4 ms·

My current workflow is to buy Adobe DRM'd epubs and remove the DRM so I can read them in FBReader on Android. That'll sadly be impacted until the new DRM is def

by sho_hn 13y ago

My current workflow is to buy Adobe DRM'd epubs and remove the DRM so I can read them in FBReader on Android. That'll sadly be impacted until the new DRM is defeated. I could switch to buying from Amazon in the interim and cracking those, but I'd rather not support the Amazon ebook oligopoly. Annoying. I guess I'll have to switch to using a DRM-enabled app for a while, but I don't like any of them as much as FBReader. I suppose I could try limiting myself to DRM-free releases for now. Wonder what's out there? I remember Tor Books went DRM-free ...

WalterSear 13y ago
That'll sadly be impacted until the new DRM is defeated. You might have to wait hours, or even days for that to happen. The horror :)
- sho_hn 13y ago
  Let's hope you're right. I'm curious though, do you base that on actual time-to-circumvention experience with ebook DRM systems? Might be interesting to compile some data points on that ... The exploit that's currently available to extract the key from an authenticated instance of Adobe Digital Editions for Windows only applies to a very old version of the app, so I don't have working memories of how long it took last time.
  - gergles 13y ago
    That's not true; you can read the key from 3.0 (the latest) Digital Editions with no problems at all.
    - sho_hn 13y ago
      Hmm, that's repeatedly not worked for me IIRC, but then I'm doing it on Wine rather than an actual Windows. Actually, now that I'm forced to recall the details ... maybe the problem was actually getting the newer version to run due to the .NET requirement. Still though, different app versions but same DRM system version - the relevant info would be how long it took to defeat that version of the DRM the last time, right?
- Havoc 13y ago
  >You might have to wait hours, or even days for that to happen. Unless they proclaim that it is unhackable...then you'd better bring a stopwatch.
gcb0 13y ago
So you, as a criminal in the eyes of the current law interpretation, will only be impacted by not being able to buy newer books. The law abiding clients will be out of the product they bought under misleading terms.
- sho_hn 13y ago
  Absolutely, I'm not saying I'm impacted the most here. The situation sucks for many participants. As for ignoring the law ... I enjoy reading books. I like paying for books, because I want the activity of writing and publishing books to be a well-compensated endeavor in my society, so I (and others) get more great books from professional writers. Removing the DRM gets me a superior reading experience (favorite reading app), which aligns well with both of those things. Having to remove the DRM is essentially a nuisance I'm choosing to put up with because I like books well enough. It's frustrating the nuisance is mounting.
  - rogerbinns 13y ago
    But you are rewarding those using DRM and going against their intentions. And by spending that money and your time/attention on those, have taken it away from the alternatives that are in your interests and what you want to reward. Yes the alternatives may be worse right now, but they will get better quicker with your money and attention. http://www.rogerbinns.com/blog/gplus/those-of-you-who-download-content-the-copyright.html http://www.rogerbinns.com/blog/gplus/those-of-you-who-downlo...
    - sho_hn 13y ago
      You're right. I'm going along with DRM by putting up with it, and it's not something I feel good about, and something that bothers me. I'm doing it because it's a complex situation, especially for the authors involved, many of which aren't in a position to stick up "for the cause". I understand you want me to make strategic decisions to bring about change faster, but I'm concerned about the collateral damage. It's tricky. I have actually tried to give preferential treatment to DRM-free options where available, and bought some DRM-free books that I might not have otherwise, as well as advertised them to peers and generally tried to awareness of the topic and the benefits of unencumbered book files. That's the trade-off I'm currently at. It's not a desirable one and I have great respect for your stance, but it's what I feel is best under the circumstances.

by sho_hn 13y ago

WalterSear 13y ago

That'll sadly be impacted until the new DRM is defeated. You might have to wait hours, or even days for that to happen. The horror :)

sho_hn 13y ago
Let's hope you're right. I'm curious though, do you base that on actual time-to-circumvention experience with ebook DRM systems? Might be interesting to compile some data points on that ... The exploit that's currently available to extract the key from an authenticated instance of Adobe Digital Editions for Windows only applies to a very old version of the app, so I don't have working memories of how long it took last time.
- gergles 13y ago
  That's not true; you can read the key from 3.0 (the latest) Digital Editions with no problems at all.
  - sho_hn 13y ago
    Hmm, that's repeatedly not worked for me IIRC, but then I'm doing it on Wine rather than an actual Windows. Actually, now that I'm forced to recall the details ... maybe the problem was actually getting the newer version to run due to the .NET requirement. Still though, different app versions but same DRM system version - the relevant info would be how long it took to defeat that version of the DRM the last time, right?
Havoc 13y ago
>You might have to wait hours, or even days for that to happen. Unless they proclaim that it is unhackable...then you'd better bring a stopwatch.

gcb0 13y ago

So you, as a criminal in the eyes of the current law interpretation, will only be impacted by not being able to buy newer books. The law abiding clients will be out of the product they bought under misleading terms.

sho_hn 13y ago
Absolutely, I'm not saying I'm impacted the most here. The situation sucks for many participants. As for ignoring the law ... I enjoy reading books. I like paying for books, because I want the activity of writing and publishing books to be a well-compensated endeavor in my society, so I (and others) get more great books from professional writers. Removing the DRM gets me a superior reading experience (favorite reading app), which aligns well with both of those things. Having to remove the DRM is essentially a nuisance I'm choosing to put up with because I like books well enough. It's frustrating the nuisance is mounting.
- rogerbinns 13y ago
  But you are rewarding those using DRM and going against their intentions. And by spending that money and your time/attention on those, have taken it away from the alternatives that are in your interests and what you want to reward. Yes the alternatives may be worse right now, but they will get better quicker with your money and attention. http://www.rogerbinns.com/blog/gplus/those-of-you-who-download-content-the-copyright.html http://www.rogerbinns.com/blog/gplus/those-of-you-who-downlo...
  - sho_hn 13y ago
    You're right. I'm going along with DRM by putting up with it, and it's not something I feel good about, and something that bothers me. I'm doing it because it's a complex situation, especially for the authors involved, many of which aren't in a position to stick up "for the cause". I understand you want me to make strategic decisions to bring about change faster, but I'm concerned about the collateral damage. It's tricky. I have actually tried to give preferential treatment to DRM-free options where available, and bought some DRM-free books that I might not have otherwise, as well as advertised them to peers and generally tried to awareness of the topic and the benefits of unencumbered book files. That's the trade-off I'm currently at. It's not a desirable one and I have great respect for your stance, but it's what I feel is best under the circumstances.