ADE transition to Bytebooks - Page 2

Cactus Chef · 05-20-2026, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluepeter

Another option is to use Kobo Desktop. If you download to that (rather than to an e-reader) and run Calibre on the same computer, OBOK will automatically find the books held there, and offer to import them to your Calibre library. I tried that method for the first time yesterday, and found it very smooth. Having said that, OBOK spots everything downloaded to Kobo Desktop, so housekeeping (removal of downloads no longer needed) is beneficial. Otherwise, the list offered by OBOK can get unusably long.

I am, of course, assuming that you use a Windows or Mac computer. I've no idea if this'd work under Linux (+ Wine, presumably).

(I was following your second option, i.e., using the DeACSM plugin, until I tried the alternative described above.)

I am, in fact, running Linux, and IIRC the Kobo Desktop has been sunset/deprecated, so I'd rather not depend on a legacy solution for longterm personal archiving. The clock on it is already ticking. The help page notes that the Desktop app is both no longer available to users in Europe, and does not work with the latest models.

I don't want to depend on a solution that's gonna be another Kindle4PC or B&N Desktop app. We have all seen how those go in the long term.

JSWolf · 05-20-2026, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Jon, do you still remember that Adobe's ADEPT DRM comes in multiple flavours? Since Adobe Content Server 5.0, there is a hardened DRM available which required a minimum of RMSDK 10 to decrypt. ACS 6.5 tweaked that a bit to make it even more secure.

You may remember the discussion about this several years back. At that time, it seemed the industry support for Adobe's hardened DRM was only to be found with textbook publishers. In the years since, I have seen 4 examples of ebooks with the resource level DRM and all 4 were university textbooks. I've attached the ACS flags image to this post.

But the current DeDRM has support for the hardened DRM in RMSDK. I've not tried it.

DNSB · 05-21-2026, 11:51 AM

Yes, Jon, I am quite aware of that. Perhaps being one of the few people who tested removing the hardened ADEPT DRM since finding samples was hard to do helped my awareness.

latepaul · 05-21-2026, 12:37 PM

Speaking of samples being hard to find...

This discussion got me thinking that I'd like to test creating an account with ByteBooks and make sure everything still works downloading the book (not DeDRM initially, just the acsm -> epub part). I can't actually do this yet (they say "end of may" on the site) but when I do I'll be using an email different to my main one. But since I don't want to associate a credit card with a throwaway email account I was looking for ADE books that are also free.

Turns out ebooks.com has free books but if you "buy" them you just get a straight epub download not an acsm file (makes sense really).

Then I went to try Kobo, who have a list of free ebooks, but every single one I tried (a random selection of about 8 or so) said "not available in the UK". Makes me think none of them are.

Does anyone know if such a thing exists - it doesn't make a lot of sense really, there's no reason to supply a free book via ADE, except maybe if you want to simplify your processes.

maddz · 05-21-2026, 03:09 PM

There used to be a selection from Adobe, but that was years ago... Mostly shorts or excerpts.

Yup: https://www.adobe.com/uk/solutions/e...k-library.html

But probably not what you're looking for as test material.

The Bytebooks page looks like the same content: https://dtsbytebooks.com/products/di...sample-library

I get ASCM files when I click on them and I'm in the UK.

JSWolf · 05-21-2026, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by latepaul

Speaking of samples being hard to find...

This discussion got me thinking that I'd like to test creating an account with ByteBooks and make sure everything still works downloading the book (not DeDRM initially, just the acsm -> epub part). I can't actually do this yet (they say "end of may" on the site) but when I do I'll be using an email different to my main one. But since I don't want to associate a credit card with a throwaway email account I was looking for ADE books that are also free.

Turns out ebooks.com has free books but if you "buy" them you just get a straight epub download not an acsm file (makes sense really).

Then I went to try Kobo, who have a list of free ebooks, but every single one I tried (a random selection of about 8 or so) said "not available in the UK". Makes me think none of them are.

Does anyone know if such a thing exists - it doesn't make a lot of sense really, there's no reason to supply a free book via ADE, except maybe if you want to simplify your processes.

The problem is that you cannot register for a ByteBooks account just yet. I just get a message saying the end of May.

latepaul · 05-22-2026, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem is that you cannot register for a ByteBooks account just yet. I just get a message saying the end of May.

I know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by latepaul

I can't actually do this yet (they say "end of may" on the site)

rantanplan · 05-22-2026, 03:10 AM

I wonder if I’ll get similar mails from Thalia or Kobo.

JSWolf · 05-22-2026, 05:03 AM

Previously to yesterday, I was able to get to the ByteBooks registration. I didn't register. Yesterday I was going to tray with a temp email and see if it works with the ACSM Input plugin.

DiapDealer · 05-22-2026, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Previously to yesterday, I was able to get to the ByteBooks registration. I didn't register. Yesterday I was going to tray with a fake email and see if it works with the ACSM Input plugin.

Perhaps you meant "throwaway" email? I certainly wouldn't waste time trying a fake email that can't possibly be verified.

JSWolf · 05-22-2026, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Perhaps you meant "throwaway" email? I certainly wouldn't waste time trying a fake email that can't possibly be verified.

I actually meant temp email. Thanks for picking up the error.

skyblond · 05-22-2026, 12:02 PM

I also got an email from pubu tw (an ebook dealer in Taiwan) saying this bytebooks transition. Seems like they are **currently** still providing Adobe DRM content. Seems like they will keep providing such DRM file (ACSM) in the future, since I didn't find any notice about the change other than this email.

I assume the current deDRM plugin will still work for a while, but this transition is kinda spooky and I feel that some new version of drm may come soon.

JSWolf · 05-22-2026, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyblond

I also got an email from pubu tw (an ebook dealer in Taiwan) saying this bytebooks transition. Seems like they are **currently** still providing Adobe DRM content. Seems like they will keep providing such DRM file (ACSM) in the future, since I didn't find any notice about the change other than this email.

I assume the current deDRM plugin will still work for a while, but this transition is kinda spooky and I feel that some new version of drm may come soon.

If the DRM is changed, there is going to be a very many people no longer able to read ePub. I don't see this happening.

skyblond · 05-22-2026, 12:40 PM

From a programmer perspective, you won't touch the code if it's working fine. So my worst guess is that there are gonna be some really unwelcome updates to the Adobe DRM. But I think it would be hard to push small and medium sized dealers to adopt the new system.

Despite feeling anxious, I guess we can only wait and see.

JSWolf · 05-22-2026, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyblond

From a programmer perspective, you won't touch the code if it's working fine. So my worst guess is that there are gonna be some really unwelcome updates to the Adobe DRM. But I think it would be hard to push small and medium sized dealers to adopt the new system.

Despite feeling anxious, I guess we can only wait and see.

I don't think this has anything to do with DRM. I think this is just about moving your account from Adobe to ByteBooks,

05-21-2026, 03:09 PM	#20
maddz Wizard Posts: 1,520 Karma: 30455160 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: UK Device: Kobo Forma, Icarus, iPad Mini 2, Kobo Touch, Google Nexus 7	There used to be a selection from Adobe, but that was years ago... Mostly shorts or excerpts. Yup: https://www.adobe.com/uk/solutions/e...k-library.html But probably not what you're looking for as test material. The Bytebooks page looks like the same content: https://dtsbytebooks.com/products/di...sample-library I get ASCM files when I click on them and I'm in the UK. Last edited by maddz; 05-21-2026 at 03:14 PM.

05-22-2026, 05:03 AM	#24
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 83,519 Karma: 153646249 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Previously to yesterday, I was able to get to the ByteBooks registration. I didn't register. Yesterday I was going to tray with a temp email and see if it works with the ACSM Input plugin. Last edited by JSWolf; 05-22-2026 at 08:47 AM.

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05-21-2026, 11:51 AM	#18
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 51,958 Karma: 180003020 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Yes, Jon, I am quite aware of that. Perhaps being one of the few people who tested removing the hardened ADEPT DRM since finding samples was hard to do helped my awareness.

05-21-2026, 12:37 PM	#19
latepaul Wizard Posts: 1,283 Karma: 10468300 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: a variety (mostly kindles and kobos)	Speaking of samples being hard to find... This discussion got me thinking that I'd like to test creating an account with ByteBooks and make sure everything still works downloading the book (not DeDRM initially, just the acsm -> epub part). I can't actually do this yet (they say "end of may" on the site) but when I do I'll be using an email different to my main one. But since I don't want to associate a credit card with a throwaway email account I was looking for ADE books that are also free. Turns out ebooks.com has free books but if you "buy" them you just get a straight epub download not an acsm file (makes sense really). Then I went to try Kobo, who have a list of free ebooks, but every single one I tried (a random selection of about 8 or so) said "not available in the UK". Makes me think none of them are. Does anyone know if such a thing exists - it doesn't make a lot of sense really, there's no reason to supply a free book via ADE, except maybe if you want to simplify your processes.

05-22-2026, 03:10 AM	#23
rantanplan Weirdo Posts: 1,101 Karma: 12503116 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Wuppertal, Germany Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2, reMarkable PaperPro	I wonder if I’ll get similar mails from Thalia or Kobo.

05-22-2026, 12:02 PM	#27
skyblond Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2026 Device: Kindle PW6 jailbreak, koreader	I also got an email from pubu tw (an ebook dealer in Taiwan) saying this bytebooks transition. Seems like they are currently still providing Adobe DRM content. Seems like they will keep providing such DRM file (ACSM) in the future, since I didn't find any notice about the change other than this email. I assume the current deDRM plugin will still work for a while, but this transition is kinda spooky and I feel that some new version of drm may come soon.

05-22-2026, 12:40 PM	#29
skyblond Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2026 Device: Kindle PW6 jailbreak, koreader	From a programmer perspective, you won't touch the code if it's working fine. So my worst guess is that there are gonna be some really unwelcome updates to the Adobe DRM. But I think it would be hard to push small and medium sized dealers to adopt the new system. Despite feeling anxious, I guess we can only wait and see.