Amazon DRM limiting number of times you can download a book - Page 2

Mr. Goodbar · 06-20-2009, 02:05 PM

Managing this process with Mobipocket or even MS Lit was not too much of a problem, but I'm realizing it will be a little more complicated with Amazon since you have to fix it by book. Stripping the drm and keeping a copy on the pc seems easier in some respects, but you lose the flexibility of having all of your purchases accessible online. Hopefully they will streamline this in the future.

As a side note, I just returned from Greece and was surprised to see multiple Kindle's in use on the plane. I've only ever seen one or two Sony readers in use when I travel and never more than one other user on the same flight. I guess we're starting to see better penetration of ereaders in the market.

Skydog · 06-20-2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Really? So if you have two Kindles, you have to download the files twice - once for each Kindle - and the file for one Kindle won't work on the other? Doesn't that make it somewhat difficult to keep personal backups of your books on your PC, for example? How do you know which file is for which Kindle?

Harry T,

The only way to confirm which files to backup from a particular Kindle is provided on the "Manage Your Kindle" page of one's Amazon account. There is a drop-down menu from which one can select the desired Kindle by its given name and then a refreshed list appears showing the "Delivery Status," or list of downloads, for that particular Kindle.

-Pat

Alisa · 06-21-2009, 12:02 AM

On the bright side, this means you can share books with your friends with Kindles without busting the DRM. It's a bit cumbersome because you have to deregister, register, deregister and register again but it's doable.

HarryT · 06-21-2009, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

On the bright side, this means you can share books with your friends with Kindles without busting the DRM. It's a bit cumbersome because you have to deregister, register, deregister and register again but it's doable.

You can do the same with Mobi DRM too. Simply add your friend's device ID to the list and redownload the book.

This may be prohibited by the bookstore's T&Cs of course, but that's a separate issue.

elmoglick · 06-21-2009, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

You've got it. Indeed, backing up the Kindle books to your PC is almost pointless unless you strip the DRM from them.

As you have noted, backups won't help with respect to copying books to an upgraded or replacement Kindle, but it is very handy to have all your purchased books on your hard drive in case there is a problem with the Amazon servers (not uncommon).

I keep two copies of every book I purchase - one for my Kindle and one for my wife's. I have had my K2 replaced a number of times for sunfade and other issues, so I have had to have CS refund a few books so I could get them when they were not able to reset the license counters. It definitely appears their DRM system is still working out bugs 19 months into the product.

El

GeoffC · 06-21-2009, 11:50 AM

it also depends on how long the store retains books on your behalf.

one that i downloaded 9 months ago from BoB is no longer available for me to download.

i.e. my order area contains the books ordered but they are no longer stored in my bookshelf.

at least FW have not deleted my bookshelf from their servers.

Lilly · 06-21-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

it also depends on how long the store retains books on your behalf.

one that i downloaded 9 months ago from BoB is no longer available for me to download.

i.e. my order area contains the books ordered but they are no longer stored in my bookshelf.

at least FW have not deleted my bookshelf from their servers.

That worries me. I can't believe BoB did not state that policy, at least I've never seen anything about deleting your books after a certain period!

pdurrant · 06-21-2009, 12:40 PM

Would someone with a Kindle be willin to do the experiment? That is, repeatedly download and delete a book on your Kindle from the Amazon store. But make it a book you're not worried about losing!

If you can still download after 20 times, that would indicate that the original article was mistaken.

And if you can't I think it's something Kindle owners need confirmed.

sirbruce · 06-21-2009, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Would someone with a Kindle be willin to do the experiment? That is, repeatedly download and delete a book on your Kindle from the Amazon store. But make it a book you're not worried about losing!

If you can still download after 20 times, that would indicate that the original article was mistaken.

And if you can't I think it's something Kindle owners need confirmed.

People have been doing it, though I haven't seen any reports of 20 times. The original article is mistaken, and he's confusing the device limitation with a download one.

susan_cassidy · 06-21-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Really? So if you have two Kindles, you have to download the files twice - once for each Kindle - and the file for one Kindle won't work on the other? Doesn't that make it somewhat difficult to keep personal backups of your books on your PC, for example? How do you know which file is for which Kindle?

Um, you put the files for Kindle 1 in the Kindle 1 folder, and the files for Kindle 2 in the Kindle 2 folder?

Elsi · 06-21-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Really? So if you have two Kindles, you have to download the files twice - once for each Kindle - and the file for one Kindle won't work on the other? Doesn't that make it somewhat difficult to keep personal backups of your books on your PC, for example? How do you know which file is for which Kindle?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

You've got it. Indeed, backing up the Kindle books to your PC is almost pointless unless you strip the DRM from them.

I keep the backups in a folder that has a simple text file in it with the PID. That's just insurance! I experimented with the deDRM routine to make sure I knew how to run it, but have not routinely unlocked any of my Kindle content.

sirbruce · 06-21-2009, 02:25 PM

But if you don't remove the DRM, the backups are pointless, as you won't be able to move them to another device. If you delete the book from your Kindle, you can re-downlaod it from Amazon. If you have to replace your Kindle, your PC backed up files won't work because the have the wrong PID; you have to redownload them from Amazon.

susan_cassidy · 06-21-2009, 02:37 PM

But if your internet connection is down, or Amazon suddenly loses servers, etc., you can copy your backup copy back to the original Kindle from your backup.

sirbruce · 06-22-2009, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

But if your internet connection is down, or Amazon suddenly loses servers, etc., you can copy your backup copy back to the original Kindle from your backup.

True. Like I said before (but forgot to qualify the second time) it's *almost* pointless.

Lemurion · 06-22-2009, 08:23 AM

And this is what my brother wanted me to jump in the middle of. There are lots of things I like about the K2 - but man the DRM system seems annoying.

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06-20-2009, 02:05 PM	#16
Mr. Goodbar Wizard Posts: 1,005 Karma: 98078 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Mini 4	Managing this process with Mobipocket or even MS Lit was not too much of a problem, but I'm realizing it will be a little more complicated with Amazon since you have to fix it by book. Stripping the drm and keeping a copy on the pc seems easier in some respects, but you lose the flexibility of having all of your purchases accessible online. Hopefully they will streamline this in the future. As a side note, I just returned from Greece and was surprised to see multiple Kindle's in use on the plane. I've only ever seen one or two Sony readers in use when I travel and never more than one other user on the same flight. I guess we're starting to see better penetration of ereaders in the market.

06-21-2009, 12:02 AM	#18
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	On the bright side, this means you can share books with your friends with Kindles without busting the DRM. It's a bit cumbersome because you have to deregister, register, deregister and register again but it's doable.

06-21-2009, 11:50 AM	#21
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	it also depends on how long the store retains books on your behalf. one that i downloaded 9 months ago from BoB is no longer available for me to download. i.e. my order area contains the books ordered but they are no longer stored in my bookshelf. at least FW have not deleted my bookshelf from their servers.

06-21-2009, 12:40 PM	#23
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 73,590 Karma: 315126578 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	Would someone with a Kindle be willin to do the experiment? That is, repeatedly download and delete a book on your Kindle from the Amazon store. But make it a book you're not worried about losing! If you can still download after 20 times, that would indicate that the original article was mistaken. And if you can't I think it's something Kindle owners need confirmed.

06-21-2009, 02:25 PM	#27
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	But if you don't remove the DRM, the backups are pointless, as you won't be able to move them to another device. If you delete the book from your Kindle, you can re-downlaod it from Amazon. If you have to replace your Kindle, your PC backed up files won't work because the have the wrong PID; you have to redownload them from Amazon.

06-21-2009, 02:37 PM	#28
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	But if your internet connection is down, or Amazon suddenly loses servers, etc., you can copy your backup copy back to the original Kindle from your backup.

06-22-2009, 08:23 AM	#30
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	And this is what my brother wanted me to jump in the middle of. There are lots of things I like about the K2 - but man the DRM system seems annoying.

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