Finally able to support authors

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by leebase

I know, every time I say "it's not easy for me" - and I'm an IT professional and have been participating here for 15 years -- I will get "well it's easy for me". Good for you.

On the other hand, the "thread that never ends" stands as testimony that a LOT of people do not find it easy AT ALL.

It doesn't help that we are not allowed to make it clear and easy. But, I respect the forum admins position on this.

With all the time I spent getting it working, and then it would stop, and I'd hunt down and getting it working again, and then it would stop...

I would have been "money ahead" - for time is money - had ePubor actually lived up to it's promises. But it didn't - for me.

Exactly how is calibre with DeDRM not easy? Please explain so we can help.

[jhowell]

I have looked at the internals of the Epubor app and it is basically a GUI wrapper around calibre and a few of its plugins including DeDRM and my KFX Input plugin. All without attribution.

I don’t mind them selling a product but I wish they would give some credit to those who did the hard work that they rely upon.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You've been seriously RIPPED-OFF! CHEATED! BAMBOOZLED! TAKEN FOR A RIDE! SCAMMED! Calibre with the DeDRM plugin works better and is FREE!

In one of those rare occasions, I agree completely with Jon.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by John F

Maybe some authors? If the authors really cared, they could not do business with Amazon (not sign contracts that allows DRM on their books).

Unfortunately, Kindle Unlimited page impressions make up a good part of many authors' incomes, and Amazon locks access to KU behind the KDP Select exclusivity contract.

[John F]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Unfortunately, Kindle Unlimited page impressions make up a good part of many authors' incomes, and Amazon locks access to KU behind the KDP Select exclusivity contract.

That falls under "if authors really cared". They are willing to sacrifice their principles for more money.

[ownedbycats]

Unfortunately, landlords don't accept principles for rent.

EDIT: That sounded better in my head.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Unfortunately, landlords don't accept principles for rent.

EDIT: That sounded better in my head.

How about:

Principles do not pay the bills

-Frank G Whitworth.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

How about:


-Frank G Whitworth.

Now I also feel like a crappy plagiarist.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Unfortunately, Kindle Unlimited page impressions make up a good part of many authors' incomes, and Amazon locks access to KU behind the KDP Select exclusivity contract.

Amazon and some publishers/authors want you to believe it. It might only be true for a small number of people, and maybe they might make more publishing "wide". The big publishers are not exclusive on KU. I suspect the exclusivity demand (which is only KU, not Amason sales) may soon be deemed illegal in EU.

Also Amazon as 90%+ of English Language ebook sales because many don't publish elsewhere. Of people that publish ebooks on most platforms they might sell slightly more than half outside Amazon and none on Google Playstore Playbooks. Baffling how bad Google is for ebook sales.

[Gardenman]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I have looked at the internals of the Epubor app and it is basically a GUI wrapper around calibre and a few of its plugins including DeDRM and my KFX Input plugin. All without attribution.

I don’t mind them selling a product but I wish they would give some credit to those who did the hard work that they rely upon.

I have always wished calibre would have a GUI wrapper

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Amazon and some publishers/authors want you to believe it. It might only be true for a small number of people, and maybe they might make more publishing "wide".

It's not just Amazon though. There are many interviews with indie authors that confirm they make more through Kindle exclusivity than they did by going wide.

The big publishers are not exclusive on KU. I suspect the exclusivity demand (which is only KU, not Amason sales) may soon be deemed illegal in EU.

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. Amazon and the Kindle platform have undoubtedly been a boon for indie authors. But seeing how Amazon treats only the smaller, less powerful authors that way feels like evidence to be used against them.

I don't see what the harm would be in letting authors sell their books elsewhere while they are not allowed to be in both KU and Kobo Plus. But I am not an expert.

[leebase]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Exactly how is calibre with DeDRM not easy? Please explain so we can help.

You aren't allowed to make it clear as it's against the forum policies. But - in the interest of "what would clear look like".

A single page/thread that is kept up to date. Not a 50k post thread that you have to troll through trying to piece together "what is the latest".

The "kept up to date" post would have:
- links to the latest versions of Calibre and Plugin that work
- links to the "last official working copies of the kindle app" for those who use that method
- step by step "how to"
- list of file formats able to be liberated, and which one's are not yet

And this post would be kept up to date. When Calibre comes out with a new version that breaks with the plugin - you'd keep that page up to date to let folks know to not upgrade yet.

A FAQ - for all the frequently asked questions.

I now have built my own version of this desired document. I don't do this all the time, and I'll come try to liberate some books and find "it stopped working". And I have to track down all this information. And it's not easy. Even when I'd done it successfully before. And before that. And before before that.

Every time it's a complete hassle and the 50k post thread is a hassle to sift through trying to find out the latest.

Alf no more, but now it's Apprentice Harper....but no more it's NoDRM...but not the "released" version, the beta or the alpha, that's the real version to trust.

Seriously folks. The solution is hard to get working and is not stable over time.

[John F]

Originally Posted by leebase

You aren't allowed to make it clear as it's against the forum policies. But - in the interest of "what would clear look like".

A single page/thread that is kept up to date. Not a 50k post thread that you have to troll through trying to piece together "what is the latest".

The "kept up to date" post would have:
- links to the latest versions of Calibre and Plugin that work
- links to the "last official working copies of the kindle app" for those who use that method
- step by step "how to"
- list of file formats able to be liberated, and which one's are not yet

And this post would be kept up to date. When Calibre comes out with a new version that breaks with the plugin - you'd keep that page up to date to let folks know to not upgrade yet.

A FAQ - for all the frequently asked questions.

I now have built my own version of this desired document. I don't do this all the time, and I'll come try to liberate some books and find "it stopped working". And I have to track down all this information. And it's not easy. Even when I'd done it successfully before. And before that. And before before that.

Every time it's a complete hassle and the 50k post thread is a hassle to sift through trying to find out the latest.

Alf no more, but now it's Apprentice Harper....but no more it's NoDRM...but not the "released" version, the beta or the alpha, that's the real version to trust.

Seriously folks. The solution is hard to get working and is not stable over time.

I like your idea of an "update" button for calibre for DRM purposes.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by leebase

When Calibre comes out with a new version that breaks with the plugin - you'd keep that page up to date to let folks know to not upgrade yet.

I haven't seen that. Am I forgetting something? Wasn't that the release of calibre 4 or something? And wasn't there lots of chatter for weeks beforehand about it?

[DiapDealer]

Easy is never going to be in the cards for practices that are deemed illegal in many jurisdictions. Whether or not prosecution is very likely, nobody's going to go out on limb and host clean, concise, and up to date FAQs able to be parsed easily by noobs and experts alike. Good developers are rarely good documenters. Throw in volunteers working on stuff that's legally grey and that "rarely" becomes never.

You wanna walk on the wild side, you gotta be willing to do your due diligence. Same as it ever was. Vague and fuzzy keeps things working; Clear and concise breaks them more regularly.

I honestly don't know how Epubor has gotten away with it as long as they have. Charging money for DRM removal software seems to be one the few things that is clearly deemed illegal in most jurisdictions.