Reading Adobe ePub EBooks on Kindle 3

[wacomme]

Alf,

I'm sorry for the criticism. You've done what nobody was willing or able to do, and you've helped many, many people. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Apprentice Alf

A time-out just lost a long rant I'd composed. It's probably just as well.

You seem to be unable at the moment to even download an ePub from your library and read it on your computer. That has nothing to do with DeDRM instructions, the tools download or my blog.

As for the complexity of the instructions — it's explained by the vast variety of ebook file formats, ebook drm systems, ebook reading systems, and ebook users and requirements.

While your specific requirement, to download Adobe Adept epub ebooks from your library to your Mac, and convert them for use on your Kindle, could be explained in simple terms in about five paragraphs, there are fifty other users with slightly different or totally different requirements who also need DRM removal tools.



If you have specific proposals for ways to simplify the tools, instructions or the blog, please let us know.

Did you read the "ReadMe_First.txt" file that's in the top level of the tool zip? How do you suggest we improve it without making it so long you'd have skipped it because it was too complex?

A rather exasperated,

— Alf.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by piznattipat

i'm in a simliar situation- i'll sort through legal debate of drm and read lectures about my lack of tech savvy. i just want to read on my kindle ! and i'm humbling asking for your help!

i've downloaded adobe digital editions and books from my local library. I've downloaded calibre as well. i open calibre and attempt to add the book from my adobe digital editions library...but there's nothing there. the book is there when i open adobe digital editions. but calibre doesn't seem to find it, even when i set it recognize all formats.
what am i doing wrong? please help.

i think if i could get it in calibre, i can covert and get it on my kindle...but i'm missing something. any help is appreciated. thanks.

1.) Your library gives you a link to GET the download. You save that to your HD, and double-click on it (or open from the library) and it will download the book to your Adobe Digital Editions.
2.) Once you can SEE the book and read it in Adobe Digital Editions, you need to use Calibre to Open the "My Digital Editions" folder and ADD the book to Calibre.
3.) If you don't have some method to remove DRM, you're still out of luck. But GIYF and you'll find v3.0 of tools to resolve that, complete with plugins for Calibre.
4.) Now, convert your ePub to mobi and transfer to your Kindle.

Charlie.

[Apprentice Alf]

Originally Posted by wacomme

I'm sorry for the criticism.

That's OK. I think I must have been particularly grumpy when I posted.

It is very easy for those of us who've been working with the various ebook formats for years to forget how complex the process is for newcomers, and it's useful to be reminded every so often.

The main complicating factor is, of course, DRM. Why, who'd expect that when you downloaded an ebook, you didn't get an ebook but just a token file that needed to be opened by another bit of software to download the actual book.

It's crazy, which is why I do my bit to let people side-step the longer-term problems of DRM.

Suggestions for improvements are always welcome, especially in terms of introductory text. I didn't notice that your original post was from 1st January, before the latest v3.1 tools set, which does now includes a "Read Me First" file at the top level, precisely because we thought that the large number of folders of tools was intimidating.

— Alf.

[ksng]

Does anyone know what's the best way to protect ePUB files? which means we want to make sure the book cannot be transfered to another user? is it possible?

[FF2]

Originally Posted by ksng

Does anyone know what's the best way to protect ePUB files? which means we want to make sure the book cannot be transfered to another user? is it possible?

More information might help. Are you writing a book that you want to limit in circulation? That means you want to install drm so that the book can only be read on a specific reader after downloaded?

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by ksng

Does anyone know what's the best way to protect ePUB files? which means we want to make sure the book cannot be transfered to another user? is it possible?

This is what DRM is designed to do. It encrypts the ebook, which prevents "casual" sharing - but it is technically impossible to design an encryption scheme that is secure against the person you are sending the encrypted file to. Since this is exactly what ebook DRM does, almost all the available schemes have been circumvented and the remaining ones can be circumvented if someone with the right skills tries hard enough.

There are three DRM schemes for ePub with widespread reader apps. Adobe ePub is the most popular. B&N ePub is a username/password based scheme, which is also supported by Adobe but is not on most ebook Readers. Apple ePub has not been circumvented, but is only available on iTunes for iThing apps. Adobe and B&N DRM have both been circumvented, so in practice they are worthless.

None of these is readily available for individuals or small publishers to encrypt their ebooks. You can post ebooks to some ebook distributers and have them add DRM, or buy a service from Adobe - but it is expensive. It would not be hard for someone to reverse engineer B&N ePub creation, but there is no real incentive to do so.

[ksng]

yes thats right. Just like when you download an apple app and it can only be read by the person who purchases it. Based on what wallcraft said i think there is no cheaper way to for a small publisher or company to protect their epub then?

[curstpriest]

Well then you could just do this:
1) check out book from library
2) download book drm free from interwebs illegally
3) delete book after lending period is over

or just ignore steps 1&3 if laws are really meant to be broken
i mean really, you guys talk about stripping drm like it ain't no thing, when really it would take me about 3 seconds to find a RS link to the same file already stripped. How is one illegal thing less illegal than another. They are both illegal where I live.

[abookreader]

I think that as a small Publisher you are going to find your biggest challenge is to gaining enough exposure and getting people to agree to try your product - not "locking" your files up.