Comments on: Format confusion – DRM dilemma – convenience of the Kindle

By: Tony Rabig

Tony Rabig — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:07:05 +0000

Paul,

Books on Board used to mark its mobi offerings with a PX or an OD; titles marked with PX are still available for download with no problems. A lot of the secure mobi titles appear to be still available from FictionWise as well.

I’d guess that if it’s being offered in secure mobi at FictionWise, you don’t have to worry about Overdrive. Maybe Scott would confirm that for you.

Bests,

–tr

By: Spider Mattheson

Spider Mattheson — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:34:34 +0000

Do you have moral qualms with removing the DRM from your mobipocket files? I think it’s definitely worth it to avoid losing on your investment. And the DRM is removed the same on Kindle files just as they are other mobipocket files so I don’t really know what is different about their DRM other than it doesn’t let you read on your computer. Lame.

By: Paul Biba

Paul Biba — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 01:30:36 +0000

Chris: yes of course I am aware of this. But since I don’t know who the DRM provider is in any particular case I consider that Overdrive has poisoned the well. Of course the Kindle stuff is Mobipocket, but it’s not the same type of DRM that Overdrive handles. I just hope Amazon will be more trustworthy than Overdrive.

Jon: Yes, I just meant that competition in general is good. I think that’s just what forced Sony to use EPUB along with its Sony proprietary format.

By: Jon

Jon — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:02:10 +0000

Sorry, “big player in the connected . . .”

By: Jon

Jon — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:01:34 +0000

Given their past history, it seems highly unlikely that Sony would do anything to create more open competition – they like to create their own proprietary formats for everything to make sure no one else can play in their sandbox.

Or did you just mean that another big player connected e-reader market would be good for consumers in general?

By: Chris Meadows

Chris Meadows — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 20:17:44 +0000

You’re aware that Overdrive was not the only provider of Mobipocket-encrypted books to Fictionwise, right? And any non-Overdrive books would not have been affected?

I’m given to understand that Fictionwise is working on adding eReader versions of all its Mobipocket-only titles, but it will take some time for them to work through the entire backlog.

Meanwhile, those Kindle versions you bought are themselves encrypted Mobipocket versions of the titles, by another name.