Hi all,

I hope i’m allowed to ask this, but i was wondering; do you buy your ebooks free from DRM? If so, where can you buy them, preferably globally?

EDIT: thank you all for your valuable comments, it’s much appreciated! Have a great weekend :-)

    • Papanca@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      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.

      • Tatters@feddit.uk
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        1 year ago

        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.

      • lycanrising@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        it’s a plugin but it’s not too hard to configure. just a pain to download the files and copy them over.

  • DreadPotato@sopuli.xyz
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    1 year ago

    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.

  • reallyzen@unilem.org
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    1 year ago

    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.

    • Papanca@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      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!

  • IonAddis@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    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.

  • RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    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.

  • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    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.

  • M500@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    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.)

  • moipe@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The books I buy don’t typically have D’s that need their R’s M’d. If you know what I am saying.

  • qyron@sopuli.xyz
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    1 year ago

    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.

  • Chenzo@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    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

    • Papanca@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      Exactly, that’s why i’m asking. Where do you buy them, and can you also buy modern titles?

        • gaael@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          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).

  • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    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

    • Papanca@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      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!

      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        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.

    • Bebo@sffa.community
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      1 year ago

      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).