lending books for kindle

monkeypants · 12-30-2009, 03:44 PM

This is of course merely a hypothetical question.

I know the kindle does not allow for lending or sharing of books between kindles, which IMO is one of the drawbacks to ebooks (at least amazon ebooks) right now. With paper books it's so easy to just lend and borrow books from friends.

If one were to strip the DRM off of an amazon format book, and convert it into .mobi, would it then be "lendable", i.e. shareable between kindles? I realize this has legal implications (and possibly ethical implications as well), which is not part of my question... just wondering if this is even possible

grooks · 12-30-2009, 03:51 PM

I believe you can lend books between Kindles now with the stipulation that both Kindles are registered to the same account.

If you remove the DRM then yes you can share it between Kindles.

wallcraft · 12-30-2009, 03:52 PM

If you strip the DRM from an AZW ebook, what you are left with is a DRM-free MOBI ebook. This file, and any copies of this file, are readable by any device with a MOBI Reader, including all Kindles, and can be format shifted (e.g. to ePub) by Calibre.

clarknova · 12-30-2009, 04:08 PM

Note that when you strip the DRM from a kindle (either mobi or now Topaz) book, it still contains the EXTH 208 (atv:kin:1:xxx:xxx) record which seems to contain device specific info, so you would want to be careful who you lend to (or overwrite that header).

desertgrandma · 12-30-2009, 04:44 PM

[QUOTE=monkeypants;

If one were to strip the DRM off of an amazon format book, and convert it into .mobi, would it then be "lendable", i.e. shareable between kindles? I realize this has legal implications (and possibly ethical implications as well), which is not part of my question... just wondering if this is even possible

[/QUOTE]

If one were to do that, and back it up on their computer, it could be send/shared to anyone......with any device.......that would accept .mobi. Or read on any computer.

If they needed epub or other formats, one could use Calibre to change that, after it was stripped.

IF one were to do that.

monkeypants · 12-30-2009, 04:49 PM

Of course, IF one were to do such a thing. Hypotetical question, purely.

Thanks everyone for the quick answers!

fugazied · 12-30-2009, 07:00 PM

IF one was to do so then you would have the same rights normally granted to someone who buys a paper book and lends it to a friend!

Hopefully Amazon will allow unlimted 1 person at a time DRM soon. I've sent emails asking about it a few times. Basically I want them to offer the same rights as a paper book, so I can 'send' the book to a friend and they can read it, but only 1 person can have the book open at a time.

That's similar to the way 'steam' works for computer games. I can install most games on unlimited machines but only one machine can have the game open on an account at once.

HarryT · 12-31-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fugazied

IF one was to do so then you would have the same rights normally granted to someone who buys a paper book and lends it to a friend!

No, it's not at all the same. Unless you delete the book from your Kindle, from your computer, from all your backups, from your Amazon account, etc. etc., then what you're doing is the equivalent of making a photocopy of your book, and giving your friend that photocopy. And that, my friend, is illegal.

clarknova · 12-31-2009, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Unless you delete the book from your Kindle, from your computer, from all your backups, from your Amazon account, etc. etc., then what you're doing is the equivalent of making a photocopy of your book, and giving your friend that photocopy.

Actually, even doing that is in breach of your license agreement. Amazon does not grant you the right to re-assign your content rights to a third party.

Also, your analogy to photo-copying a book is incorrect as well. Photocopying a book is more like using a cassette recorder to copy songs off of FM radio.

In the digital copyright debates people consistently use analogies of physical products (on all sides of the arguments) to convey their points, and I wish they would stop. They don't apply and they never will.

jocampo · 12-10-2010, 10:05 AM

Well, as time went on, now Amazon is ready to launch Lending feature as well, Like B&N ...

12-30-2009, 03:44 PM	#1
monkeypants Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: K2 on its way	lending books for kindle This is of course merely a hypothetical question. I know the kindle does not allow for lending or sharing of books between kindles, which IMO is one of the drawbacks to ebooks (at least amazon ebooks) right now. With paper books it's so easy to just lend and borrow books from friends. If one were to strip the DRM off of an amazon format book, and convert it into .mobi, would it then be "lendable", i.e. shareable between kindles? I realize this has legal implications (and possibly ethical implications as well), which is not part of my question... just wondering if this is even possible

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12-30-2009, 03:51 PM	#2
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	I believe you can lend books between Kindles now with the stipulation that both Kindles are registered to the same account. If you remove the DRM then yes you can share it between Kindles.

12-30-2009, 03:52 PM	#3
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	If you strip the DRM from an AZW ebook, what you are left with is a DRM-free MOBI ebook. This file, and any copies of this file, are readable by any device with a MOBI Reader, including all Kindles, and can be format shifted (e.g. to ePub) by Calibre.

12-30-2009, 04:08 PM	#4
clarknova Addict Posts: 241 Karma: 2617 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greenwood, SC Device: Kindle 2	Note that when you strip the DRM from a kindle (either mobi or now Topaz) book, it still contains the EXTH 208 (atv:kin:1:xxx:xxx) record which seems to contain device specific info, so you would want to be careful who you lend to (or overwrite that header).

12-30-2009, 04:44 PM	#5
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	[QUOTE=monkeypants; If one were to strip the DRM off of an amazon format book, and convert it into .mobi, would it then be "lendable", i.e. shareable between kindles? I realize this has legal implications (and possibly ethical implications as well), which is not part of my question... just wondering if this is even possible [/QUOTE] If one were to do that, and back it up on their computer, it could be send/shared to anyone......with any device.......that would accept .mobi. Or read on any computer. If they needed epub or other formats, one could use Calibre to change that, after it was stripped. IF one were to do that.

12-30-2009, 04:49 PM	#6
monkeypants Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: K2 on its way	Of course, IF one were to do such a thing. Hypotetical question, purely. Thanks everyone for the quick answers!

12-30-2009, 07:00 PM	#7
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	IF one was to do so then you would have the same rights normally granted to someone who buys a paper book and lends it to a friend! Hopefully Amazon will allow unlimted 1 person at a time DRM soon. I've sent emails asking about it a few times. Basically I want them to offer the same rights as a paper book, so I can 'send' the book to a friend and they can read it, but only 1 person can have the book open at a time. That's similar to the way 'steam' works for computer games. I can install most games on unlimited machines but only one machine can have the game open on an account at once.

12-10-2010, 10:05 AM	#10
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	Well, as time went on, now Amazon is ready to launch Lending feature as well, Like B&N ...

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