors, and formatters bragging about it. Because that's how they roll in the glass tower world.

[ShellShock]

Will the publishers also be insisting that retailers who do not use Adobe DRM (Amazon, Kobo kepubs etc) should hardened their bespoke DRM offerings? What is the point of publishers insisting on hardened Adobe DRM, when by far the biggest player (Amazon) will continue to use a weak DRM that is readily broken?

Are the publishers and Amazon going to square for a fight over this? It could probably be in Amazon's best interest to continue using their existing DRM, as they will win over disillusioned customers if and when the new Adobe DRM is switched on.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

What is the point of publishers insisting on hardened Adobe DRM, when by far the biggest player (Amazon) will continue to use a weak DRM that is readily broken?

It's incorrect to think that Amazon haven't tweaked their DRM over the years. The changed it for Kindle 3 and later eInk devices from a per-device key to a per-book key. The have changed the way the Mac and PC desktop apps handle DRM several times. They have also updated the iOS app, making retriving the key from public info impossible.

But Alf's helpers have managed to keep up with most of the changes. And, of course, Amazon still delivers (almost all books) even back to the original Kindle, which retains its original per-device key DRM system.

I wish they'd all just realise it's a waste of time and money

[ShellShock]

Yes, Amazon have changed their DRM over the years, but what was the driver behind that? Internal or external? How likely is it for Amazon to hardened their DRM now because publishers demand it? I genuinely do not know, hence the questions.

[Sydney's Mom]

Amazon is so customer-centric, I cannot see them going to a system like Adobe 3.0 unless they perceive pirating as a huge problem. And I really haven't seen anything that says it is. I think Amazon will go along shutting people into its walled garden, and not worry too much about the outliers who use AA for their own books.

[oj829]

Judging from that NYer article, the publishers dance to Amazon's tune. And as others have said, Amazon is sufficiently customer-oriented that they're just not going to implement a customer-hostile speedbump. (And they pretty clearly despise any tax, let alone the Adobe tax.)

Libraries are about the only constituency the publishers can bully with impunity. So I'd COUNT on Overdrive's library business "upgrading" ASAP.

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

Will the publishers also be insisting that retailers who do not use Adobe DRM (Amazon, Kobo kepubs etc) should hardened their bespoke DRM offerings? What is the point of publishers insisting on hardened Adobe DRM, when by far the biggest player (Amazon) will continue to use a weak DRM that is readily broken?

Are the publishers and Amazon going to square for a fight over this? It could probably be in Amazon's best interest to continue using their existing DRM, as they will win over disillusioned customers if and when the new Adobe DRM is switched on.

As I understand it, the DRM is inconsequential, what matters is Adobe's support of ePub3. The Publishers use Adobe software to prepare books for publication. The output is the version what goes into Adobe Content Server. When they switch Content Server over it will start serving books in the new ePub format. Changing the DRM at the same time was probably just a mistake since it has unforeseen consequences.

[doubleshuffle]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

As I understand it, the DRM is inconsequential, what matters is Adobe's support of ePub3. The Publishers use Adobe software to prepare books for publication. The output is the version what goes into Adobe Content Server. When they switch Content Server over it will start serving books in the new ePub format. Changing the DRM at the same time was probably just a mistake since it has unforeseen consequences.

No. This update of ADE is mainly about the DRM, with just a few minor improvements to epub rendering. They want to do a major upgrade to supporting epub 3 in June. It's mentioned in the Datalogics webinar, around minute 4 or 5.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It's incorrect to think that Amazon haven't tweaked their DRM over the years. The changed it for Kindle 3 and later eInk devices from a per-device key to a per-book key. The have changed the way the Mac and PC desktop apps handle DRM several times. They have also updated the iOS app, making retriving the key from public info impossible.

But Alf's helpers have managed to keep up with most of the changes. And, of course, Amazon still delivers (almost all books) even back to the original Kindle, which retains its original per-device key DRM system.

I wish they'd all just realise it's a waste of time and money

<curious>How is the e-ink using per-book keys if all we need is the device ID?</curious>

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

<curious>How is the e-ink using per-book keys if all we need is the device ID?</curious>

The device ID is combined with some metadata inside the book to generate the book key that is used to get the actual decryption key to decrypt the book.

Oddly, every book on a recent Kindle has a difference book key, unlike books on Kindle for iOS which all use the same book key, or did last time I looked.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It's incorrect to think that Amazon haven't tweaked their DRM over the years. The changed it for Kindle 3 and later eInk devices from a per-device key to a per-book key. The have changed the way the Mac and PC desktop apps handle DRM several times. They have also updated the iOS app, making retriving the key from public info impossible.

But Alf's helpers have managed to keep up with most of the changes. And, of course, Amazon still delivers (almost all books) even back to the original Kindle, which retains its original per-device key DRM system.

I wish they'd all just realise it's a waste of time and money

I can testify to this. I don't own a Kindle so have to use Kindle for PC to access my ebooks there. After a forced update the tools don't always work. In my case, it appears something changes every January with Amazon and/or ADE because the tools are ineffective.