i can never find the ebooks i want drm free so i use calibre to make them drm free
this post was submitted on 01 Sep 2023
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I checked but on the website it explicitely implies it doesn't remove the drm restrictions?
**Why does calibre not support DRM? ** calibre is open source software while DRM by its very nature is closed. If calibre were to support opening or viewing DRM files it could be trivially modified to be used as a tool for DRM removal which is illegal under today’s laws. Open source software and DRM are a clash of principles. While DRM is all about controlling the user, open source software is about empowering the user. The two simply can not coexist.
There's plugins that remove DRM.
Ah, thank you, didn't know calibre could do that
Please be careful with your wording. Calibre does not remove DRM. Calibre does support plugins, and as it is a totally open source application, these plugins include third party ones for which the Calibre developers have no responsibility. One of these third party plugins will remove most types of ebook DRM.
Very helpful clarification, thank you
it's a plugin but it's not too hard to configure. just a pain to download the files and copy them over.
I also do the same thing. I want to really own what I buy, after all.
I use Libby to borrow ebooks, they let you download epub version with DRM. Then I just strip the DRM with calibre and immediately return so i don't take up the library copy anymore. Then I use the DRM-free epub I get from calibre to read whenever I have time, no 3-week time limit.
I need to learn how to do this. Not the borrowing books part, I’ve got that down. It’s the other part I don’t know how to do.
I don't know if it's a grey area legally. I dont buy the books, but i still have a permanent copy available whenever I need to.
And of course, you ethically delete the file once you have finished reading it.
Nudge. Right?
If it's not read again, and forgotten about...is it not the same?
Yes. I buy on ebooks dot com, where you can filter by the DRM-free critter. It is also a neat trick to discover new authors.
I do this absolutely out of personal opinion on the matter, and would rather buy dead-tree-and-ink than a closed version (that won't open on my e-reader anyway).
The whole - and excellent - Murderbot Diaries series is DRM-free ! I wonder what/who make the decision on that matter.
Thank's for the book tip, sounds promising!
I agree with you. I bought two paperbooks, just because i refuse to buy DRM ebooks. Thank you so much for your reply, i will check out the website!
If there is a DRM free version of anything I use or need, I go out of my way to buy it. Otherwise I dont buy anything I use or need.
I want to say that Tor Books releases DRM-free ebooks by default, and most of the authors I like these days are published via Tor. (And Tor being a SFF imprint is relevant to this sub.)
So I kind of get DRM-free eBooks by default.
Yep. I just bought Sleep in a Sea of Stars from Kobo, and because it was Tor published I could download a DRM free copy to convert and slap on my kindle.
Great! Thank you for sharing. I'm happy i asked the question, because everyone is giving a lot of useful info
Baen library as well. I love DRM free books.
I only buy DRM-free books, and I buy them from Bookapy. Small shop, relatively unknown authors, but some of them seriously good. I recommend Alan Steiner's "Intemperance" series.
i have a magic hard drive that stuff just appears when i buy something physical
OP, you should consider editing your post and list the legal sources being suggested here.
I'll add Smashwords. None of their books have DRM and they also act as a distributor for other outlets (B&N, Amazon, etc) and even give away ISBNs for fledgeling authors. Author have an incredible control over their work through them.
Lastly, allow me to leave two cents on the entire DRM debate.
I've trying my best to write and eventually publish my work. I could not care less for editors and publishers as they take the lions share for an authors work. What I care is recognition for what I've written.
Any author would be very lucky to have their book "pirated"; what best free publicity? Even you manage to sell 100 million copies of your book, you are still unknown to the majority of the world. Books are expensive for many.
I wish I can have, someday in the future, a fan writting me an email saying they got my book from a pirate site because they couldn't afford even my work in ebook format and I'll thank them for their support. At least whatever shit I write will be enjoyed and will have made someone happy.
DRM is a cancer. True fans, somehow, sometime, find a way to get a copy. And those who can't or won't for any reason, if they enjoy, they share and eventually new fans come.
The books I buy don't typically have D's that need their R's M'd. If you know what I am saying.
I think I gather where you're sailing, aye.
I always try to buy physical copies of books. I will not buy a book with drm.
I’d rather get a physical copy sent to my parents house in the us and then find a digital Copy without drm. That way everybody wins.
(I don’t live in the US and it can be hard to find some books.)
libgen
Most public libraries have a very extensive collection of ebooks that can be borrowed.
Though I greatly prefer physical books. The sole exception is technical things that then let me search for what I need
I love physical books, but i prefer to buy them only when i know i will love them. So, books that i don't know at all, would accumulate quickly and take up unnecessary space if it turns out i don't even like it that much. Good point about the library, thanks!
I get it, also there's some convenience with readers when you're in a place you'll read... alot... but, yeah. I'd certainly go broke if my reading list was satisfied with buying them, instead of visiting the library.
I used to only read physical books and couldn't even consider reading ebooks. Then I ran out of space in my book case and was forced to start reading ebooks. Now I have my whole book collection on my phone (and backed up on my hard drive and gdrive).
I recently found out that my local library has ebooks available to borrow via cloudlibrary - https://www.yourcloudlibrary.com/
I suspect many other libraries of people here do the same. They don't have everything, but, they have enough and you can use your phone, computer or kindle or whatever to borrow and read them.
It's been great... and free
I exclusively buy DRM-free books/games/videos. I don't pay for DRM.
Exactly, that's why i'm asking. Where do you buy them, and can you also buy modern titles?
For games I buy them at: www.gog.com
Same here. I'm happy to pay for the games I enjoy playing as long as I effectively can own a copy. So i either buy them on GOG.com (or publisher website for some indie stuff) or find other ways to acquire them, because f**k vendor lock-in (looking at you Steam).
Get them on Anna's Archive and then mail the author a check.
Who's still got checks? Email the cash.
I still get physical print books. I like the smell and the feel more than just reading on a screen, even if it's that e-paper stuff. E-paper still doesn't appeal to my other senses. Most of the e-books I have are audiobooks, none of which have DRM, I use while also reading the physical book just cuz I have found it helps absorb it faster.
I do specifically get DRM files because in the past, DRM has gotten in the way of transferring the files to another device from what I initially got them on. I'd rather just have a friggin .mp3 or .ogg and will pirate it if it's unavailable DRM free.
I agree and i love paper books, but i prefer to buy them when i know they are worth my precious storage space. Nothing better than opening a new book and smell it. It's the first thing i do :-)
Edit to add that i will never buy books with DRM though
I don't know where to buy them DRM free, but I can usually buy a DRM book from Amazon kindle, for example, then just download the DRM free book from a website like oceanofpdf.org
Anywhere that's not Amazon, assuming the publishers are not being assholes. Usually between the American and the British edition you can almost always find a DRM free epub version.
I've never seen that a publisher who's locking it's books would sell them different on different platforms. I just checked Andy Weir from his own website, it is all amazon / apple / google etc locked versions - or pulp-tree-and-ink.
But I'd be very happy to be wrong; have you got sites to recommend?
I'm not in the US or UK, and here i find that a lot of books come with DRM
So, this is a website where you proof you bought the book legitimately and then, they remove the DRM software for you? Or do i misunderstand it? How much would they charge for this?
It's a piracy website, but if I've already payed for the book legitimately, I don't feel bad about using it.
I have in the past, but I just do not have time to read right now. So I mostly listen to audio books that I get from Audible while I work.
If I do read, its work related and not for pleasure. Which sadly I'm behind on.