I mean, this is how you get me to stop buying Kindle books.
Amazon is making it impossible to remove the DRM from Kindle Books
Submitted 11 hours ago by dantheclamman@lemmy.world to technology@lemmy.world
Comments
kaotic@lemmy.world 1 hour ago
Corelli_III@midwest.social 56 minutes ago
ChocolateFrostedSugarBombs@lemmy.world 41 minutes ago
I need to root my Kindle…
BoloMKXXVIII@piefed.social 2 hours ago
Why are people “buying” DRM infested books? They don’t own anything. “Their” books can be taken away at the whim of the seller. Their rights can change with a change to the EULA. There are other legal ways to use e-readers (not Kindles) that let you keep and back up what you buy.
willington@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 hour ago
Bad corporate behaviour is a political problem.
Here we are talking about technological solutions for political problems. Why?
beejjorgensen@lemmy.sdf.org 7 hours ago
I will never, ever purchase a book I can’t remove the DRM from.
And there are people out there who are absolutely fanatical about book preservation. They will photograph every single page and run it through OCR and recreate an ebook just so it gets preserved. DRM is absolutely pointless and stupid.
BCsven@lemmy.ca 6 hours ago
Exactly this. As an idiot I purchase DRM music when Microsoft had its own music store. Some years later they closed it and there was no way to validate music keys.
But thankfully I still have an old Roxio9( I think) CD, and back then Roxio didn’t know what DRM was and would take the mp3 and burn it to DVD anyway, bypassing the key check, then I would just rip it back off the DVD…DRM is useless
tiramichu@sh.itjust.works 5 hours ago
For real.
When I still had Netflix and Disney+ I’d want to watch a show on my PC, but I’d just get black screen and no audio because something about my setup the DRM didn’t like, possibly that I had USB displaylink monitors.
So I had to watch on another device.
DRM isn’t stopping any pirates. It’s just making life a pain for paying customers.
Kyrgizion@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Don’t buy Amazon products. Fairly simple concept.
LaggyKar@programming.dev 10 hours ago
The problem is some authors signing exclusivity deal with Amazon, which means breaking the DRM and converting it is the only way to read it on a different e-reader.
Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 hours ago
Too bad. Then theres no sale unless I can crack the DRM ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 hours ago
The problem is some authors signing exclusivity deal with Amazon
Well then those authors can go straight to corpo-sellout hell and die a painfully death, I’d rather never read a book again than buy from amazon.
dantheclamman@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
Yep, I had a Kindle library of a few dozen books, when they started their shenanigans locking down the desktop client earlier this year I downloaded all of them, de-drmed and converted to epub with Calibre. Hosting them on Calibre-web and accessing with KOreader on a Kobo. I continue to buy books on Kobo and Google Books, which let me download copies (albeit with DRM).
Makes me wonder after all these years why Amazon is locking down ability to move books around. I wonder if they’re starting to feel some real competition and feel threatened! The market of cheap e-ink Android ereaders seems to be growing more and more
restingboredface@sh.itjust.works 8 hours ago
I started that process and hit a road block after getting all the books downloaded to my pc. Can you recommend any tutorials or guides that might help get everything converted?
cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 5 hours ago
amazon: finally we defeated piracy
one kid with a computer: snickers
desmosthenes@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
- www.gutenberg.org
- openlibrary.org
- www.planetebook.com
- archive.org
- www.smashwords.com
- books.google.com
- www.freetechbooks.com
- www.getfreebooks.com
- www.openculture.com/free_ebooks
- www.goodreads.com
- www.oreilly.com (trial)
- annas-archive.org
- pdfcoffee.com
- singlelogin.re
- www.ereaderiq.com/freebies/
- www.bookbub.com/ebook-deals/free-ebooks
- digilibraries.com
- www.overdrive.com
- manybooks.net
there’s so many others and of course torrents
dantheclamman@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
It is remarkable how many books available for free on Gutenberg are sold in the same format on Amazon (it’d be one thing if they were special editions, new translations etc, but they’re the same!)
nyan@lemmy.cafe 8 hours ago
People out to make a quick buck are banking on suckers not knowing about Project Gutenberg, or failing to check it, or not wanting to do a couple of extra steps to get something onto their Kindle.
Paradox@lemdro.id 7 hours ago
Check out standard ebooks. They take public domain books and “clean” them up with really good typesetting, spelling fixes, and other things. All free too
Jason2357@lemmy.ca 4 hours ago
Standard is fantastic! The books are better quality than what they charge for on “marketplaces” and can be read for free or downloaded wholesale for a song. Add to that they host an opds catologue that fbreader can browse and you have incredibly convenient public domain books right to the ereader.
mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 hours ago
You can also use Book Bounty to integrate LibGen support into Readarr. It’s a workaround for one of Readarr’s biggest weaknesses, as torrents historically aren’t great for ebooks.
Fiery@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 hours ago
Didn’t readarr get discontinued a few weeks ago?
tehn00bi@lemmy.world 5 hours ago
The best books are on IRC.
myfunnyaccountname@lemmy.zip 6 hours ago
Why not just remove the Amazon from the ebooks?
LoafedBurrito@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
I don’t know why people buy an stuff like this and get surprised when this happens.
Plenty of other electronics that you have full control over.
interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 3 hours ago
Plenty ? Really ? And what are those ?
Four times the prices and from four years ago ?ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 2 hours ago
Kobo e-readers are 1-to-1 alternatives that allow you to easily transfer epubs or PDFs to it with a USB cable.
rumba@lemmy.zip 3 hours ago
Having your cake and eating it too isn’t on the menu
Kindles were loss leaders to get you in their ecosystem, just like all the shitty cheap tablets they sold.
The from four years ago part is real, but honestly, 4 year old devices read books about as well as current devices as long as you’re not trying to go all fancy.
dantheclamman@lemmy.world 3 hours ago
I am honestly surprised it took this long! Kindle has been around a long time and it’s not like Amazon was any less evil back then. It makes me wonder if the competition has been starting to make them nervous!
db2@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
I’m shocked at this unforeseeable turn of events.
Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 10 hours ago
The current timeline is truly a constant stream of unanticipated surprises
Surp@lemmy.world 50 minutes ago
I feel like nothing is impossible.
_cryptagion@anarchist.nexus 7 hours ago
There’s no such thing as “impossible” when it comes to piracy.
rumba@lemmy.zip 6 hours ago
There’s no impossible because if you can see it, it can be captured and digitized, but there is a level of complication that can make it unreasonable. They could make it unreasonable to crack the drm outright and require you to screenshot/OCR it. Then they can limit the OS to make to difficult to automate capture.
Bottom line, they’re just kicking payers off their network when it’s easier to pirate it than to buy it through their service.
czl@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 hours ago
Something something, piracy is a service problem. That’s why Spotify et al. still thrive, but more and more the Netflixes of the world are being replaced with yaaar
EffortlessEffluvium@lemmy.zip 4 hours ago
The analog hole works on a lot of stuff
MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 3 hours ago
but there is a level of complication that can make it unreasonable.
Lol, just read the Arch Wiki about Bluray playing. Unreasonable only needs a bit longer.
cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 4 hours ago
require you to screenshot/OCR it
So just like what people do with paper books.
Quetzalcutlass@lemmy.world 5 hours ago
Just wait until you can only stream books, not download them, with random words replaced with synonyms using an algorithm that lets them track down who the originator of any scanned copies is.
That might sound ridiculous, but streaming-only to prevent perfect copies and hiding purchaser identifiers in the data are both DRM techniques that have been explored in other media already. There’s no limit to how anti-consumer publishers can get when they think there’s slightly more money to be had.
piecat@lemmy.world 42 minutes ago
Log2(8.2billion) is about 33. That means if each word only had 1 synonym, you only need to change 33 words to uniquely identify who was responsible.
21 words need to change if each has 3 options. 17 words for 4 options.
CrayonDevourer@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
I’ve been slowly filling my wife’s Kindle Oasis full of pirated books over the last 2 years. I got it initially because it had internet service everywhere and I could just email her the epubs to simplify loading things.
A couple of weeks ago, even though airplane mode is always on for this thing, (so no wifi either) – this thing wipes something like 400 books from her library overnight. Granted, they were all pirated, but they’re doing some nasty stuff there. It looks like there’s renewed effort to combat this.
Sooooo, I sold it and bought her a Kobo Libra Color. Now, I just have her open up send.djazz.se – give me the 4 digit code, and I can upload books to her that way. Goodbye Amazon. Don’t let the door hit you.
MountingSuspicion@reddthat.com 6 hours ago
Cannot recommend Kobo enough. You can jailbreak it if you like, but I didn’t get much benefit from that personally. I’m partial to the overdrive integration, but if you’re loading epubs you probably aren’t using that. If in the US, I’d recommend at least setting it up, since it’s pretty easy and maybe more immediate for some books, but obviously she won’t get to keep the epub after.
clif@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
Not that I would know from experience, but I hear there are Calibre plugins that will allow a user to pull the DRM’d book (downloaded via Overdrive) to a computer and remove the DRM.
I’ve read that it’s a polite thing to do because you’re able to return borrowed books much more quickly so other users can check them out.
tehn00bi@lemmy.world 5 hours ago
Kobo is on my Xmas list. I still have a gen 2? Kindle and it’s still pretty workable.
moopet@sh.itjust.works 6 hours ago
That’s weird and sounds like some kind of software problem. I can’t see how that would happen otherwise. I have a Voyage and don’t have wifi configured on it at all, just add books with calibre and it’s been fine for a decade.
CrayonDevourer@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
It’s not a software problem, the Oasis has cell service.
mesamunefire@piefed.social 10 hours ago
Kobo is cool Now just fyi. Works well with calibre.
The biggest issue I have is ebooks are almost all excusevly sold on amazon. I would give authors my money and not sail the high seas if it ment no DRM.
roofuskit@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
I’m sorry but the idea that most ebooks are exclusive to Amazon is absurd. While they are trying and would love that to be true, it’s just not.
friend_of_satan@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
Tha was my first thought too, but I’m not so sure. I’d love to see data on it. I did a quick search and couldn’t find any numbers, but I did find articles talking about Amazon requiring exclusivity in some cases. ingramspark.com/…/amazon-exclusive-options-create…
NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 10 hours ago
To clarify:
“Traditionally published” books and even many “self published” books are sold in all major storefronts and often on the author’s website (if they have one).
The issue is that Amazon has REALLY REALLY good tools for self publishing and, at least until recently, Kindle Unlimited (?) was a great way for authors to make money without the power of a traditional publisher or the grindset for true self publishing. And Kindle Unlimited requires amazon exclusivity.
The “good” news is that Amazon is dicking everyone over with changes to Audible and the like (it is allegedly a big reason why Sanderson basically made his own publishing house) and a lot of the big names in SFF are increasingly considering their options. That is a drop in the bucket compared to Romantasy and the like, but it is not nothing.
So best recommendation is to politely nudge your favorite authors and to signal boost booktube/booktok/bookgram/whatever to keep pushing on this.
mesamunefire@piefed.social 8 hours ago
Nice read. I’m no longer at keyboard. Good points.
incompetent@programming.dev 8 hours ago
Someone posted a comment somewhere else in this post with a list of sources of ebooks. Hope it helps!
miguel@fedia.io 10 hours ago
"Almost all"... Unless you read a very specific niche, I've rarely looked for a book that I wanted to read and not found it elsewhere.
There certainly are some that are specific to KDP, but hardly "almost all".miguel@fedia.io 9 hours ago
In fact just a few minutes ago I got another bundle from Humble that I loaded onto my kobo with no issue
dantheclamman@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
Between Kobo and Google Books I haven’t had a problem of not finding a book. Are you talking about small authors self-publishing on Kindle? I could see that being an issue
panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 6 hours ago
Also Canadian, though now majority owned by Rakuten.
DaCrazyJamez@sh.itjust.works 9 hours ago
Boox is the best. Stock software, NO DRM. Downside is they are more expensive upfront
Paradox@lemdro.id 1 hour ago
Boox’s Neoreader is surprisingly good, but KoReader just frog blasts it
stealth_cookies@lemmy.ca 9 hours ago
Agreed, that they are just an android tablet makes them far more useful than most ereaders as you can install apps from the Play store. I probably use mine in the kitchen more than as a reader.
SavageCoconut@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
How hard is to install KOreader on a Kobo?
NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 9 hours ago
KOReader is trivial to install but I would also say it is nowhere near as “required” as it used to be for the majority of readers.
In fact, a few months (year or two?) back when amazon started this bullshit in earnest, the main dev(s) behind Calibre finally picked up Kobos and DRASTICALLY improved support for the devices. Still some wonkiness with usually having to eject and re-connect to actually update metadata but everything “just works”.
SatyrSack@quokk.au 10 hours ago
Basically a one-click install on supported devices. You just need a PC and a USB cable. Highly recommended
https://github.com/koreader/koreader/wiki/Installation-on-Kobo-devices
oeuf@slrpnk.net 9 hours ago
dantheclamman@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
Fairly intuitive, if you can drag the right file to the right directory on the device.
mesamunefire@piefed.social 9 hours ago
Not to hard
MITM0@lemmy.world 5 hours ago
Remember to pay your local pirate.
krooklochurm@lemmy.ca 4 hours ago
Yarrrrrr
MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 3 hours ago
So they encrypt it via cloud-stored keys. I hope their market share will tank after a few public outrages. Make sure you’re not one of the victims.
SlartyBartFast@sh.itjust.works 7 hours ago
Amazon can go suck a fuck!
moopet@sh.itjust.works 6 hours ago
How exactly does one suck a fuck?
hakunawazo@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
DRM-free.
Th3D3k0y@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
You never saw a video where someone cleans up their partner after the good time?
CameronDev@programming.dev 10 hours ago
Tangent, but I have had an incredibly poor experience getting a library eBook onto a kindle. Libby gives out time restricted epubs - fair enough, I am actually borrowing the book, that makes sense. Kindle, despite being the “goto” ereader, and epubs being a standard format, cannot read them.
So, despite wanting to legitimately borrow and read the book, instead I am borrowing and DeDRM’ing it (which is its own convoluted process).
Why is Amazon pushing so hard for piracy? Its one thing to make their store easier to use, but breaking all other valid use cases just leaves the one remaining option…
goldenbug@fedia.io 10 hours ago
I have a kobo ereader, it connects to my local library through the overdrive system and I am soooo happy.
CameronDev@programming.dev 10 hours ago
Yeah, definitely considering that as a replacement.
berty@feddit.org 10 hours ago
That’s what they want. If you don’t agree don’t get a kindle.
roofuskit@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Amazon and Kindle have always been upfront about only supporting their proprietary format and people just chose to ignore it.
Never had any trouble with my Nook.
TheRealKuni@piefed.social 10 hours ago
Really? I’ve never had an issue. Libby sends me directly to Amazon to “check out” the book, so I don’t have to upload it to the Kindle manually.
JoMiran@lemmy.ml 10 hours ago
I transitioned from a Kindle to an iPad. It just works better and you can get refurbished older iPads with an excellent OLED screen and warranty for less than a new Kindle in most cases.
sailorzoop@lemmy.librebun.com 5 hours ago
Are there any good “open” alternatives to the Paperwhite? I’ve been drooling over getting an e-ink reader for like a month straight now. kindlemodding.org/…/kindle-models.html
Most of the current models can be jailbroken, but I’d definitely rather another route. (Not having to deal with checking second-hand market seller’s firmware versions etc)boonhet@sopuli.xyz 4 hours ago
Wait, can’t you just load non-Amazon books on the Kindle? I thought this is only about the ability to redistribute books you buy from Amazon.
I mean I’d still sure like to hear if there’s a good alternative. But if not, I think you can still use it, just don’t buy Amazon books for it. Recommend researching first though.
bacon_pdp@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Ok look an article from 1997 which predicted this very thing
fading_person@lemmy.zip 10 hours ago
There are so many alternative ereaders that are better than the kindle, that I don’t get why people buy it.
I once borrowed one from a friend and it didn’t even let me organize media in directories from a pc. The directory structure got all messed up and it was a pain to follow my study sequence. Any cheap Chinese ereader would allow that.
Treczoks@lemmy.world 7 hours ago
OK, so kindle is off the list of potential readers.
Any recommendations for a good reader that can do epub, PDF, and maybe even html with CSS?
FishFace@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
When I got a kindle (10 years ago) I did it on the basis that it was possible to strip the DRM of the books and load them on another device. I’m not going to be tied to some shitty platform for ever more. I must say though that when I have bought books on other places, the process of stripping the DRM and getting the book onto the device has been an absolute ballache - presumably the same for any device when you’re not using the native store.
I won’t be going back to physical books though. I bought a hardback for the first time in ages and my wrists don’t like it. Nor does my partner when I’m reading while they’re trying to sleep.
mariusafa@lemmy.sdf.org 9 hours ago
DRM on Kindle it’s a known fact. That’s why Richard Stallman calls it Swindle
fossilesque@mander.xyz 10 hours ago
DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org 10 hours ago
This is why it sucks that physical print media is on the decline, because one could just scan their own PDFs instead if physical print media was still commonplace.
muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 1 hour ago
This entire thing has been made needlessly complicated. Easy fix though.
ysjet@lemmy.world 48 minutes ago
Oh you sweet summer child, judges will bend over backwards to slap people with multi-decade-to-life charges for ‘hacking,’ even if the ‘hacking’ is just the rightsholder accidentally presenting data to you.