New option for authors: Now you can turn off Digital Rights Management (DRM) !!

[Joseph Rhea]

Thanks for the explanations, people. Sounds a tad dangerous. You go first ...

I did with Cyberdrome and I think the benefits to my readers are worth the risks.
But every author needs to educate themselves on the pros and cons of DRM encryption, and then decide for themselves...

p.s. I was alerted by a kind reader that my title is not currently available for download (today 1/19).
That is because I reduced the price a bit and when you do that, Amazon takes your title offline until the new price comes out.
The new price will be $2.87 so when you see that, feel free to buy (if you are so inclined)  

Why $2.87, and not $2.95 or $2.99 you might ask? Well, with Amazon eating 65% of the profits, I calculated that $2.87 brings the author exactly $1.00 per book in royalties. Since I split my profits with my brother 50/50, that nets me 50 cents per book, which is a nice round number that helps with my bookkeeping. Was that more information than you needed? Sorry!  

[koland]

Until this option showed up, ALL books published thru DTP had DRM disabled. There was no option to turn it on (and at least one author posted his rant about why he left Amazon as a result, no doubt effectively disabling his income as well).

Why the didn't show every existing book as having the DRM disabled already is a mystery (unless it was a lazy programmer that didn't use 1/true as "add drm" and just ignore all those with both null and zero in the field).

[Joseph Rhea]

Until this option showed up, ALL books published thru DTP had DRM disabled. There was no option to turn it on (and at least one author posted his rant about why he left Amazon as a result, no doubt effectively disabling his income as well).

Why the didn't show every existing book as having the DRM disabled already is a mystery (unless it was a lazy programmer that didn't use 1/true as "add drm" and just ignore all those with both null and zero in the field).

You have that backwards, don't you? All (or almost all) Kindle books were DRM-encrypted until the recent option to turn it off. In fact, if you Google this, you will see that last month (Dec 09) a hack came out that circumvented Amazon's vaulted DRM protection, and everyone wondered what Amazon would do about it. Maybe that's why they are now giving authors the freedom to turn it off, since it can be cracked so easily - why enforce it?
Here is a link to one article about it: http://www.crn.com/security/222100097;jsessionid=VLM10FLK33Y3XQE1GHRSKH4ATMY32JVN

If you have some evidence to the contrary, please share the link, because a few hundred threads during the past year say otherwise (plus, everything I have purchased in the last year is DRM encrypted.)

The more info on this subject the better...

[Jeff]

Karen's right - sort of. The main problem with all these discussions is a failed definition of DRM. There are a variety of digital rights such as enabled text to speech, international territories, simultaneous device usage, device specific usage and copy protection. I think the argument that Karen mentioned had to do with copy protection because many Kindle books could be opened in Calibre without any hacking or cracking. This latest wrinkle that removes DRM from DTP puts the file in the same state that it would be on Smashwords or as a non-encrypted Mobipocket book.

[David Derrico]

I've confirmed that all titles published through DTP before this change had DRM DISabled. This now gives authors an easy way to enable it. It's been confirmed on MobileRead, and through this link, which also links back to this thread!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/21/kindle_digital_text_platform_drm_changes/

So, my titles and any others that did not specifically select DRM after this change are still DRM-free.

[Jeff]

I've confirmed that all titles published through DTP before this change had DRM DISabled. This now gives authors an easy way to enable it. It's been confirmed on MobileRead, and through this link, which also links back to this thread!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/21/kindle_digital_text_platform_drm_changes/

So, my titles and any others that did not specifically select DRM after this change are still DRM-free.

Can you download your book from Amazon to your computer and load it into Kindle for PC by double clicking on the file?

[David Derrico]

Can you download your book from Amazon to your computer and load it into Kindle for PC by double clicking on the file?

No, because I have a Mac.    But I'd assume that would work? But I'm not positive.

[Jeff]

No, because I have a Mac.    But I'd assume that would work? But I'm not positive.

Dang. I was hoping you could verify my test. Before recompiling on DTP I got an error from within Kindle for PC if I double clicked the file: "The book could not be opened. Please remove the book from your device and redownload it."

After recompiling with DRM off, the file opens with no errors. I admit it's not a very scientific test but since the process of recompiling has some risk because it kicks the title into review it would be nice to know for sure.

[Betsy the Quilter]

I take this to mean that "if the limit is not less than six kindles for a specific title," then you get the "Unlimited" message. So if the number you see on a book is less (like 5) then that is something set by the publisher. This has nothing to do with DRM protection being on or off...

While I bow to Jeff's and others superior knowledge, I do know that I seldom saw "unlimited" until recently. More often I saw no mention of limits, occasionally a limit of less than five.  The first time I ever heard of "unlimited" downloads it was in the context of someone here on the boards, in another thread awhile back, talking about being able to convert the book in question to another format.  So I took that to mean that there was no DRM. Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong about something. 

I always thought if there was nothing stated, the limit was six devices, less if so specified. <shrug> 

Betsy

[koland]

You have that backwards, don't you? All (or almost all) Kindle books were DRM-encrypted until the recent option to turn it off. In fact, if you Google this, you will see that last month (Dec 09) a hack came out that circumvented Amazon's vaulted DRM protection...

It's true that LARGE publishers have DRM enabled by default (and no doubt will remain that way). But all the DTP published books had no DRM - rename them as .PRC and they work fine in any mobi based reader (and can be converted with Calibre).  There was one exception - if the book you uploaded to DTP was already in the mobi format and had the "no-pid assigned encryption" already there, then your book would have DRM when delivered.  At least one author ranted on her blog that this was unacceptable and withdrew her books from Amazon due to her fears of being pirated.  When Amazon started putting in the number of license for DTP, the "unlimited copies" also signified the non-DRM'd nature of these books (since any book without a notice has DRM and is allowed on six devices; those with a notice either further restrict the license to fewer licenses OR open it up to unlimited and have no drm).

There is a difference on Kindle for PC - it appears that DRM is added to all titles there and the license includes session info, which has to be replaced now and then, so you must maintain a connection to the internet or can lose access until it is re-established (which forces a redownload of books, as the PID/License changes).  The Kindle's PID is fairly easy to find and the DRM stripping all over the internet. Same for the iPhone (although if it isn't unlocked, it's a tiny bit more involved to get the books off). Finding the PID for the Kindle4PC and the particular book downloaded was a bit trickier and thus the news of the hack (and it was a slow news week for "journalists" who didn't even research that all the other methods were well known).

[Jeff]

There was one exception - if the book you uploaded to DTP was already in the mobi format and had the "no-pid assigned encryption" already there, then your book would have DRM when delivered.

Ah, that explains a lot of the inconstancy. Thank you, Karen.

Edited to add: I upload Mobipocket files to DTP which explains why my books had a PID assigned under DRM and most others did not.

[Joseph Rhea]

I've confirmed that all titles published through DTP before this change had DRM DISabled. This now gives authors an easy way to enable it. It's been confirmed on MobileRead, and through this link, which also links back to this thread!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/21/kindle_digital_text_platform_drm_changes/

So, my titles and any others that did not specifically select DRM after this change are still DRM-free.

David, I was just about to post that article here (I posted it yesterday on the Amazon Kindle board)
As you might have guessed, the  "The author who first noticed Amazon's new feature" was actually me! I received an email from him late yesterday, which is how I discovered this writeup. I should add that I haven't responded to him yet...

Here is the article for those not wanting to to jump to it:

--- begin quote ---

Amazon 'makes it easier' for authors to DRM Kindle ebooks
By Cade Metz in San Francisco
Posted in Music and Media, 21st January 2010 20:14 GMT

Updated Update: This story has been updated to clarify what has changed with DRM and Amazon's Digital Text Platform. No-DRM, Amazon says, was always the default with the platform.

Amazon has added a new tool to its Kindle self-publishing service that lets authors and small publishers easily choose between DRM and no DRM when uploading texts to its online book store.

Amazon tells The Reg that no-DRM was always the default with its Digital Text Platform - used by small publishers and authors as opposed to large publishing houses. In the past, the company says, if authors wanted to add DRM, they had to download separate software. Now, they can add DRM simply by checking a radio button.

The company added the option last week, as noticed earlier today by Harvard University's Nieman Journalism Lab. The lab assumed the the option to upload books without DRM was new, but Amazon says this is not the case.

Countless authors and publishers posting to Amazon's forum and third-party forums say that this is the first time they've been aware of a no-DRM option. We can only assume that they were unaware they've been uploading books without DRM. The author who first noticed Amazon's new feature has not responded to a request for comment.

It was also last week that Amazon opened the Digital Text Platform to publishers and authors outside the US. As Apple prepares to unveil its long-awaited tablet - rumored to offer access to ebooks - it would appear that Amazon is responded by upping its Kindle ante. Last last night Pacific time, the company announced that it would release a Kindle SDK next month, (partially) opening the device to third-party developers.

--- end quote ---

[JennaAnderson]

I just updated mine along with a few description tweaks.

We'll see how long it takes to get out of review status.

Jenna

[JennaAnderson]

I just updated mine along with a few description tweaks.

We'll see how long it takes to get out of review status.

Jenna

OOps - my title is now saying it is not available in the US. Is this because it is still in review? I do remember hitting an option regarding international availability but I assumed it would stay available in the US.

Can someone help?

Jenna

[JennaAnderson]

OOps - my title is now saying it is not available in the US. Is this because it is still in review? I do remember hitting an option regarding international availability but I assumed it would stay available in the US.

Can someone help?

Jenna

NEVERMIND - the notice is gone. So weird.

[Steve Anderson]

I went ahead and removed DRM on my two Kindle books. Open is good, I'm hoping. We'll see!

Steve

[Joseph Rhea]

So, even thought Amazon says our Indie books have always been DRM-free (see TheRegister link above), what has changed this month is that we now have the ability to add it or remove it from our works. Many, like myself, have decided to go (or stay) DRM-free, but every author needs to weigh the pros and cons of this option before making a decision themselves. You can discuss those pros and cons here if you wish, or go elsewhere...

Cheers,
Joseph Rhea

[Randolphlalonde]

I already offer a great deal of work on Smashwords, which is DRM free. I say; "in for a penny, in for a pound."

Oh, and look what popped up in the Ukraine! The First Light Chronicles Omnibus pirated from Mobipocket. More proof that if someone wants to bypass DRM, they'll find a way. ha!