Proprietary format for mymustreads.com

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I would be very surprised if the website in question wasn't selling epubs with some sort of adobe encryption applied. Small eshops aren't very likely to invest in developing a house proprietary format/drm/app. Not considering the huge disadvantage they're starting with just by hanging their shingle, anyway. If they're legit, the back end has to be turn-key or they're never going to make a dime. And if they're dealing with bestsellers (as their faq indicates they are), then that turn-key back end is some sort of enterprise Adobe variant. I'd bet on it.

It could be ePub with some other DRM applied. If it was ADE with Adept DRM, then these eBooks could be read in ADE on the PC. But that's not what they say in the FAQ. They say you need to use a web browser to read the eBooks on a PC.

[Deskisamess]

I took a peek at reviews for the iOS app, and boy are they dismal. No highlighting or underlining, no type control, text doesn't always fit the screen correctly, large jumps between font sizes, rotating the device resets where you're reading back to the beginning of the chapter, no night mode, no word search, no syncing between devices.

The app is 4 years old, but sounds super outdated.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I took a peek at reviews for the iOS app, and boy are they dismal. No highlighting or underlining, no type control, text doesn't always fit the screen correctly, large jumps between font sizes, rotating the device resets where you're reading back to the beginning of the chapter, no night mode, no word search, no syncing between devices.

The app is 4 years old, but sounds super outdated.

I will never buy eBooks where I cannot read on a Reader. That to me is a waste of money. I'd rather get the pBook.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It could be ePub with some other DRM applied. If it was ADE with Adept DRM, then these eBooks could be read in ADE on the PC. But that's not what they say in the FAQ. They say you need to use a web browser to read the eBooks on a PC.

Adobe has all kinds of ways drm can be applied. Including one based on a userid/password (which the website clearly indicates has to used in the app and on the web to have ebooks "magically" appear. Not all adobe drm schemes involve an adobe id and/or acsm file.

The same "app" is used by many merchants. In fact, it looks like the entire storefont and app are a turnkey solution that merchants simply license and brand for their own use.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I will never buy eBooks where I cannot read on a Reader. That to me is a waste of money. I'd rather get the pBook.

I mostly agree, for fiction and non-fiction anyway.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by BookCat

There's really no such thing as an Amazon walled garden, especially if you download your books to transfer via usb, then you have them on your harddrive.

Well, there is a walled garden. Some of us just know where the ladder is (and care enough to use it).

Without Alf's tools, Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and the rest all cultivate their own gardens.

It's a myth that you're "locked into" Amazon if you have a kindle. You can get books in most formats from other sellers, such as Kobo, strip the DRM then convert the epub into AZW3 or whatever kindle format you prefer. Just visit Apprentice Alf (already linked above) to learn how to do this.

That's true. You are no more locked in to Amazon on a Kindle than a Clara user is locked in to Kobo.

But on a Kindle, don't you loose something as basic as hyphenation if you sideload books in any format other than KFX? I thought I'd read that, but don't know if it is true.

But mymustreads DOES appear to securely lock you in by forcing you to use an app which can't be used on your PC.

And THAT shouldn't get lost in the back and forth about the Alf tools. As far as I can see, MyMustReads isn't a store that sells downloadable books. It's more like what I've heard about the Harlequin app.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I mostly agree, for fiction and non-fiction anyway.

Wouldn't fiction and non-fiction cover basically 100% of books

[cfrizz]

So basically what they are saying is buy the book, but you will never be able to read it on anything other than an internet browser or phone/tablet with their app. And if they go out of business you will lose all your books.

F them and their app!

look for these books on Kobo and download them, strip them via tools and convert them however you wish.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

But on a Kindle, don't you loose something as basic as hyphenation if you sideload books in any format other than KFX? I thought I'd read that, but don't know if it is true.

Yes and no. If you use the Hyphenate This! plugin or Hyphenation under Polish, you add in soft hyphens and Kindles with KF8 do handle soft hyphen rather well to give hyphenation. You don't get Kerning or variable spaces (where spaces can be made smaller) with KF8.

KF8 is Amazon's walled garden and they even screw the publishers because when the publisers say no DRM, Amazon says screw you, we'll gve the Reader KFX with DRM and we'll tinker with KFX so every time you pick the lock, we'll insrall a new lock.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Wouldn't fiction and non-fiction cover basically 100% of books

My bad for not finishing my thought. I meant straight reading, not books filled with pictures or books like cookbooks. Those are best on a larger color screen. Books like No Ordinary Time are fine read on e-ink, but it's nice to be able to use a larger color screen for the pictures.

I'm totally distracted today for some reason and haven't been able to stay on task.

[rketterer47]

Hello! New here, and was googling around about possibly converting a book from MyMustReads to a format that's readable on my Kindle, and stumbled upon this post.

I was curious what the underlying format looked like, so I "bought" a free book off of their website and downloaded it for offline reading on my Pixel (via their very crappy app).

The underlying book is a series of folders and files. It appears each chapter/section is broken into it's own .xhtml file, and there are a handful of js files, as well binaries.

To me, this sounds close to how a .mobi file is structured?

Anyways - I was replying here to provide some more insight into what these MyMustReads books look like under the hood, so that maybe someone here that knows more than I do has some insight!

I'm happy to answer any questions and get more info off of my phone if anyone is interested.

At this point, it sounds like it won't possible to convert this to a Kindle read-able file, but it doesn't hurt to post!

-Ryan

[j.p.s]

That sounds more like an unzipped epub than anything mobi, but why bother giving them any business when there alternatives to amazon that follow standards and don't necessarily require conversion?

[rigogsilva]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

That sounds more like an unzipped epub than anything mobi, but why bother giving them any business when there alternatives to amazon that follow standards and don't necessarily require conversion?

What alternatives? Kobo? I think the goal here is to support businesses other than Amazon and Kobo. For instance, the books you buy on bookshop.org (aka mymustreads), 60% of the profits go towards local bookstores.

But I would never buy a book there, because of this issue of not being able to use ereaders.

[rigogsilva]

Steve, this may be irrelevant now. But here it goes.

Kobo does partner with indie bookstores. I usually search for the bookstore here: https://www.kobo.com/indie . After finding one, you will need to go to their website and search for ebooks. When you click the purchase link, it should take you to the kobo website, where you can buy it. Some money will go to that bookstore.

You can then download that book from the kobo website, and use calibre as explained by many in this thread.

I am not sure how much money they get, but at least it is something.

Also, kobo devices are great. Other devices to look at are the onyx books (nova, or note air), since they support android and you can have kindle, kobo, and other bad apps like mymustreads.

Let me know if you found another way to support local. I'd love to know.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by rigogsilva

What alternatives? Kobo? I think the goal here is to support businesses other than Amazon and Kobo. For instance, the books you buy on bookshop.org (aka mymustreads), 60% of the profits go towards local bookstores.

But I would never buy a book there, because of this issue of not being able to use ereaders.

Kobo, B&N, Baen, Google, Apple, direct from publisher, direct from author, and I am sure there are others.