Business Insider: HC to pull out of Amazon

[odamizu]

I did some digging and found that, while they push the "HarperCollins ereading app," you can also download their ebooks via the traditional ADE + .ascm file route. See FAQs: here

I'm curious if they're using Adobe's new DRM.

[odamizu]

This is interesting from Digital Book World:

... HarperCollins’s distribution contract with Amazon is thought to have expired in September 2014, which leads Publishers Lunch to estimate that discussions of renewal terms probably “began something like a year ago.”

And since this certainly isn’t the first time negotiations between Amazon and a publisher have gone public, Publishers Lunch wagers further that the comment leaked to Business Insider—which counts Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos as an investor—”may be Amazon’s way of telling Harper, their authors, and others that the bookseller’s patience has worn out.”

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by odamizu

I did some digging and found that, while they push the "HarperCollins ereading app," you can also download their ebooks via the traditional ADE + .ascm file route. See FAQs: here

I'm curious if they're using Adobe's new DRM.

If you use ADE 2.x it's not possible to have the new drm.

The Kindle download instructions make it look like there's no drm:

How do I transfer my ebook to my Kindle e-ink device?
Open your browser.
Make your purchase. If you have already made your purchase on another device and want to open it on your desktop please follow the re-download instructions while on your desktop browser.
Click the “Download” link on the checkout thank you page or on the re-download page.
A file will download in your browser and will end in “.mobi”.
Connect your Kindle e-ink device to your computer via USB. Your computer will automatically detect your device and launch a “Kindle” folder.
From the Kindle folder, click into the “Documents” folder.
Return to your downloaded eBook for Kindle e-ink devices on your computer and copy this file. Paste it into the “Documents” folder.
Safely disconnect your device when the transfer is complete and you will find your purchase loaded onto your device. The actual location of your purchase on your device may differ by device brand.
Important: Do not disconnect your device until the transfer of a purchase is completed.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

The Kindle download instructions make it look like there's no drm:

Interesting! If those are the instructions, then those mobis certainly have to be drm-free.

[SteveEisenberg]

Publishers Lunch wagers further that the comment leaked to Business Insider—which counts Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos as an investor—”may be Amazon’s way of telling Harper, their authors, and others that the bookseller’s patience has worn out.”

Maybe, or maybe not. I don't think Bezos would micro-manage a press outlet he owns, much less one he just invested it.

The journalistic ethics of using anonymous sources isn't an easy subject.

Ideally you want multiple sources. But if you just have one, and parties are in dispute, at least give the reader an idea of what side the source is on. An unnamed high Iranian government official commenting on negotiations? I'll read that article. But it would be ridiculous to quote an anonymous source who, for all we know, is either French, American, Israeli, or Iranian.

What does Business Insider being unable to tell you what side its source is on indicate? It tells me that the deep-throat wannabe here is, even more than the norm for anonymous sources, bent on manipulating public opinion.

If you want to manipulate me, at least tell me who you represent.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Interesting! If those are the instructions, then those mobis certainly have to be drm-free.

So epubs are DRM'ed but Mobis are DRM-free?!

These guys really do want to kill interoperable epub.
With enemies like this you hardly need friends.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

So epubs are DRM'ed but Mobis are DRM-free?!

These guys really do want to kill interoperable epub.
With enemies like this you hardly need friends.

But if it's ADE 2.x, then you can use it on any reader that uses standard Adobe drm. That's interoperable, right? Or did I misunderstand?

But yeah, drm free mobi would be great! Those directions have to be wrong. Publishers love drm.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by odamizu

This is interesting from Digital Book World:

I certainly didn't read anything in the links or other articles about HC and Amazon that actually said what the thread title claims, i.e. that HarperCollins is pulling out of Amazon.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

But yeah, drm free mobi would be great! Those directions have to be wrong. Publishers love drm.

From the Help page:

What is HarperCollins' ebook security policy?
HarperCollins ebooks are secured using Adobe DRM. This means that consumers can download purchased ebooks to a limited number of ereader devices and the ebooks cannot be shared, copied, pasted, or printed.
In order to support all Amazon customers, we are also making available DRM-free mobi files that will work on all Kindle devices.

So buy a HarperColins kindle book from Amazon and it has DRM, but buy from HarperCollins shop it is DRM-free. That in itself is a huge incentive to buy from the HarperCollins shop instead of Amazon.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by odamizu

I did some digging and found that, while they push the "HarperCollins ereading app," you can also download their ebooks via the traditional ADE + .ascm file route. See FAQs: here

I'm curious if they're using Adobe's new DRM.

How did you get to that FAQ page? I can't find it from www.harpercollins.com/

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

The Kindle download instructions make it look like there's no drm:

That's interesting. With the freebies I got the only thing I could download was an acsm/DRM'd ePub.

Browsing the store the books I looked at say...

Purchase this e-book and read on the HC Reader App for iPhone/iPad, Android, or Kindle Fire.

...no mention of other methods.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

But if it's ADE 2.x, then you can use it on any reader that uses standard Adobe drm. That's interoperable, right? Or did I misunderstand?

But yeah, drm free mobi would be great! Those directions have to be wrong. Publishers love drm.

They love money more.
And they need access to Kindle users.

And no, you didn't misunderstand.
But Adobe DRM does restrict what you can do with a file; it can only be accessed on registered devices and apps and a finite number of those, at that.

DRM-free mobi has no restrictions.
You don't even need a Kindle app to use it and format-shifting it to epub is both *legal* and easy. If their website worked well, DRM-aware buyers would be much better off buying only mobi, even if they owned epub devices, which would reduce sales for those devices' ebookstores. And since interoperable epub stores in the US are not only few but also command minimal market share, losing HC ebook sales would threaten their survival.

Kinda like Star Trek's Khan, who shot at Kirk but hit everybody else instead; they could easily end up killing Amazon's competition instead of hurting them.

[robko]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Maybe, or maybe not. I don't think Bezos would micro-manage a press outlet he owns, much less one he just invested it.

This is slightly off topic to the thread, but a couple of weeks ago the CEO of Bell Canada had to publicly apologize for attempting to get a newscast at CTV (owned by Bell) to NOT use any tape of the head the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission in a story about a decision that had gone against Bell. Fortunately the news team resisted and didn't follow his wishes, but if you don't think it's possible there's your proof.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/bell-...rage-1.2296949

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread ....

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

That's interesting. With the freebies I got the only thing I could download was an acsm/DRM'd ePub.

Browsing the store the books I looked at say...

...no mention of other methods.

I just downloaded a free book and it was drm free mobi! The book has drm at Amazon - The World of Divergent: The Path to Allegiant
http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062...h-to-allegiant

[DiapDealer]

There's simply no way for them to sell direct to Kindle owners without being DRM free. Definitely puts an interesting slant on their ability to claim that DRM is necessary to combat piracy, though (to say nothing of the push to "harden" Adobe's DRM). I wonder how the authors feel about their works being sold in such an easily piratable manner--by the very publisher who is supposed to be protecting their IP?

Interesting times!