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  3. Next week, Amazon is stripping away your ability to download your ebooks.

Next week, Amazon is stripping away your ability to download your ebooks.

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  • D [email protected]

    Check if it’s available on your library website first, for the sake of the author.

    T This user is from outside of this forum
    T This user is from outside of this forum
    [email protected]
    wrote on last edited by
    #34

    I mean authors don’t see money anytime someone rents an ebook do they? Libraries just need to pay for licenses to the publisher annually from what I’ve read on reddit/Lemmy.

    I can understand renting ebooks so that your library continues to fund a digital library, but if the book is available in paper form that doesn’t really benefit the author either.

    D 1 Reply Last reply
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    • H [email protected]

      Sadly, Calibre doesn't handle .kfx at this time.

      I This user is from outside of this forum
      I This user is from outside of this forum
      [email protected]
      wrote on last edited by
      #35

      There’s a plugin, and easy tutorials to follow online. It absolutely handles KFX.

      1 Reply Last reply
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      • T [email protected]

        I mean authors don’t see money anytime someone rents an ebook do they? Libraries just need to pay for licenses to the publisher annually from what I’ve read on reddit/Lemmy.

        I can understand renting ebooks so that your library continues to fund a digital library, but if the book is available in paper form that doesn’t really benefit the author either.

        D This user is from outside of this forum
        D This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote on last edited by
        #36

        Authors receive 25% of the ebook sale to a library in the US. Frequent lends will also influence future purchases made by the library.

        https://janefriedman.com/what-do-authors-earn-from-digital-lending-at-libraries/

        Libraries in Canada and the UK pay royalties for each lend.

        https://societyofauthors.org/where-we-stand/public-lending-right-plr/

        T T 2 Replies Last reply
        0
        • H [email protected]

          Windows only. Le sigh.

          T This user is from outside of this forum
          T This user is from outside of this forum
          [email protected]
          wrote on last edited by
          #37

          What do you mean? The guide OP mentioned has instructions for MacOS. Also, the software referenced (Calibre and DeDRM plugin) are available on Linux systems as well.

          H M 2 Replies Last reply
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          • K [email protected]

            Very happy I got a PocketBook instead of the store locked alternatives

            T This user is from outside of this forum
            T This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote on last edited by
            #38

            I'm planning on buying a pocketbook soon!!! I've been trying to get a sense of what the PocketBook interface is like on the device but haven't found anything online. You don't have a picture of the home / library page do you? Also, can you disable discover / suggestions on the PocketBook?

            K 1 Reply Last reply
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            • T [email protected]

              What do you mean? The guide OP mentioned has instructions for MacOS. Also, the software referenced (Calibre and DeDRM plugin) are available on Linux systems as well.

              H This user is from outside of this forum
              H This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote on last edited by
              #39

              You're right. Method 2b is for mac.

              1 Reply Last reply
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              • H [email protected]

                Where do others buy epubs? (Besides the library) In many cases my obscure authors only use Amazon.

                T This user is from outside of this forum
                T This user is from outside of this forum
                [email protected]
                wrote on last edited by
                #40

                I also use Kobo. It's really easy to download on Kobo (then remove DRM if that's your vibe).

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • alphane_moon@lemmy.worldA [email protected]
                  This post did not contain any content.
                  G This user is from outside of this forum
                  G This user is from outside of this forum
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                  wrote on last edited by
                  #41

                  I borrow them from my library through the Libby and Hoopla apps. If I want to support the author, I’ll buy a copy through some other means. Directly from them, if possible.

                  1 Reply Last reply
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                  • T [email protected]

                    I'm planning on buying a pocketbook soon!!! I've been trying to get a sense of what the PocketBook interface is like on the device but haven't found anything online. You don't have a picture of the home / library page do you? Also, can you disable discover / suggestions on the PocketBook?

                    K This user is from outside of this forum
                    K This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #42

                    The UI is super simple, it's based on Linux so it's much closer to using a tablet computer, you access your books via folders

                    Default UI

                    Library is a file Explorer

                    UI without recommendations (I never bothered turning it off because I'm never on the front page)

                    T 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • kokesh@lemmy.worldK [email protected]

                      How is that legal?

                      D This user is from outside of this forum
                      D This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #43

                      Welcome to capitalism 101.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • alphane_moon@lemmy.worldA [email protected]
                        This post did not contain any content.
                        P This user is from outside of this forum
                        P This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #44

                        Unaffected since I've never participated in the Kindle ecosystem. I've been gifted a few Kindles but never was on board with that walled garden. Fuck Amazon.

                        K 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • K [email protected]

                          The UI is super simple, it's based on Linux so it's much closer to using a tablet computer, you access your books via folders

                          Default UI

                          Library is a file Explorer

                          UI without recommendations (I never bothered turning it off because I'm never on the front page)

                          T This user is from outside of this forum
                          T This user is from outside of this forum
                          [email protected]
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #45

                          Thank you so much for posting pics! It looks great.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • H [email protected]

                            First, you will need DeDRM v10.0.9 beta/RC or the alpha release. This will work on many (but not all) Kindle ebooks. (Some Kindle books come with extra-strength encryption that these tools cannot handle, etc.) If you have questions about installing, setting up, or using DeDRM, ask on GitHub.

                            "many but not all" hm.

                            grimer@lemmy.worldG This user is from outside of this forum
                            grimer@lemmy.worldG This user is from outside of this forum
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                            wrote on last edited by
                            #46

                            I had some issues at first then decided to actually RTFM and once i entered my kindle serial number into the plugin, worked perfectly.

                            1 Reply Last reply
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                            • D [email protected]

                              Authors receive 25% of the ebook sale to a library in the US. Frequent lends will also influence future purchases made by the library.

                              https://janefriedman.com/what-do-authors-earn-from-digital-lending-at-libraries/

                              Libraries in Canada and the UK pay royalties for each lend.

                              https://societyofauthors.org/where-we-stand/public-lending-right-plr/

                              T This user is from outside of this forum
                              T This user is from outside of this forum
                              [email protected]
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #47

                              Good to know! Thanks! I’ll start using my e-lending app again, ever if that just means I instantly return the book.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • D [email protected]

                                Authors receive 25% of the ebook sale to a library in the US. Frequent lends will also influence future purchases made by the library.

                                https://janefriedman.com/what-do-authors-earn-from-digital-lending-at-libraries/

                                Libraries in Canada and the UK pay royalties for each lend.

                                https://societyofauthors.org/where-we-stand/public-lending-right-plr/

                                T This user is from outside of this forum
                                T This user is from outside of this forum
                                [email protected]
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #48

                                It's not a great deal for the libraries. They ebooks can come with a limited number of checkouts and cost far more.

                                I switched to Kobo and have been very happy so far. I was able to download my books from Amazon and mumble and then I was able to read them on my Kobo device and store them in my Calibre library.

                                1 Reply Last reply
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                                • H [email protected]

                                  I don't think that will work with the .kfx file type. At least it didn't for me.

                                  T This user is from outside of this forum
                                  T This user is from outside of this forum
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                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #49

                                  There are some plug-ins for Calibre that might be able to help you.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • H [email protected]

                                    Windows only. Le sigh.

                                    T This user is from outside of this forum
                                    T This user is from outside of this forum
                                    [email protected]
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #50

                                    I keep a Win10 VM kicking for things like this. Sure I could probably do it with Wine, but sometimes I just take the easy route.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • P [email protected]

                                      Unaffected since I've never participated in the Kindle ecosystem. I've been gifted a few Kindles but never was on board with that walled garden. Fuck Amazon.

                                      K This user is from outside of this forum
                                      K This user is from outside of this forum
                                      [email protected]
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #51

                                      Up until fairly recently, you could just drag and drop files onto the Kindle with a usb. I've had my first generation Kindle for almost 15 years now and it still works. Just download an .epub file, convert it to .mobi with Calibre, and drag and drop it over to the Kindle.

                                      I have a newer one too, that I got a couple of years ago as a gift.

                                      The trick is just disable the wifi and never let it communicate with Amazon servers. They will mess with your settings and push secret updates that remove features. For example, it could "sync" your books with your Amazon account if you naively log into your Amazon account and that literally results in you not being able to remove items from your Kindle without logging into your Amazon account on your computer and going through a million menus. It won't let you do it from the Kindle, even if you're offline.

                                      But if you just never let it connect it to the internet at all, you're fine.

                                      Although the new Kindles now require a special Amazon software to copy files over (because of "convenience") and it won't communicate with the usual protocol so you can't drag and drop like you could for the last 15 years.

                                      So yeah, don't buy a Kindle. at least not a new one.

                                      D 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • K [email protected]

                                        Up until fairly recently, you could just drag and drop files onto the Kindle with a usb. I've had my first generation Kindle for almost 15 years now and it still works. Just download an .epub file, convert it to .mobi with Calibre, and drag and drop it over to the Kindle.

                                        I have a newer one too, that I got a couple of years ago as a gift.

                                        The trick is just disable the wifi and never let it communicate with Amazon servers. They will mess with your settings and push secret updates that remove features. For example, it could "sync" your books with your Amazon account if you naively log into your Amazon account and that literally results in you not being able to remove items from your Kindle without logging into your Amazon account on your computer and going through a million menus. It won't let you do it from the Kindle, even if you're offline.

                                        But if you just never let it connect it to the internet at all, you're fine.

                                        Although the new Kindles now require a special Amazon software to copy files over (because of "convenience") and it won't communicate with the usual protocol so you can't drag and drop like you could for the last 15 years.

                                        So yeah, don't buy a Kindle. at least not a new one.

                                        D This user is from outside of this forum
                                        D This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #52

                                        Which generation of kindles requires Amazon software for USB transfer? I've always put mine in airplane mode and just used Calibre. I don't want to buy a newer one that doesn't work without special software.

                                        K 1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • S [email protected]

                                          "your" ebooks. – You never owned them in the first place. And if buying isn't owning, questionably acquired ebooks aren't stolen.

                                          circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.orgC This user is from outside of this forum
                                          circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.orgC This user is from outside of this forum
                                          [email protected]
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #53

                                          Even after years and years of this being discussed, it shocks me how many people keep dropping money into services which force them to own nothing.

                                          Convenience is a helluva drug.

                                          R 1 Reply Last reply
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