Kobo's proprietary Kepub DRM defeated? - Page 4

arspr · 11-24-2013, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Last time I looked, the epubee web page did not show a cost for the basic version for Windows but there was a donation link. Still profiting from another person's work. For Mac users, they had a "Pro" version. I wasn't ready to spend $40 to find out where that had been "borrowed" from.

Regards,
David

I am going to play as the Devil's advocate, (because I basically agree with you).

You can look at the issue as they are not actually selling the unDRM tool but the final GUI...

eschwartz · 11-24-2013, 04:23 PM

Well, as of now their website says the ADEPT-only DRM GUI is free, and their "Pro" version, which contains all of Alf's tools, is $40.

I personally am fine with the GUI of the calibre plugin, especially as it's already part of my workflow. I don't WANT a standalone product that requires me to run two steps on every book I add to calibre.

Also, Alf has done quite a bit of updating for new weirdnesses in the book, new bugfixes in various situations, etc. You might want to use his. It's REALLY easy in calibre.

arspr · 11-24-2013, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Also, Alf has done quite a bit of updating for new weirdnesses in the book, new bugfixes in various situations, etc. You might want to use his. It's REALLY easy in calibre.

Yes, why not?

The only "reasons" for not doing that in my case are:

I discovered epubee quite long ago, long before Alf as a matter of fact, and as said I didn't pay a single cent.
It has worked like a charm in all the ebooks I've bought so far. I've haven't suffered any bugs, (or I haven't noticed any bugs), even if the utils are obsolete.
I like to have both books (original DRMed one and unDRMed one) inside my Calibre library and that seems somehow impossible/difficult with the Calibre plugin as it automatically unDRMs every book you throw at Calibre.
I'm just lazy to change

eschwartz · 11-24-2013, 06:48 PM

True, you don't really need the updated tools unless you get problems. However, in terms of keeping both copies in calibre, how do you do that anyway???

I just have a backup folder, which I add all the books from. If I ever need the DRM'ed copy, I will get it from there. It's too much work to maintain a library just for the DRM'ed version.

calibre copies any books as it gets added; the plugin DeDRM's only the copy.
And Alf is the one with a calibre plugin.

Of course, if you really want to import books with the DRM intact, just disable the plugin.

arspr · 11-25-2013, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

True, you don't really need the updated tools unless you get problems. However, in terms of keeping both copies in calibre, how do you do that anyway???

Why? Just throw each of the two epubs to Calibre. You'll have a duplicate book warning and that's all.

(And now, you'll ask "How the hell do you distinguish them without trying to open them?" And I answer "Because I have a Custom column where I set my DRM info".)

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Of course, if you really want to import books with the DRM intact, just disable the plugin.

Yes, but it is a more tedious process (disabling and enabling it each time) than running epubee and then grabing the DRMed book from the ADE library folder and the unDRMed book from the epubee output folder.

eschwartz · 11-25-2013, 04:32 PM

Ah, but what you REALLY need is a plugin that imports the book, strips the DRM, and saves the original as .drmepub!

speakingtohe · 11-25-2013, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Ah, but what you REALLY need is a plugin that imports the book, strips the DRM, and saves the original as .drmepub!

Pretty sure that could be done actually. Perhaps even with a script or an extra option in add books

Helen

eschwartz · 11-25-2013, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Pretty sure that could be done actually. Perhaps even with a script or an extra option in add books

Helen

You volunteering to write it???

speakingtohe · 11-25-2013, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You volunteering to write it???

Nope, probably wouldn't use it even if it was available. Just saying it probably wouldn't be that hard if for some reason someone did want to. They do have the original_epub, original_mobi etc. A smidgeon more complex perhaps, but not insurmountable IMO.

Overall I was saying it wasn't a bad idea that you had

Helen

eschwartz · 11-25-2013, 06:28 PM

Perhaps we should recommend this to Alf as an option.

speakingtohe · 11-25-2013, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Perhaps we should recommend this to Alf as an option.

I thought Alf had retired and his minions were carrying on. Shows what I know.

I think having another format extension supported and the appropriate copy made would be a calibre option or a combo of both.

Helen

eschwartz · 11-25-2013, 06:53 PM

Well, it would be an option built into the plugin, version only (what use would it be elsewhere?) I guess drawing on the original_epub code, and I checked that you can actually click on original_epub to read it. calibre can already support manually adding any type of file, even if it doesn't have an input plugin for reading it. Hence, adding music, apnx, phl, movies, anything really.

As DeDRM all-in-one script already leaves the original file alone and names the new one {filename}_deDRMed.whatever, I think, this might actually be a serious suggestion with some merit.

I don't know who maintains the plugins, I just know it's on Alf's website, and new versions get released occasionally.

arspr · 11-26-2013, 04:53 PM

Wow!

I didn't ever think that my heretic

use of epubee could generate such discussion about how to improve the Calibre pluging.

Of course if I can ask for new features, I would like just a Yes/No screen which asked the user if he really wanted to undrm the books just thrown at Calibre or just adding them without any kind of DRM removal.

That would be perfect and would make me abandon my current way of managing DRM books.

GreenMonkey · 12-19-2013, 06:19 PM

Bump

Hey guys

Just checking in...maybe this is the right thread.

Last time I went to buy from Kobo there was a lot of confusing reading about kepubs and not being able to tell if you could download an epub from their site...

Is there any way to be sure I'm going to be able to download an epub from the site and not a kepub?

I'm not sure I want to do a lot of effort stripping/converting kepub files to standard epub...but if I can buy standard epub from Kobo I'd be interested.

NNolan · 12-19-2013, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Is there any way to be sure I'm going to be able to download an epub from the site and not a kepub?

Someone here suggested this:
If the book you want has a "Save Sample" option get the sample. If the sample in your Kobo library has a download option it's epub, otherwise it's kepub.

If the book doesn't have a "Save Sample" option then you have to take your chances, I guess.

11-24-2013, 04:23 PM	#47
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Well, as of now their website says the ADEPT-only DRM GUI is free, and their "Pro" version, which contains all of Alf's tools, is $40. I personally am fine with the GUI of the calibre plugin, especially as it's already part of my workflow. I don't WANT a standalone product that requires me to run two steps on every book I add to calibre. Also, Alf has done quite a bit of updating for new weirdnesses in the book, new bugfixes in various situations, etc. You might want to use his. It's REALLY easy in calibre. Last edited by eschwartz; 11-24-2013 at 04:25 PM.

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11-24-2013, 06:48 PM	#49
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	True, you don't really need the updated tools unless you get problems. However, in terms of keeping both copies in calibre, how do you do that anyway??? I just have a backup folder, which I add all the books from. If I ever need the DRM'ed copy, I will get it from there. It's too much work to maintain a library just for the DRM'ed version. calibre copies any books as it gets added; the plugin DeDRM's only the copy. And Alf is the one with a calibre plugin. Of course, if you really want to import books with the DRM intact, just disable the plugin.

11-25-2013, 04:32 PM	#51
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Ah, but what you REALLY need is a plugin that imports the book, strips the DRM, and saves the original as .drmepub!

11-25-2013, 06:28 PM	#55
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Perhaps we should recommend this to Alf as an option.

11-25-2013, 06:53 PM	#57
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Well, it would be an option built into the plugin, version only (what use would it be elsewhere?) I guess drawing on the original_epub code, and I checked that you can actually click on original_epub to read it. calibre can already support manually adding any type of file, even if it doesn't have an input plugin for reading it. Hence, adding music, apnx, phl, movies, anything really. As DeDRM all-in-one script already leaves the original file alone and names the new one {filename}_deDRMed.whatever, I think, this might actually be a serious suggestion with some merit. I don't know who maintains the plugins, I just know it's on Alf's website, and new versions get released occasionally.

11-26-2013, 04:53 PM	#58
arspr Dead account. Bye Posts: 587 Karma: 668244 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: none	Wow! I didn't ever think that my heretic use of epubee could generate such discussion about how to improve the Calibre pluging. Of course if I can ask for new features, I would like just a Yes/No screen which asked the user if he really wanted to undrm the books just thrown at Calibre or just adding them without any kind of DRM removal. That would be perfect and would make me abandon my current way of managing DRM books.

12-19-2013, 06:19 PM	#59
GreenMonkey DRM hater Posts: 945 Karma: 2066176 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Michigan Device: Nook ST glow, Kindle Voyage	Bump Hey guys Just checking in...maybe this is the right thread. Last time I went to buy from Kobo there was a lot of confusing reading about kepubs and not being able to tell if you could download an epub from their site... Is there any way to be sure I'm going to be able to download an epub from the site and not a kepub? I'm not sure I want to do a lot of effort stripping/converting kepub files to standard epub...but if I can buy standard epub from Kobo I'd be interested.

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