Hacks Remove Kindle DRM?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by davidspitzer

ironically you can not remove the DRM from files downloaded to Kindle for the PC as they have an added layer of DRM, but you can remove the DRM from files downloaded over whispernet to your Kindle and then copied to your PC while your Kindle is connected via USB. Those files are workable via the python script

Ironically, this additional layer of DRM--actually a session key--is killing ME. I produce ebooks (epub & mobi) for author clients, mostly rights-reverted. I have more than several books out there that I made in Sigil and converted to mobi via Calibre. Now, the ebooks, after being uploaded via Amazon DTP, won't open in Kindle for PC, due to the DRM (for which, amazingly, Amazon has had the nerve to blame ME!!). They open fine in Kindle, but not KFPC, which, of course, is the ONLY PLATFORM MY NON-TECHIE CLIENTS HAVE.

So they cannot "see" the product that they've bought from me when they try to download a purchased copy from Amazon. Of course, I send them their own epubs and mobi's, but naturally they think I'm screwing them because Amazon told them that--are you ready for THIS--my DRM, MY DRM--is making the books unreadable in KFPC.

My poor clients can't even upload Firefox, FFS, much less understand what I'm talking about when I try to explain what's happening. All they know is that, being non-Kindle-owners, they cannot see the product they bought from me and then bought again from Amazon and downloaded--just to "see" it from Amazon, rather than the mobi I sent them.

It's making me insane. Seriously.

</rant>

Hitch

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Ironically, this additional layer of DRM--actually a session key--is killing ME. I produce ebooks (epub & mobi) for author clients, mostly rights-reverted. I have more than several books out there that I made in Sigil and converted to mobi via Calibre. Now, the ebooks, after being uploaded via Amazon DTP, won't open in Kindle for PC, due to the DRM (for which, amazingly, Amazon has had the nerve to blame ME!!). They open fine in Kindle, but not KFPC, which, of course, is the ONLY PLATFORM MY NON-TECHIE CLIENTS HAVE.

So they cannot "see" the product that they've bought from me when they try to download a purchased copy from Amazon. Of course, I send them their own epubs and mobi's, but naturally they think I'm screwing them because Amazon told them that--are you ready for THIS--my DRM, MY DRM--is making the books unreadable in KFPC.

My poor clients can't even upload Firefox, FFS, much less understand what I'm talking about when I try to explain what's happening. All they know is that, being non-Kindle-owners, they cannot see the product they bought from me and then bought again from Amazon and downloaded--just to "see" it from Amazon, rather than the mobi I sent them.

It's making me insane. Seriously.

</rant>

Hitch

If you don't want problems with DRM, don't ask Amazon to add the DRM to the file, assuming you're uploading through dtp.amazon.com. Of coruse, if you're still going through mobipocket.com, DRM is compulsory.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

If you don't want problems with DRM, don't ask Amazon to add the DRM to the file, assuming you're uploading through dtp.amazon.com. Of coruse, if you're still going through mobipocket.com, DRM is compulsory.

I seriously doubt my clients would be willing to sell their books without DRM. It's their living, after all. I realize that the overwhelming sentiment here at MR is "anti-DRM," but if I tell my authors that they have to remove their DRM, they'll just go to an ebook publisher like LibreDigital who will put DRM on their books and charge a royalty. I provide a cheaper and better alternative to that, so they can self-publish their rights-reverted books, and I would like to continue to do so.

Hitch

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I seriously doubt my clients would be willing to sell their books without DRM. It's their living, after all. I realize that the overwhelming sentiment here at MR is "anti-DRM," but if I tell my authors that they have to remove their DRM, they'll just go to an ebook publisher like LibreDigital who will put DRM on their books and charge a royalty. I provide a cheaper and better alternative to that, so they can self-publish their rights-reverted books, and I would like to continue to do so.

Hitch

It's worth asking them — point out to them how much trouble it's causing them, and then for them to consider how much trouble it'll cause their own readers.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It's worth asking them — point out to them how much trouble it's causing them, and then for them to consider how much trouble it'll cause their own readers.

Actually, in the real world, what it will all mean is that they will either take their business elsewhere, like LibreDigital or BookBaby, and I'll lose that business, OR they'll tell me to "fuhgeddaboutit" when it comes to the epub versions and simply make the freaking book with bloody mobipocket or Kindlegen and none of their titles will be available elsewhere, like Nook, etc. I vastly personally prefer the epub versions, and I love working with sigil over other choices, but {shrug}, a girl's gotta eat.

Hitch

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Actually, in the real world, what it will all mean is that they will either take their business elsewhere, like LibreDigital or BookBaby, and I'll lose that business, OR they'll tell me to "fuhgeddaboutit" when it comes to the epub versions and simply make the freaking book with bloody mobipocket or Kindlegen and none of their titles will be available elsewhere, like Nook, etc.

you say its "likely". Have you asked any of them? Have you explained that every ebook DRM scheme out there is circumventable anyway... so if people are going to pirate it the DRM won't stop them. Point to Bane's webscriptions and smashwords are places that sell ebooks DRM free and people still BUY them.

That all said... I don't understand your issue here. Kindle 4 PC does NOT read epub.... so perhaps it isn't the DRM but the format. Your Kindle 4 PC books need to be mobipocket formated.

BOb

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

you say its "likely". Have you asked any of them? Have you explained that every ebook DRM scheme out there is circumventable anyway... so if people are going to pirate it the DRM won't stop them. Point to Bane's webscriptions and smashwords are places that sell ebooks DRM free and people still BUY them.

That all said... I don't understand your issue here. Kindle 4 PC does NOT read epub.... so perhaps it isn't the DRM but the format. Your Kindle 4 PC books need to be mobipocket formated.

BOb

As I said in my original post:

Originally Posted by hitch

"I have more than several books out there that I made in Sigil and converted to mobi via Calibre."

But thanks for your input. I make both types of files for clients for every book, so that they may sell on multiple platforms.

I'm really not interested, no offense, in debating the great DRM, anti-DRM issue. That's not my interest here; I'm looking to fellow wonks and wonkettes to see if any have run across this issue and if any have solved it. Thank you again.

Hitch