When is Sony's DRM going to be broken?

volwrath · 08-15-2007, 02:07 PM

Not that I would use such a crack, but I simply wonder when/if it will be broken. I suppose ebook DRM doesnt have the noteriety that music and video drm does.

Bob Russell · 08-15-2007, 02:11 PM

Actually, it would be a shame if the DRM is broken that Sony uses. I'd hate to have publishers shy away from offering books. Fortunately, I get the impression it's not a very exciting target.

KDawg · 08-15-2007, 02:12 PM

I'm waiting patiently. Even more important right now, when will eReader (Palm, etc.) DRM be broken so I can move the books I bought to my Reader?

KDawg · 08-15-2007, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

Actually, it would be a shame if the DRM is broken that Sony uses. I'd hate to have publishers shy away from offering books. Fortunately, I get the impression it's not a very exciting target.

That shying away is one side of a double-edged sword. The flip side is that all publishers of music, video, and book, realize the futility of DRM.

Robert Marquard · 08-15-2007, 02:37 PM

In fact breaking the DRM can only slow down the abandoning of DRM. Sony would start to sue the crackers and as long as the lawsuit goes they cannot drop DRM or they would weaken their case considerably.

batpuppy · 08-15-2007, 02:39 PM

I doubt you see much attempt at this until the reader becomes (a) a lot more popular and (b) they open sales to places other than just the US.

Personally I would just like to have the right to view any DRM book that I buy on any device that I own or may own in the future. Their should be either some legal way to convert ebooks from one DRM format to another or the publishing houses should be required to provide a legally purchase DRM ebook in other DRM formats on request. I know this second idea would probably discourage them from providing ebooks at all.
Actually It would be best if there was no DRM ebooks at all.

JSWolf · 08-15-2007, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

Actually, it would be a shame if the DRM is broken that Sony uses. I'd hate to have publishers shy away from offering books. Fortunately, I get the impression it's not a very exciting target.

MS Reader (LIT) DRM has been busted and books still come out in that format. If Sony's DRM was busted, I'd expect a new DRM and a new firmware and new Connect software. And then back to business as usual.

KDawg · 08-15-2007, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Marquard

In fact breaking the DRM can only slow down the abandoning of DRM. Sony would start to sue the crackers and as long as the lawsuit goes they cannot drop DRM or they would weaken their case considerably.

Call me a cynic but I don't believe corporations are going to abandon DRM because it's the right thing to do or because the customers don't want it (most customers don't know what DRM is). I believe DRM will only be abandoned when corporations see that it costs more than it brings in, i.e., it doesn't work.

jakeluck · 08-15-2007, 09:56 PM

one of my main gripe about the current DRM is that in CONNECT, one can NOT even copy selected text off a page for quotation. this and other forms of restriction makes me seriously think twice when investing in digital copies.

volwrath · 08-16-2007, 08:59 AM

I just hate the fact that when I move to another device or sony abandons the market, I am going to lose the books I have bought.

But I somewhat agree with Bob that when/if the DRM is broken, it may slow down the ebook format somewhat.

igorsk · 08-16-2007, 06:21 PM

The main weakness of any DRM is that to allow the user to unlock the content, you have to give him the key. Thus, almost any DRM can be broken. I assure you that if (when?) Sony abandons the format, I will work hard to recover my content

grimo1re · 08-17-2007, 11:40 AM

There must be some solution to this problem? I want to be able to buy reasonably priced ebooks that I can view on many, many devices now and in the future. I'm not against DRM perse, it's just a pain in the youknowwhat the way it is used now. And yes, I'm worried too that if there's some hitch for Sony or other ebook publishers they'd take out that toe that they've so cautiously dipped into the ebook pond.

Robert Marquard · 08-17-2007, 11:57 AM

Limit yourself to free ebooks or SF from Baen http://www.baen.com
This should be good enough for some years of waiting for the DRM problem to be decided.
Hey, the "Queens Own FBI" series by Randall Garrett has been posted to Project Gutenberg today. That should be good enough for a week of reading.

JSWolf · 08-17-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Marquard

Limit yourself to free ebooks or SF from Baen http://www.baen.com
This should be good enough for some years of waiting for the DRM problem to be decided.
Hey, the "Queens Own FBI" series by Randall Garrett has been posted to Project Gutenberg today. That should be good enough for a week of reading.

Do you have a link to Queens Own FBI? I cannot find it. I'll format it for MobileRead if I can get it.

HarryT · 08-18-2007, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do you have a link to Queens Own FBI? I cannot find it. I'll format it for MobileRead if I can get it.

I'm on it already, Jon

.

08-15-2007, 02:07 PM	#1
volwrath Guru Posts: 713 Karma: 1001739 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Device: SGS3/PW2/Nexus72	When is Sony's DRM going to be broken? Not that I would use such a crack, but I simply wonder when/if it will be broken. I suppose ebook DRM doesnt have the noteriety that music and video drm does.

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08-15-2007, 02:11 PM	#2
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Actually, it would be a shame if the DRM is broken that Sony uses. I'd hate to have publishers shy away from offering books. Fortunately, I get the impression it's not a very exciting target.

08-15-2007, 02:12 PM	#3
KDawg Junior Senior Posts: 94 Karma: 81 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: nookColor, nook, PRS-900, PRS-505, PRS-500, Kindle PW, Kindle Oasis	I'm waiting patiently. Even more important right now, when will eReader (Palm, etc.) DRM be broken so I can move the books I bought to my Reader?

08-15-2007, 02:37 PM	#5
Robert Marquard Delphi-Guy Posts: 285 Karma: 1151 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: iLiad, Palm T3	In fact breaking the DRM can only slow down the abandoning of DRM. Sony would start to sue the crackers and as long as the lawsuit goes they cannot drop DRM or they would weaken their case considerably.

08-15-2007, 02:39 PM	#6
batpuppy Connoisseur Posts: 80 Karma: 769050 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: Kindle PW3 , Samsung TabA 8.0, Kindle fire 7.0	I doubt you see much attempt at this until the reader becomes (a) a lot more popular and (b) they open sales to places other than just the US. Personally I would just like to have the right to view any DRM book that I buy on any device that I own or may own in the future. Their should be either some legal way to convert ebooks from one DRM format to another or the publishing houses should be required to provide a legally purchase DRM ebook in other DRM formats on request. I know this second idea would probably discourage them from providing ebooks at all. Actually It would be best if there was no DRM ebooks at all.

08-15-2007, 09:56 PM	#9
jakeluck Groupie Posts: 193 Karma: 3252 Join Date: Dec 2004	one of my main gripe about the current DRM is that in CONNECT, one can NOT even copy selected text off a page for quotation. this and other forms of restriction makes me seriously think twice when investing in digital copies.

08-16-2007, 08:59 AM	#10
volwrath Guru Posts: 713 Karma: 1001739 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Device: SGS3/PW2/Nexus72	I just hate the fact that when I move to another device or sony abandons the market, I am going to lose the books I have bought. But I somewhat agree with Bob that when/if the DRM is broken, it may slow down the ebook format somewhat.

08-16-2007, 06:21 PM	#11
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	The main weakness of any DRM is that to allow the user to unlock the content, you have to give him the key. Thus, almost any DRM can be broken. I assure you that if (when?) Sony abandons the format, I will work hard to recover my content

08-17-2007, 11:40 AM	#12
grimo1re Geekette Posts: 435 Karma: 3335 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NSW, Australia Device: Sony Reader PRS500, PocketBook 360	There must be some solution to this problem? I want to be able to buy reasonably priced ebooks that I can view on many, many devices now and in the future. I'm not against DRM perse, it's just a pain in the youknowwhat the way it is used now. And yes, I'm worried too that if there's some hitch for Sony or other ebook publishers they'd take out that toe that they've so cautiously dipped into the ebook pond.

08-17-2007, 11:57 AM	#13
Robert Marquard Delphi-Guy Posts: 285 Karma: 1151 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: iLiad, Palm T3	Limit yourself to free ebooks or SF from Baen http://www.baen.com This should be good enough for some years of waiting for the DRM problem to be decided. Hey, the "Queens Own FBI" series by Randall Garrett has been posted to Project Gutenberg today. That should be good enough for a week of reading.

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