converting epubs

[alansplace]

the background:

1. i'm a mostly satisfied kindle owner.
2. i hate drm
3. i'd like to purchase epubs from various vendors and strip any drmed ones of the drm so as to convert the epub to mobi with calibre.
4. i use a registered copy of digital editions on my pc to view epubs.

the questions:

5. will digital editions view any drmed epub i purchase no matter who from?
6. i've successfully installed pycrypto-2.1.0.win32-py2.6.
7. i've tried to get my key using ineptkey.pyw but it doesn't seem to work, any suggestions.
--
Alan

[ATDrake]

5. Yes, provided the store offers ADE-compatible downloads and/or you transfer your already downloaded files between devices registered to the same Adobe ID.

I've been able to transfer DRM-ed freebie Kobo books downloaded via an ADE install for one user account to the Sony Reader Library software of another, both registered separately to the exact same Adobe ID, just by dragging and dropping the original ePub, no extra steps needed.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

5. Yes, provided the store offers ADE-compatible downloads and/or you transfer your already downloaded files between devices registered to the same Adobe ID.

I've been able to transfer DRM-ed freebie Kobo books downloaded via an ADE install for one user account to the Sony Reader Library software of another, both registered separately to the exact same Adobe ID, just by dragging and dropping the original ePub, no extra steps needed.

thanks, AT. how does one determine the ADE status before purchasing. in my experience vendors don't acknowledge drm and i've not before heard of ADE.
--
Alan

[ATDrake]

I suggest having a look at the store's Help section. Generally most places will list prerequisite software/systems for reading their e-books.

For example, here's Books On Board's help page. Lays out the computers/readers they support and the formats they offer, and when you click the Adobe icon, it goes straight to telling you that Adobe Digital Editions needs to be installed if you intend to get your books in this format.

Similarly, here's Kobo's FAQ page on other compatible e-ink readers which prominently mentions both ADE and the lack of Kindle support.

Direct Ebooks, who sometimes supply gift certificate prizes for MobileRead's contests, also have a likewise "here's what you can use to read on, and what format you should be reading with it" type of help page entry.

But you should be pretty safe with just about any of the stores.

Outside of Apple's iBooks and Barnes & Noble, just about nobody else has applied their own DRM-scheme to ePubs. Any other place offering them will either have them DRM-free to begin with, or have licensed Adobe's ADE form of DRM, which will usually be labeled "Secure" by the stores which sell it.

Among the majors, this includes the Kobo and Sony stores which often offer promo freebies, in case you want to test things out with no financial commitment. So you shouldn't have any significant compatibility worries.

For what it's worth, B&N's DRM is even easier to strip and significantly less intrusive and more convenient (no device limits, no special software needed to "activate"), in case you ever decide to get books from them, as well. They have an excellent annotated classics series which is exclusive to their store and occasionally available via free promotions.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

I suggest having a look at the store's Help section. Generally most places will list prerequisite software/systems for reading their e-books.

For example, here's Books On Board's help page. Lays out the computers/readers they support and the formats they offer, and when you click the Adobe icon, it goes straight to telling you that Adobe Digital Editions needs to be installed if you intend to get your books in this format.

Similarly, here's Kobo's FAQ page on other compatible e-ink readers which prominently mentions both ADE and the lack of Kindle support.

Direct Ebooks, who sometimes supply gift certificate prizes for MobileRead's contests, also have a likewise "here's what you can use to read on, and what format you should be reading with it" type of help page entry.

But you should be pretty safe with just about any of the stores.

Outside of Apple's iBooks and Barnes & Noble, just about nobody else has applied their own DRM-scheme to ePubs. Any other place offering them will either have them DRM-free to begin with, or have licensed Adobe's ADE form of DRM, which will usually be labeled "Secure" by the stores which sell it.

Among the majors, this includes the Kobo and Sony stores which often offer promo freebies, in case you want to test things out with no financial commitment. So you shouldn't have any significant compatibility worries.

For what it's worth, B&N's DRM is even easier to strip and significantly less intrusive and more convenient (no device limits, no special software needed to "activate"), in case you ever decide to get books from them, as well. They have an excellent annotated classics series which is exclusive to their store and occasionally available via free promotions.

thanks again, i was mainly looking at simon & schuster. the trouble with b&n seems to be that they mix their ebook formats, seemingly randomly.
--
Alan

[ATDrake]

Simon & Schuster's website apparently gives you a choice of Adobe (no idea if this is PDF or ePub by default, though the one listing I tried did have just ePub), eReader, or Microsoft Reader formats, according to their help page. You may be better off getting any of their books you want through one of the regular major bookstores, or testing on their giveaway freebies first to see what you end up with.

B&N actually only have two formats under the same DRM scheme, and they've been trying to switch exclusively over to just the one.

But their grand plans for going all ePub and killing off the eReader format hit a snag when they failed to upgrade their Mac reader software so as not to crash with their shiny new default DRM-ed ePubs (non-DRM ones work just fine).

Also, they still have to support Blackberry and they haven't gotten their app for that to do ePub yet, either, so PDB lives on to haunt them, undying like a zombie!

However, Windows users will only ever see ePubs, under the current regime. They really ought to give one a choice of file format at the website.

I'm sure there are still some non-Mac users with eReader-compatible devices who'd love to be able to get directly usable book downloads from B&N. And a sale is a sale, no matter what it's going to be read upon.

[Toxaris]

No answer to your question, but love your Avatar. Harry rules!

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Simon & Schuster's website apparently gives you a choice of Adobe (no idea if this is PDF or ePub by default, though the one listing I tried did have just ePub), eReader, or Microsoft Reader formats, according to their help page. You may be better off getting any of their books you want through one of the regular major bookstores, or testing on their giveaway freebies first to see what you end up with.

B&N actually only have two formats under the same DRM scheme, and they've been trying to switch exclusively over to just the one.

But their grand plans for going all ePub and killing off the eReader format hit a snag when they failed to upgrade their Mac reader software so as not to crash with their shiny new default DRM-ed ePubs (non-DRM ones work just fine).

Also, they still have to support Blackberry and they haven't gotten their app for that to do ePub yet, either, so PDB lives on to haunt them, undying like a zombie!

However, Windows users will only ever see ePubs, under the current regime. They really ought to give one a choice of file format at the website.

I'm sure there are still some non-Mac users with eReader-compatible devices who'd love to be able to get directly usable book downloads from B&N. And a sale is a sale, no matter what it's going to be read upon.

Simon & Schuster appears to have just the one choice, epub.

from what i've heard (read), B&N supplies both both epub and pdb, indiscriminately, and the buyer neither knows what he's getting nor has any influence over the format choice (has no choice).
--
Alan

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

No answer to your question, but love your Avatar. Harry rules!

thanks! yes he does, i can hardly wait till March 29th when book 13, 'ghost story' is released.
--
Alan