Firmware Update New Kindle update?

[Lawcheehung]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

To be sure that you have access to the ebooks in the future. To be able to convert the ebooks to different formats.

These are the two most important reasons. I also like to be able to tweak the text, or extract the text for comparison with other editions.

There have been several instances where ebook suppliers or retailers have stopped supplying certain ebooks, leading to a loss of access for customers.

Amazon dropped their DRMed PDF ebooks a few years ago. OverDrive pulled out of the Fictionwise ebook store quite recently.

With a DRMed ebook you can never be certain you'll still have access when your current device breaks, even if a replacement reader is available of the same kind from the same company — the publisher might have withdrawn the ebook from sale in the meantime.

I haven't bought an ebook with non-removeable DRM since 2003 or so. And luckily, even the ones I bought before then I've been able to de-drm.

I'm certainly not going to buy any ebooks now that I can't de-drm.

Ah, ok thanks for the reply!
So basically, say 10-20 years from now if Kindle "ceases to exist", you will still have these books to read instead of a lot of useless files.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Lawcheehung

Ah, ok thanks for the reply!
So basically, say 10-20 years from now if Kindle "ceases to exist", you will still have these books to read instead of a lot of useless files.

I'd say 5-10 years for Amazon ceasing to support new downloads of Kindle format files as most likely myself.

The other reason for removing DRM is to make life a lot more convenient /now/. By removing the DRM, I can have one file to take care of and make backups of, that can be read on any Kindle, Mac or Windows machine, without having to re-download for the specific machine I want to read it on. I can also read it on my phone.

If you only ever read on your Kindle, and you only buy from the Kindle store, and you don't use Kindle for Mac or Kindle for Windows, then the DRM probably doesn't affect you right now. But if any of those things changes, DRM will bite you on the bum.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

yup....from my reading the update 2.5.x changes the DRM scheme slightly and none of the old tools work anymore. So, easy fix, don't update. I can live w/o collections if the trade off is device independence.

Can you PM me with links or wherever you are reading this?

and thanks for your additional info Paul.

[Dropout]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I'd say 5-10 years for Amazon ceasing to support new downloads of Kindle format files as most likely myself.

The other reason for removing DRM is to make life a lot more convenient /now/. By removing the DRM, I can have one file to take care of and make backups of, that can be read on any Kindle, Mac or Windows machine, without having to re-download for the specific machine I want to read it on. I can also read it on my phone.

If you only ever read on your Kindle, and you only buy from the Kindle store, and you don't use Kindle for Mac or Kindle for Windows, then the DRM probably doesn't affect you right now. But if any of those things changes, DRM will bite you on the bum.

I'm fairly certain Amazon will always know what books you purchased, and should they change their format or get rid of DRM (and they are slowly loosening their grip), they would offer your books in that format. It's in their best interest to give as much support to the customer as possible. And if they support a new format, there is no reason their products wouldn't either.

There is no reason to think your purchases on Amazon would suddenly not be available anymore just because they don't support the amz format. Could you imagine the backlash?

Now should Amazon somehow go out of business (unlikely), it also wouldn't surprise me if, legally or illegally, a tool to crack the DRM wasn't made. But I don't see that happening. At worst they'd be taken over by another business and support for e-books would continue.

As for the convenience now, that's a very good reason.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Dropout

I'm fairly certain Amazon will always know what books you purchased, and should they change their format or get rid of DRM (and they are slowly loosening their grip), they would offer your books in that format. It's in their best interest to give as much support to the customer as possible. And if they support a new format, there is no reason their products wouldn't either.

There is no reason to think your purchases on Amazon would suddenly not be available anymore just because they don't support the amz format. Could you imagine the backlash?

Now should Amazon somehow go out of business (unlikely), it also wouldn't surprise me if, legally or illegally, a tool to crack the DRM wasn't made. But I don't see that happening. At worst they'd be taken over by another business and support for e-books would continue.

As for the convenience now, that's a very good reason.

It has happened before. I personally don't trust anyone to manage/maintain my stuff. If I can't strip drm off such that I can store, manage, backup, convert etc. then I'm not buying their books.

[luqmaninbmore]

Originally Posted by Dropout

I'm fairly certain Amazon will always know what books you purchased, and should they change their format or get rid of DRM (and they are slowly loosening their grip), they would offer your books in that format. It's in their best interest to give as much support to the customer as possible. And if they support a new format, there is no reason their products wouldn't either.

There is no reason to think your purchases on Amazon would suddenly not be available anymore just because they don't support the amz format. Could you imagine the backlash?
.

I can imagine it very clearly because Amazon pulled this stunt before when it cancelled its previous foray into ebooks. A lot of people lost access to their books then due to DRM. I have hitherto been half-hearted about selling my DX, but now I think I may go whole-hog in attempting to sell it off.

Luqman

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by Dropout

There is no reason to think your purchases on Amazon would suddenly not be available anymore just because they don't support the amz format. Could you imagine the backlash?

I can even imagine there being no Amazon.com.

I remove DRM from all ebooks in maintaining my personal library.

[Sydney's Mom]

This is very distressing. I was looking forward to getting the next generation kindle, so I would have a backup. But if I can only get books with DRM, I will buy a Sony or a Nook. They make reading library books easier, anyway.

[Stingo]

Apart from this thread is this situation being documented anywhere on the web? Has the author of DeDRM commented? Where can I read about Iphone or PC based drm removal?

I want to keep buying books from Amazon but not if I am a drm hostage.

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by Snorkledorf

Hm. I've actually been much more free about purchasing books recently, knowing that I could magically empower them to follow me into the future. This news sort of changes that dynamic, doesn't it?

Originally Posted by rfog

That means I've finished purchasing Amazon Kindle eBooks.

I find it easiest on my budget and bank balance, if I only purchase a book when I'm ready to read it. After I've read it, I don't care if I can access it in future. There are of course a few books that I want to RE-read again, but not very many of them. Anyway - with this purchasing plan - I don't care if the books are DRMed. I just want to read them! And not have to find shelf space to store them on, when I'm done.

[Skydog]

To any owner of a Kindle with the (older)2.3 firmware:

Have you purchased a book recently and are still able to dedrm it? I'm wondering if the new DRM scheme will also affect Kindles with the older firmware as well as the new 2.5.

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by Skydog

I'm wondering if the new DRM scheme will also affect Kindles with the older firmware as well as the new 2.5.

2.3 is fine.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Lawcheehung

Sorry new here...but what exactly is the purpose of de-DRMing the books in the first place? For the purpose of free use on other e-readers besides the Kindle?

That's part of it. Part of it is that Kindles break and need to be replaced. And there's no guarantee that the (far into the future - at least three years) replacement Kindle will be able to read such primitive formats.

In which case, having a DRM-removed copy around on your backup DVDs will make it possible to re-read without having to re-purchase them. Yay!

Derek

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Skydog

To any owner of a Kindle with the (older)2.3 firmware:

Have you purchased a book recently and are still able to dedrm it? I'm wondering if the new DRM scheme will also affect Kindles with the older firmware as well as the new 2.5.

Yes! Just bought one yesterday and it de-drms just FINE!

Derek

[elmoglick]

So perhaps an old K1 could act as a de-drm device, since it's unaffected....?