Dealing with Kindle ebooks in calibre

[Sirtel]

The reason Amazon wants a strong DRM on their books has nothing to do with piracy. They just want us to read our Kindle books on Kindle devices and in Kindle apps, so they can data mine us. They don't want us to remove the DRM and read the book on something else, where they can't access our data.

[lkmiller]

Yes, when the unbroken DRM was only on certain books, it seemed that it was on the publishers insistance for stronger protection. But with this update, it is even on books from publishers/authors who don't want DRM on their books. So this is definitely all for Amazon. Of course, it drives a few folks like us away. But many people don't care about being able to read on other devices or having their own backups.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

So this is definitely all for Amazon. Of course, it drives a few folks like us away.

And it's genuinely frustrating because of the KDP Select exclusivity clause eroding the option to get eBooks from other sources.

[Jacques Q.]

Hello. Having been one of the first "victims" of the forced implementation of version 2.4.1 of K4PC (don't know whether French customers were their test target for this specific attack...), I found out nearly all by myself then that reverting to 2.4.0 fixed the issue of having to deal wih non-convertible "KFX-ZIP" files. I think the instructions on the first post of this thread are very clear and should bring anyone being annoyd with this out of trouble. I donwloaded the "disable_k4pc_download" program, I'm not sure whether I make it run correctly (not familiar with .bat stuff), but anyway I know that keeping the 2.4.70940 version safe will save the day should Amazon manage to do unwished for things on my my PC again...

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Jacques Q.

...but anyway I know that keeping the 2.4.70940 version safe will save the day should Amazon manage to do unwished for things on my my PC again...

That will work for now. Unfortunately Amazon has a history of eventually disabling the ability to download some or all books using older versions of Kindle for PC.

[Lief]

Originally Posted by jhowell

That will work for now. Unfortunately Amazon has a history of eventually disabling the ability to download some or all books using older versions of Kindle for PC.

That's not all, I remember that without changing version (some version of Kindle PC ago) some of my manga the day before downloaded as kfx (it was the first time they pushed kfx on manga but it was still possible to remove the drm) the day after they downloaded as azw3 again... I was so sure that I reverted to a previous version of the app that I was sure delivered kfx and it was still delivering azw3 for manga that I had a backup in KFX (or better the epub conversion without drm).

I think the local version is not 100% decisive, they also have remote control over what Kindle PC can download regardless of version (maybe with some limitation).
So if some still need to do a backup I would do it now, they can both disable the ability to download ebooks from the old version and change what the old version can deliver.

[lkmiller]

The old version does deliver unremovable DRM on certain books. Best to avoid KFX format if possible. But only Amazon knows how much longer that will be possible for any book. They are certainly narrowing the ways to get the older formats.

[ownedbycats]

Have they closed the Bluestacks method off yet? I think they tried to force upgrade to a newer version of the app but you could get around it with an older Android version.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Have they closed the Bluestacks method off yet? I think they tried to force upgrade to a newer version of the app but you could get around it with an older Android version.

Not as yet. The original 4.16.0.75 version no longer works but if you updated to 8.51.1.0 as documented by @DuckieTigger, it is still working for now.

[Lief]

Small OT (but not too much). For anyone who has self-published a book on amazon choosing the drm-free option (which obviously is not respected today) and does not know where to publish it without drm (and maybe sells a book every now and then so the minimum of $50 payout from kobo is unrealistic), I suggest itch (which has a minimum payout of $5 and which has an extremely simple publishing process (including tax management and similar bureaucracy)).
Some time ago I had directly published a public dropbox link on my book amazon page description (I hate drm and I didn't want my customers to be deprived of the drm-free version), then the instructions to remove the drm, today I simply suggest the itch version on the same description.

It's not like I make more than 10€ each year so for me it's not something that I do for money, but I would have done the same anyway, I hate drm, that's why I opted out in the publishing process on amazon, that's also why I don't like that they opt you in without any consent (I asked again the amazon support to correct this, I know they will not do it but I decided to try again anyway, maybe if enough authors decide to complaining about this problem and opting to publish elsewhere will be corrected.
After all, one thing is the elimination of drm by those who publish with drm, another thing is the fact that they put drm where it shouldn't be).

[Lief]

After 2 days of contacting both the kindle support and KDP support (they will try to send you to someone else) I was finally able to get an open ticket about the bug of Kindle PC app that download ebook drm-free with drm.
Since in the end the KDP team was not the one to open the ticket I think anyone who got a drm-free book on amazon (if "Download & transfer via USB" give you a drm-free copy you got one) can try to do the same thing.

To do it go here:
http://www.amazon.it/kindlesupport

Just do not say you are an author (even if you are)... just say you
"Want to report a bug with Kindle PC app".
Wait for the right agent to respond.
Wait for them to ask what bug you want to report.
"I want to report that Kindle PC app download any of my ebook without drm with drm. If I download this ebook (link to it) with "Download & transfer via USB" I get a DRM-free copy of this book and I know some times ago I was able to do the same on my PC with Kindle PC app on this folder "C:\Users\[username]\Documents\My Kindle Content", but right now the same ebook download with drm. So it is a bug and I want to report it so that you can fix it".
The support will usually ask a few more question but if you got no luck do not waste time... some agent will not report a bug no matter how much time you lose explain things. So just answer to the first 3-4 question and if they do not report it repeat the process (I lost 1 hour yesterday... today just 20 minutes).
Example:
My agent today said "every ebook will have drm"
I just said "and that's the bug I'm talking about in Kindle PC app, because an ebook published without drm should stay without drm and I'm still able to get the version without drm with "Download & transfer via USB" so it is a bug"
My agent said "the app download ebooks with drm" (yes they are that stupid)
I just said "yes, that's the bug of the Kindle PC app, the ebook that I'm talking about should be without drm. I want to report it"
(after a few more stupid dialog (it was like talking to an AI) I was able to make the agent report the problem).

Maybe it's useless but if a few people report it maybe at least they'll fix this. After all, the fact that it download ebooks with drm even when they are drm-free is a bug (a bug that they want there, but still a bug).

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Lief

Maybe it's useless but if a few people report it maybe at least they'll fix this. After all, the fact that it download ebooks with drm even when they are drm-free is a bug (a bug that they want there, but still a bug).

From Amazon’s point of view the bug is that Download & Transfer doesn’t have DRM for some books. I am worried that is what they will actually fix.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by jhowell

From Amazon’s point of view the bug is that Download & Transfer doesn’t have DRM for some books. I am worried that is what they will actually fix.

I am reminded of this:

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Meanwhile, the Mary Sue article that DNSB posted argues that Amazon should "put more research/resources into anti-piracy measures"... except that almost invariably results in it harming/inconveniencing legitimate customers worse than the pirates. There's no mention that perhaps the exclusivity clause is the problem.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by jhowell

From Amazon’s point of view the bug is that Download & Transfer doesn’t have DRM for some books. I am worried that is what they will actually fix.

I had the same thought. Drawing attention to the fact that Download & Transfer provides some books DRM-free seems more likely to cause Amazon to tighten DRM on Download & Transfer, not loosen DRM on Kindle for PC. It may even hasten the day that Amazon decides to shut Download & Transfer down.

[Lief]

Originally Posted by odamizu

I had the same thought. Drawing attention to the fact that Download & Transfer provides some books DRM-free seems more likely to cause Amazon to tighten DRM on Download & Transfer, not loosen DRM on Kindle for PC. It may even hasten the day that Amazon decides to shut Download & Transfer down.

It could be but the old kindles don't handle the new drm so they would bother many more users than a few that know about drm stuff (even a lot of user that are just using old kindle devices).
Also personally speaking I prefer to risk that they correct the drm in books where it shouldn't be there rather than risk that they never do it simply because no one goes to ask. The risk that they will tighten DRM on Download & Transfer is there even if nobody ask anything (they did tighten DRM on Kindle PC app even without anybody asking).
Anyway, mine was a suggestion, obviously everyone will choose what to do. On my side I have already reported and I hope that at least that problem will be fixed, even if it is not in their interest to do so.
In a few months, if the DRM is still there, I will remove my book from Amazon (I make a really low amount anyway, and I published it on itch so it's there for those who want to buy it).