New version of DRM removal tools ("DeDRM")

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by DNSB

.....ereader was lost/stolen and ebooks from which he had removed DRM were uploaded to a pirate site.

How did he know David, how did he suss it out? (And you may not know and we may need to see if that person posts in response to you)

[Karellen]

Interesting conversation.

Out of curiosity. If you decrypted an ebook, then created a new, empty epub in, say, Calibre in which you recreate the structure of the decrypted ebook, then copy the contents of the xhtml files (not the actual xhtml file) from the decrypted ebook to the xhtml pages in the new recreated epub, would that remove all the identifying information?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

How did he know David, how did he suss it out? (And you may not know and we may need to see if that person posts in response to you)

I assume he knew it when someone knocked on his door? From what he wrote, the theft report he filed for his ereader and the lack of DRM removal tools on his computers saved him from being arrested.

See this message and several others in that thread and elsewhere.

Sometimes I begin to wonder about other people's inability to remember useless information combined with shameful Google-Fu.

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Sometimes I begin to wonder about other people's inability to remember useless information combined with shameful Google-Fu.

[cpegg]

Originally Posted by ratinox

As I wrote in my reply to hollowpoint: if you don't distribute copies of the books with your PI embedded then how is it possible for your PI to be disseminated?

Loss or theft of a device, or theft of the bag - or car - that the device was in. (Farfetched? Ridiculous? Perhaps, for someone living in Mayberry, theft isn't even on one's mental radar. I really, really do not live in Mayberry.)

[Lynx-lynx]

It's quite a good point about theft of an ereader, as far as I know the OEM's don't provide a choice of locking and unlocking tools for ereaders.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Sometimes I begin to wonder about other people's inability to remember useless information combined with shameful Google-Fu.

The poster in question has repeatedly said (via translation) that they do not read or write in English, so "Google-Fu" is relevant in terms of the amount of salt with which their Google translated replies to posts they read via Google Translate must be taken.

[lkmiller]

I don't worry about privacy with files that are for my own personal use only. Removing the DRM is enough. And I disagree with removing DRM from anything that is on loan.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

I don't worry about privacy with files that are for my own personal use only. Removing the DRM is enough.

I generally remove the remnants of DRM when editing the files. I know I'm paranoid, I just don't know if I am paranoid enough.

Originally Posted by lkmiller

And I disagree with removing DRM from anything that is on loan.

Totally agree. They are not mine so no reason to need a backup/archived copy.

Since I don't have issues with reading library books within the 7 day loan period I use by default, I'm not very sympathetic to someone who wants to remove the DRM to avoid finishing the book within the loan period. I do have some sympathy for the Kindle owners who can not read an epub library loan since outside ~70% of American libraries, Kindle format library loans are non-existent.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

And I disagree with removing DRM from anything that is on loan.

Originally Posted by DNSB

Totally agree. They are not mine so no reason to need a backup/archived copy.

Since I don't have issues with reading library books within the 7 day loan period I use by default, I'm not very sympathetic to someone who wants to remove the DRM to avoid finishing the book within the loan period. I do have some sympathy for the Kindle owners who can not read an epub library loan since outside ~70% of American libraries, Kindle format library loans are non-existent.

This is partially my opinion and partially playing devil's advocate:
If you believe it's OK to violate the terms of use, and possibly the DMCA to circumvent DRM on items for which you have a non-time-restricted license ("owned"), it seems hypocritical to have a problem with doing it on a time-restricted license ("loaned") as long as you don't keep the item longer than the time you're allowed. You say there's "no reason" but other than long term backup/archive, there are all exactly the same reasons: format shifting, space shifting, accessibility and all the other freedom-enhancing, fair-use, reasonable reasons we don't like DRM.


ApK

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I believe that one MR member (@ottischwenk) at one time got into some difficulties when his ereader was lost/stolen and ebooks from which he had removed DRM were uploaded to a pirate site.

Okay, this is a valid use case. But is it a compelling case? I don't have an objective answer to the question.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ApK

This is partially my opinion and partially playing devil's advocate:
If you believe it's OK to violate the terms of use, and possibly the DMCA to circumvent DRM on items for which you have a non-time-restricted license ("owned"), it seems hypocritical to have a problem with doing it on a time-restricted license ("loaned") as long as you don't keep the item longer than the time you're allowed. You say there's "no reason" but other than long term backup/archive, there are all exactly the same reasons: format shifting, space shifting, accessibility and all the other freedom-enhancing, fair-use, reasonable reasons we don't like DRM.

Perhaps you should take note of where I live before pitching the DMCA? For me, the DMCA is the product of a foreign government and does not apply in this country. Around here, the Copyright Reform Act has had several court decisions basically implying that removing DRM to allow archiving/backups for personal use is somewhat permissible. Not to mention that the damages recoverable are limited to the actual losses so, given that I purchased a copy of the ebook, the author/publisher/whatever is not going to have much in the line of damages to recover.

Format shifting? The local libraries loan epub format ebooks. Oddly, my Kobo ereaders read that format so no need for format shifting.

Accessibility? When I'm editing an ebook, I follow accessibility guidelines. They are not currently something that affects me but perhaps in the future. BTW, the relevant Canadian law allows for removing DRM for those who have perceptual issues.

Archiving and backup? A very good reason, IMNSHO, for removing DRM. I have multiple ebooks that were orphaned when DRM servers were shut down. I didn't see the companies such as Microsoft offering to reimburse the money that I had spent on books that if I followed their rules, would no longer be accessible.

Basically, I feel that library books are not mine. Perhaps a bit of hypocrisy since I remove DRM from books that I have purchased but a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

There is also the chance that after removing the DRM from a library loan, why not simply leave it in your library just in case you might want to re-read it later? A slippery slope that I don't want to start down.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Perhaps you should take note of where I live before pitching the DMCA.

Perhaps you should note this is a public discussion about publicly available tools and not just about you and your personal situation.

[Lynx-lynx]

Well I'm confused, google tells me DMCA is a US copyright law.

As a by the way, is this forum still hosted in the US, or has it been moved to another country?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ApK

Perhaps you should note this is a public discussion about publicly available tools and not just about you and your personal situation.

I did note that this was a public discussion available in multiple countries. To many of the inhabitants of this forum, the DMCA is a matter, at best, of intellectual interest. Perhaps if you had referenced "the DMCA or it's local equivalent"?

I've offered my opinion on my use of DRM removal tools which basically amounts to my purchases are fair game for DRM removal, library loans are not.