John Scalzi Lock-In not downloadable in epub format

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You can strip the DRM off of Kobo kepub. But then you are left with a mess. You then use Modify ePub to remove the kepub internals. But again, it's not the same as the real ePub. I've not yet checked to see if the resulting ePub looks OK in ADE.

We used to be able to take a screwed-up kePub file by changing the extension from kePub to epub, then import it into Calibre and convert it to kePub to clean it up. If I remember correctly we could even import kePubs and convert them from kePub to kePub. Surely Calibre could automate the process you describe if it doesn't do it already.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by RobertJSawyer

DNSB, you're making a technical distinction, and it's valid as such, but you're glossing over the philosophical point, which is that the INTENT of publishers and authors offering books devoid of digital rights management is that the AVERAGE user can easily download the book file and use it. It shouldn't be a scavenger hunt to find something with a nonintuitive name squirreled away somewhere; it shouldn't require expert knowledge (which knowing to rename a .kepub to .epub is); it should be easy: download to your desktop with one click, and open with the app of your choice without modification. THAT, my friend, is common sense.

The point that I was making was that contrary to several statements in this thread the ebook in question does not have DRM. And no you are not renaming a .kepub to .epub though the correct option would be to name .kepub.epub to .epub -- the ebook as downloaded from Kobo's site has what looks like a GUID(*) as a file name with no extension.

Unfortunately, your common sense runs into the issue that epub3 ebooks may not display properly in an epub2 renderer. The cookbook I recently downloaded is a fine example of an epub3 fixed layout ebook. What Jon and I agree on is that all too many epub3 ebooks make no use of epub3 features so calling them epub3s is like lipstick on a pig.

My personal preference would be for Kobo to allow downloading a .epub either with or without Adobe's ADEPT DRM with the warning that this ebook may display like <expletive deleted> unless you are using an epub3 compatible program to view it. Caveat emptor. Unfortunately this runs into the number of people who would download the ebook, try to open it in, say, ADE 2.0 and scream for a refund.

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

We used to be able to take a screwed-up kePub file by changing the extension from kePub to epub, then import it into Calibre and convert it to kePub to clean it up. If I remember correctly we could even import kePubs and convert them from kePub to kePub. Surely Calibre could automate the process you describe if it doesn't do it already.

Or you could report the book was not prepared properly to Kobo, wait a few days until they fixed it (the preparation process is automated and doesn't always work flawlessly for any bookstore), then wait a few days and re-download the book.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

We used to be able to take a screwed-up kePub file by changing the extension from kePub to epub, then import it into Calibre and convert it to kePub to clean it up. If I remember correctly we could even import kePubs and convert them from kePub to kePub. Surely Calibre could automate the process you describe if it doesn't do it already.

My procedure is to take the original file if it is not DRMed, rename it to something humanly understandable, suck it into Calibre, run the ModifyEpub plugin to remove Kobo's added items, open it in Sigil, though Calibre's internal editor would also work and finish the cleanup. For the most part, if you don't use the editor step, the ebook will render pretty much as it originally did but I prefer to have it meet my personal standard for layout and style.

A Kobo DRMed ebook is another kettle of fish since any modification requires removing the DRM which is not a topic for discussion in these forums.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Joques

RobertJSawyer, could you kindly let Scalzi know that he just made a sale today of his entire back catalog based on his epic takedown of this misogynist:

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2014/09/2...-in-five-acts/

(Now I just hope those books are any good - Redshirts look hilarious )
(Bought on Google Books because, well, that's where I could get them.)

I've enjoyed most of his books so I think you are in for a treat.

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's slightly more then just changing the version number. It's adding in a NAV ToC and some meta tags in the OPF that can easily be deleted as they don't add anything to the ePub. But to convert back to ePub 2 is trivial.

[......]


Most of the changes take place in the metadata section of the OPF. I did have to remove the NAV ToC and I removed the XML ToC (because this is ePub and we don't need it). Also had to delete those two files. But really, it's so very simple to go from ePub 3 to ePub 2 when the changes are just to be able to say it's an ePub 3.

Also, take a look at some of the meta property tags in the original OPF, they are just duplicating what we already have for meta tags. So why do we need these extranious duplicated property tags? We don't. There is not a single meta property tag that has any actual use. Take them all out and the ePub is not going to break. In fact, it's going to make the OPF smaller and easier to read.

Bookmarked this one, thanks !!

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Thing is, the code in the ePub has been heavily modified. It very well may not display properly in a number of different ePub renderers. It's not what we expect to get when we buy it. When we buy Lock In, we expect to get the code as it came from the publisher. We don't expect to get Kobo heavily modifying it.

Hmmm... most of the programs and I've used to test epubs are quite happy with Kobo's modified epubs. The mass of locator spans does nothing visually and they don't know what to do with the .js files so again no effect. The only time there is an issue with Latin language ebooks is when the kepub is DRMed since only Kobo programs and devices are supposed to be able to display them. <cough>

«rant mode on»
As for the code as it came from the publisher? Do we really need 4 p.xxxx classes with identical contents? Specifying widows and orphans in multiple spots? Forcing wide top, bottom, right and left margins? One of the reasons I got into editing my ebook collection was that, in my opinion, the average publisher at that time knew little about laying out ebooks nor did they seem concerned with any consistency -- nothing like reading a series where each book has it's own layout and style. That has changed to an extent but still not up to the average quality level of dead tree books.
«rant mode off»

[JSWolf]

Where are eBooks download through Kobo Desktop stored on a Windows 7 system?

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Where are eBooks download through Kobo Desktop stored on a Windows 7 system?

I don't actually know. I guess they are in some type of database, but the location is not obvious.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Where are eBooks download through Kobo Desktop stored on a Windows 7 system?

AppData/Local/Kobo/Kobo Desktop/kepub

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Fbone

AppData\Local\Kobo\Kobo Desktop\kepub

Thanks.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Eric Carroll

My implicit point exactly. The intent of TOR is clear. I want to support it.

The fact that I am hypertechnical and can get around all of this is not the point. Kobo is attempting to lock me in to their ecosystem and defeat the intent of the publishers (and presumably the authors).

They didn't start this way. Its not clear they intend to be this way. But it is the resulting direction.

So I am letting them know with my wallet not withstanding how much I love their ereaders. A voice of one, I know.

I just changed my buying to ebooks.com as it is in CDN $ and lets me download epub.

Thanks for dropping in Robert and expressing the author's perspective. I am off to vote with my wallet and purchase your latest from ebooks.com. If you can pass the word, maybe the publisher can apply some pressure.

[Great responses in this thread btw, thank you to all.]

Kobo definitely didn't start out like this and according to their About Us page aren't supposed to be doing this.

Open Platform

Kobo believes people should be able to read on their terms. Our open platform, which supports the most popular formats including EPUB and PDF, allows readers to buy and read digital content from a variety of sources.

[Nate the great]

They say they're going to fix it:

Kobo’s mandate of allowing people to read anytime, anywhere, on any platform remains unchanged. We are aware of the issue where a small percentage of books are not able to be backed up, and are working quickly to resolve it. We are currently working on other enhancements that will further embrace our open platform concept, which will give customers ever more options as it relates to reading and the backing up of ePub files.

http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/0...ownload-issue/

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I don't actually know. I guess they are in some type of database, but the location is not obvious.

The information about the ebooks is stored in a database (Kobo.sqlite) but the ebook files are stored separately. Makes it much less fun that trying to extract the 100 free books from the original Kobo or Kobo WiFi's database was.

[tilia]

Originally Posted by Joques

Kobo is sadly losing me as an ebook customer. This nonsense about non-downloadable books is one of two final nails in the coffin. The other one is at least for me, in Norway, a selection that just gets poorer. Google Books is my new go-to destination. Never any non-downloadable nonsense, and a vastly better selection.

A shrinking selection at Kobo is my experience to. There's quite a few books that I know Kobo used to have that they won't sell to me any more. And it's not like all the missing books are geo-locked. I can get them with my Norwegian account at Amazon.