KFX Format

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by datcha

I have no physical Kindle, and I do not use Windows or Mac (though I can probably borrow a Windows PC if necessary).

You need to have a Kindle, Fire tablet, Mac or PC (Windows or Linux+Wine). You can't do it with just an Android (or iOS) device.

Originally Posted by datcha

And if the is a tool to reverse kfx to older format, that could be nice too (maybe nicer). There is a company advertising such a product for sale (www.epubor.com), but I am wary of this.

Claiming to remove DRM from KFX is just a marketing hook. They tell you to work around it by getting the book in another format using the same procedures discussed here.

[Notjohn]

Immediately forget I said this, but I use Epubor (I'm not a pirate! I'm not a pirate! The university library provides epubs, but I prefer to read them on my Fire tablet, honest!) The other day I bought A Man in Full from Amazon. It says Enhanced Typesetting Enabled, so I assume it's KFX. A devil perched on my shoulder and made me open the book in Calibre. Sure enough, I was able to save it as a mobi file and open it on a Kindle registered to another account. So Epubor evidently did its bit behind the scenes.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by datcha

But I am open to suggestions for a more appropriate place where to ask my question.

What is appropriate would be to start a new thread. When asking a new question a new thread is the best way.

Dale

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Immediately forget I said this, but I use Epubor (I'm not a pirate! I'm not a pirate! The university library provides epubs, but I prefer to read them on my Fire tablet, honest!) The other day I bought A Man in Full from Amazon. It says Enhanced Typesetting Enabled, so I assume it's KFX. A devil perched on my shoulder and made me open the book in Calibre. Sure enough, I was able to save it as a mobi file and open it on a Kindle registered to another account. So Epubor evidently did its bit behind the scenes.

Enhanced Typesetting Enabled jut means that you might receive a KFX on a device that supports KFX.

There's no way epubor have reverse-engineered the KFX format and DRM.

[jhowell]

If you look at the Epubor instructions for converting KFX files you will see that it calls for actually downloading a KF8 or MOBI file using one of the methods already described in this thread.

Their marketing-speak, "we can convert KFX files to EPUB/PDF/Mobi with only 1 click", is misleading to the point of being dishonest in my opinion.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by jhowell

If you look at the Epubor instructions for converting KFX files you will see that it calls for actually downloading a KF8 or MOBI file using one of the methods already described in this thread.

Epubor is just a (copyright infringing) wrapper around Calibre. Don't support people who infringe copyright. Just use Calibre directly.

[jhowell]

It appears that Amazon is using KFX as the basis for new e-book features. They continue to enhance their KFX rendering software.

Besides Enhanced Typesetting, recently added were:

• Page Flip: A multi-page thumbnail view that reflects the current font and margin settings.
  
• Table viewer: Data tables in books can be viewed and magnified independently of the other book content.
  
• Kindle Interactive Edition: These are like Print Replica books, but can have additional reader-activated media.
  
• Comics: Comics delivered in KFX format support page and panel viewing modes and double-page spreads.
  
• Kindle in Motion: These books have images and auto-playing video at fixed locations on pages with the main text flowing around them.

Because these features have been added incrementally, devices running older firmware may only support some of them.

(I may have missed some new features. Please let me know if so.)

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by jhowell

It appears that Amazon is using KFX as the basis for new e-book features. They continue to enhance their KFX rendering software.

Besides Enhanced Typesetting, recently added were:

• Page Flip: A multi-page thumbnail view that reflects the current font and margin settings.
  
• Table viewer: Data tables in books can be viewed and magnified independently of the other book content.
  
• Kindle Interactive Edition: These are like Print Replica books, but can have additional reader-activated media.
  
• Comics: Comics delivered in KFX format support page and panel viewing modes and double-page spreads.
  
• Kindle in Motion: These books have images and auto-playing video at fixed locations on pages with the main text flowing around them.

Because these features have been added incrementally, devices running older firmware may only support some of them.

(I may have missed some new features. Please let me know if so.)

• the new Bookerly font.
• a new image format with higher compression called JXR

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Immediately forget I said this, but I use Epubor (I'm not a pirate! I'm not a pirate! The university library provides epubs, but I prefer to read them on my Fire tablet, honest!) The other day I bought A Man in Full from Amazon. It says Enhanced Typesetting Enabled, so I assume it's KFX. A devil perched on my shoulder and made me open the book in Calibre. Sure enough, I was able to save it as a mobi file and open it on a Kindle registered to another account. So Epubor evidently did its bit behind the scenes.

You can install apps on your Fire tablet to read ePub without the need to convert.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by datcha

And if the is a tool to reverse kfx to older format, that could be nice too (maybe nicer). There is a company advertising such a product for sale (www.epubor.com), but I am wary of this.

Very wise of you! They are shameless liars.

To be more precise, they illegally redistribute calibre and Apprentice Alf's DeDRM tools with branding and UI modifications, while charging you for the privilege.
They can do this, because both calibre and Apprentice Alf are open-source (calibre is licensed under the GPL3).
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get rid of people like that when they operate over the internet. And it isn't worth Kovid's time to pursue them properly.

They are liars on general principle, the sleazebags, and I also know they don't have a solution for KFX because Apprentice Alf and calibre don't have solutions for KFX... and Epubor certainly didn't invent one themself, they are entirely reliant on stealing it from the open-source community.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Immediately forget I said this, but I use Epubor (I'm not a pirate! I'm not a pirate! The university library provides epubs, but I prefer to read them on my Fire tablet, honest!) The other day I bought A Man in Full from Amazon. It says Enhanced Typesetting Enabled, so I assume it's KFX. A devil perched on my shoulder and made me open the book in Calibre. Sure enough, I was able to save it as a mobi file and open it on a Kindle registered to another account. So Epubor evidently did its bit behind the scenes.

Yes you are a pirate. Or at least, you are a wiling collaborator and are helping to perpetuate the existence of the Epubor crooks. Who are pirating the calibre source code.
(Although really, what is wrong with the old "thief" terminology?)

You do realize, that every single bit of functionality Epubor offers is already available in calibre (assuming you install Apprentice Alf's tools as well)?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Immediately forget I said this, but I use Epubor (I'm not a pirate! I'm not a pirate! The university library provides epubs, but I prefer to read them on my Fire tablet, honest!) The other day I bought A Man in Full from Amazon. It says Enhanced Typesetting Enabled, so I assume it's KFX. A devil perched on my shoulder and made me open the book in Calibre. Sure enough, I was able to save it as a mobi file and open it on a Kindle registered to another account. So Epubor evidently did its bit behind the scenes.

You are an accessory to the crime of epubor charging for what is given free. So yes, you are a crook. And you are foolish to pay for what is free and of better quality.

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by datcha

Sorry ... my mistake.

Since it is free, and looked good, I bought it right away. Then the Amazon page stopped showing the "Read for Free" KU button, and I did not see it when I read again your question and wrote my reply.

Ahh, that explains it. Since I had received a pre-release copy, I had not purchased it for free and it was still showing the button for me. Actually your post reminded me I probably should go buy it for free, just to help boost the author's sales stats. That'll hopefully help him sell more of the rest of the series.

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Immediately forget I said this, but I use Epubor (I'm not a pirate! I'm not a pirate! The university library provides epubs, but I prefer to read them on my Fire tablet, honest!) The other day I bought A Man in Full from Amazon. It says Enhanced Typesetting Enabled, so I assume it's KFX. A devil perched on my shoulder and made me open the book in Calibre. Sure enough, I was able to save it as a mobi file and open it on a Kindle registered to another account. So Epubor evidently did its bit behind the scenes.

As others have noted, you must have gotten a Mobi or Azw3 file instead of KFX. Calibre & Alf's tools can strip the DRM off of library books in those formats. I've done it by mistake before, so I know they can. (I had downloaded a bunch of new books, and when I dragged and dropped them into Calibre there was a library book in there too. Didn't realize it until I'd already converted everything, at which point I deleted it.)

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Yes you are a pirate. Or at least, you are a wiling collaborator and are helping to perpetuate the existence of the Epubor crooks. Who are pirating the calibre source code.
(Although really, what is wrong with the old "thief" terminology?)

You do realize, that every single bit of functionality Epubor offers is already available in calibre (assuming you install Apprentice Alf's tools as well)?

I took the "I'm not a pirate" bit as more of a "I wasn't trying to pirate the library book", than about the software. I agree with you otherwise, Epubor's absolutely scum.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Manabi

I took the "I'm not a pirate" bit as more of a "I wasn't trying to pirate the library book", than about the software. I agree with you otherwise, Epubor's absolutely scum.

Leaving aside the issue of DeDRMing library books being arguably piracy, regardless of why you do it (there are plenty of solutions for Android tablets that leave the DRM alone, and it isn't exactly clear that you can strip it even for E-Ink Kindles)...

i know what he was trying to say, and he still walked right into that.
Because while trying to justify his "I'm not a pirate" belief in one respect, he went ahead and demonstrated that he is in another respect...

[pdurrant]

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Members should refrain from name calling.

Being tricked by false advertising from unscrupulous people does not make one unscrupulous.