The Kobo DRM-free epub fiasco

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I checked some of my older Tor books and they were all fine.

Interestingly the new one does not say it is a DRM-free ePub in the details at the bottom of the book's page, although it does have the download button in the library.

That's because of the ePub 3 = kepub glitch at Kobo.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

They've got books that they've known have problems for years that they're still selling. This has been made known not only to Kobo CS, but also directly to
Michael Tamblyn.

Thought so. Thanks for the confirmation.

[JSWolf]

There are a bunch of problems with Kobo. One is that any ePub that is sent to them as ePub 3 get converted to kepub regardless of DRM. I've seen more publishers other than Tor selling new eBooks as ePub 3. Thus, there are now more and more new eBooks at Kobo that can only be downloaded as kepub. regardless of DRM. Now you have to install Kobo Desktop. You then download your Kobo eBooks via Kobo Desktop. You go to try to find that one Tor eBook that has no DRM. First you have to find where the Kobo downloads are stored. You finally find out and which one is it? You have no idea because the filenames are garbage and thus meaningless. So you have to find Obok and install it in Calibre You do that and find out you cannot see which are DRM free and which are not. So you go find the latest Obok and install that. You then can see the DRM free kepub as well. So you use Obok to get it into Calibre. But it's kepub. Now you have to run it through Mobify ePub to get this eBook back to an ePub.

That's just silly to have to do all hat just get that DRM free Tor eBook that should have been downloadable as an ePub with just your browser. There should not ever be a need for Obok and Kobo Desktop. Kobo should not be converting epub 3 to kepub only.

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

They've got books that they've known have problems for years that they're still selling. This has been made known not only to Kobo CS, but also directly to
Michael Tamblyn.

I'm curious as to Michael Tamblyn being personally (?) Informed.

Did you inform him, or did you see the email or were in the presence of whomever told him?

I hate to be a pia, but I'm sending from phone, so would you mind elaborating on who Tamblyn is, please.

I've also bought a DRM free (O'Reilly) ebook that only came as a kepub, in 2013. I only got a store credit because they said tHat was policy. It's changed since. Oin the odd occasion I unwittingly get a kepub only book now but obok sorts that out no problems.

Also, a lot of people who bought epubs but could only download kepubs have been able to download the epub version in the last couple of months. Well, so they've been reporting in the Discounts thread.

[Jane12]

Originally Posted by Jane12

If it's available for direct download, it's supposedly indicated with the format and DRM status, e.g., EPUB2 (Adobe DRM) or EPUB2 (DRM-Free). The tricky part is, if it's not downloadable (and therefore likely EPUB3 with or without DRM), it says nothing at all

I don't know how accurate Kobo's product info is. Would be interesting to know if it's as reliable (or unreliable) as the blue "download epub" button.

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Well that's consistent with the ebook I bought. The product info said nothing at all (though preview specifically said "DRM-Free EPUB"). Thanks for the info. I still find that sort of obfuscation unacceptable, but at least I'm armed with more info now. I'm going to need a freaking pre-buy checklist for each store from now on, I guess.

I agree. The lack of clarity suggests laziness, sloppiness or intent to mislead.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

I hate to be a pia, but I'm sending from phone, so would you mind elaborating on who Tamblyn is, please.

See http://www.kobo.com/execteam?style=o...___store=ca-en

MICHAEL TAMBLYN

President & Chief Content Officer

Michael is President and Chief Content Officer at Kobo, and works closely with CEO Taka Aiki to further develop Kobo’s world-class platform, while keeping sustainable and long-term profitable growth central to the organization’s strategies. He brings tremendous insight into what readers want and continues to inspire Kobo with his creative ideas and passion for eBooks and eReading; on the content side, Michael is responsible for sales, publisher and industry relations, content acquisition, and the merchandising experience across Kobo's web and mobile services.

Prior to joining Kobo, Tamblyn was the founding CEO of the supply chain agency BookNet Canada, where he launched the national sales reporting service BNC SalesData. Tamblyn also co-founded Canada's first online bookstore Bookshelf.ca, purchased by Indigo Books & Music in 1998, where he also served as Vice President of Online Operations.

Michael holds a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

I'm curious as to Michael Tamblyn being personally (?) Informed.

Did you inform him, or did you see the email or were in the presence of whomever told him?

Had a nice back and forth email conversation with him about it a few years ago. This is before he was President of the company and was just the head content guy.

[Jane12]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Buy from Google Play. You get whatever version ePub the publisher puts out there.

Are you sure about that?

In another thread Difflugia reports: "My annoyance with Google is that they reprocess the source books before selling them. They add kepub-like stuff into the epubs ... "

I've never bought from Google Play, so I don't know one way or another, but I'd like to know whether I can get unadulterated epubs from Google Play since Barnes & Noble and Kobo ... well ... 'nuf said.

[eschwartz]

I believe Google repacks the books as Play books (which only work in their app and are full of strange secret sauce) but the ADE download they offer should be fine.

[murg]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

IIRC, this is just a trend of Kobo being Kobo though.

Somehow people are always complaining about Kobo having one issue or another, and I am fairly sure I recall previous statements of anger that they left the book up for sale.

The problem isn't that Kobo has one issue or another, they have many, many issues. And don't seem to be expending a lot of effort to resolve them.

[Quexos]

Originally Posted by murg

The problem isn't that Kobo has one issue or another, they have many, many issues. And don't seem to be expending a lot of effort to resolve them.

All my Kobo issues are resolved, I simply never buy books there...

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Jane12

Are you sure about that?

In another thread Difflugia reports: "My annoyance with Google is that they reprocess the source books before selling them. They add kepub-like stuff into the epubs ... "

I've never bought from Google Play, so I don't know one way or another, but I'd like to know whether I can get unadulterated epubs from Google Play since Barnes & Noble and Kobo ... well ... 'nuf said.

I've never seen any proprietary stuff in the (admittedly) few books I've bought there (ascm download/fulfillment only). I've received "standard" EPUB2 books (and even a few of those undownloadable/unsideloadable EPUB3s that give Kobo such trouble).

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That's because of the ePub 3 = kepub glitch at Kobo.

That doesn't sound like a glitch as much as a policy/design decision: "If the publisher sends us epub2, set it up for straighgt download--if they send us epub3, set it up as Kepub."

There must be a business/technical reason for the divide. Kobo proudly proclaims epub3 support but might it be like Amazon's "support" for epub, on the publishing side as feedstock only?

How are the Kobo readers with sideloaded epub3? New ones, old ones...?

Amazon download files depend on the device you designate: if you tell it you're going to sideload a K1 or K2 you get mobi7 but for newer hardware you get azw or kf8. Kobo may not have the mechanisms in place to do that for their older hardware.

If the issue has been brought up all the way up to da boss then it must not be an easy fix. Or it's something they don't care about.

Just wondering, though.
I gave up on Kobo way back, even before Kepub.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by murg

The problem isn't that Kobo has one issue or another, they have many, many issues. And don't seem to be expending a lot of effort to resolve them.

Well, yes, one issue or another repeated ad nauseam over and over and over again almost immediately becomes many. That is the obvious conclusion to my statement...

[Purple Lady]

Here's an example of a free book from Tor that won't download from Kobo but downloads fine from Google:

Some of the Best From Tor.com: 2014: A Tor.Com Original

Kobo
Google