Is Adobe Digital Editions spying on our ereading?

almagary · 08-01-2011, 03:45 AM

Here is the situation that led to a discovery: My WiFi Kobo has never gotten along with Adobe Digital Editions. Whether plugged in via USB before or after booting ADE on my PC, ADE has always gone blank and crashed. Meaning I always had to download bookstore or library ebooks via ADE, then sideload via Calibre. OK as a workaround, but I won't mention the DRM problem.

This evening I wasn't thinking as I hooked up the Kobo to my PC, which was already running ADE and, as it happens, Calibre. I sighed as there was flashing, momentary blankness--the usual signs of a crash--and I started to eject the Kobo. Then I was shocked to see a series of message-size ADE boxes flash by with the titles of some ebooks not acquired via ADE.

The only way that ADE could know about these ebooks would be by spying on either my Kobo or Calibre.

I hated ADE before for its monopolistic role in my ereading life, its poor design and lack of extended elibrary functions, and of course its inability to work with my Kobo. Now I hate it because it is a spy.

I can't get any screengrabs on this ADE wiretapping. Anyone else catch Adobe on this?

the.Mtn.Man · 08-01-2011, 07:15 AM

You're a bit paranoid.

First of all, it's not a good idea to have two different programs accessing the Kobo at the same time. This is a fairly reliable way to corrupt the memory and force a factory reset.

Secondly, if the names of books flashed by that you hadn't acquired using ADE, it was most likely because they were being read off your Kobo and not because ADE is "spying" on you. The program probably has to make a catalog of what's already on the reader in order to avoid conflicts when transferring new books. Calibre does the same thing. Plug in your Kobo and -- oh my gosh! -- it shows all the books already on your Kobo!

Yeah, not a big deal.

TedJ · 08-01-2011, 07:21 AM

I'm stocking up on tinfoil, just in case.

avantman42 · 08-01-2011, 10:18 AM

It's good to know that Kindle users aren't the only ones who are paranoid

charleski · 08-01-2011, 03:49 PM

As I said on the other thread you started, there's nothing sinister going on. ADE is simply syncronising the annotations in your book (and you do have annotations for every ePub or PDF opened on your Kobo) so that you don't lose them.

the.Mtn.Man · 08-01-2011, 07:57 PM

Keep in mind, we're talking about someone who tagged this thread with terms like "espionage" and "wiretapping".

JSWolf · 08-01-2011, 08:07 PM

It's time to get the little blue pills for the OP.

The Terminator · 08-01-2011, 08:16 PM

Paranoia strikes again

TedJ · 08-02-2011, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's time to get the little blue pills for the OP.

Do we really need a paranoid with a rampaging erection?

MorganM · 08-02-2011, 07:58 AM

lolz...Are you serious OP? Mebbe I should go delete ADE off my computer?...

beautifulsoup · 08-02-2011, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

Keep in mind, we're talking about someone who tagged this thread with terms like "espionage" and "wiretapping".

I noticed that, too. It cracked me up.

ScalyFreak · 08-02-2011, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TedJ

Do we really need a paranoid with a rampaging erection?

No, no, no... the other blue pill!

I have spare tinfoil, if anyone wants, by the way.

JSWolf · 08-03-2011, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TedJ

Do we really need a paranoid with a rampaging erection?

You have the blue pill mixed up with the purple pill. The purple pill is for erections and the blue pill is for the paranoia.

montsnmags · 08-03-2011, 09:05 PM

Moderator Notice
This thread is being close as a duplicate of a newly-created thread located here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=145284

Please continue topical discussion there, noting that any mockery or personal attacks are, as per our Guidelines, always unwelcome.

Cheers,
Marc
Moderator

08-01-2011, 03:45 AM	#1
almagary Wears funny hat (cloth) Posts: 28 Karma: 26 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Limbo Device: Kobo WiFi, Kobo Touch	Is Adobe Digital Editions spying on our ereading? Here is the situation that led to a discovery: My WiFi Kobo has never gotten along with Adobe Digital Editions. Whether plugged in via USB before or after booting ADE on my PC, ADE has always gone blank and crashed. Meaning I always had to download bookstore or library ebooks via ADE, then sideload via Calibre. OK as a workaround, but I won't mention the DRM problem. This evening I wasn't thinking as I hooked up the Kobo to my PC, which was already running ADE and, as it happens, Calibre. I sighed as there was flashing, momentary blankness--the usual signs of a crash--and I started to eject the Kobo. Then I was shocked to see a series of message-size ADE boxes flash by with the titles of some ebooks not acquired via ADE. The only way that ADE could know about these ebooks would be by spying on either my Kobo or Calibre. I hated ADE before for its monopolistic role in my ereading life, its poor design and lack of extended elibrary functions, and of course its inability to work with my Kobo. Now I hate it because it is a spy. I can't get any screengrabs on this ADE wiretapping. Anyone else catch Adobe on this? Last edited by almagary; 08-01-2011 at 03:50 AM.

08-01-2011, 07:15 AM	#2
the.Mtn.Man Guru Posts: 710 Karma: 2483502 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kobo Aura	You're a bit paranoid. First of all, it's not a good idea to have two different programs accessing the Kobo at the same time. This is a fairly reliable way to corrupt the memory and force a factory reset. Secondly, if the names of books flashed by that you hadn't acquired using ADE, it was most likely because they were being read off your Kobo and not because ADE is "spying" on you. The program probably has to make a catalog of what's already on the reader in order to avoid conflicts when transferring new books. Calibre does the same thing. Plug in your Kobo and -- oh my gosh! -- it shows all the books already on your Kobo! Yeah, not a big deal. Last edited by the.Mtn.Man; 08-01-2011 at 09:38 AM.

08-03-2011, 09:05 PM	#14
montsnmags Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,155 Karma: 4632658 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	Moderator Notice This thread is being close as a duplicate of a newly-created thread located here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=145284 Please continue topical discussion there, noting that any mockery or personal attacks are, as per our Guidelines, always unwelcome. Cheers, Marc Moderator Last edited by montsnmags; 08-03-2011 at 09:10 PM.

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08-01-2011, 07:21 AM	#3
TedJ Groupie Posts: 189 Karma: 86778 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Brisbane, Australia Device: Kobo Touch	I'm stocking up on tinfoil, just in case.

08-01-2011, 10:18 AM	#4
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	It's good to know that Kindle users aren't the only ones who are paranoid

08-01-2011, 03:49 PM	#5
charleski Wizard Posts: 1,196 Karma: 1281258 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505	As I said on the other thread you started, there's nothing sinister going on. ADE is simply syncronising the annotations in your book (and you do have annotations for every ePub or PDF opened on your Kobo) so that you don't lose them.

08-01-2011, 07:57 PM	#6
the.Mtn.Man Guru Posts: 710 Karma: 2483502 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kobo Aura	Keep in mind, we're talking about someone who tagged this thread with terms like "espionage" and "wiretapping".

08-01-2011, 08:07 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,001 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	It's time to get the little blue pills for the OP.

08-01-2011, 08:16 PM	#8
The Terminator Retired Posts: 2,552 Karma: 37638420 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Optimus One (2.3), Nexus 7 (4.2)	Paranoia strikes again

08-02-2011, 07:58 AM	#10
MorganM Fanatic Posts: 563 Karma: 1089963 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra H2o	lolz...Are you serious OP? Mebbe I should go delete ADE off my computer?...

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