tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post3362165295948103163..comments2023-10-28T00:54:47.261-07:00Comments on Viva eBooks!: Turning DRM'ed PDB eBooks into iBookserichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05244758906105140609noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-6007632825383687902010-08-27T13:07:33.309-07:002010-08-27T13:07:33.309-07:00CD said...
I did what you said and used python2.5...CD said...<br /><br /><i>I did what you said and used python2.5 instead of just python and it worked! Success! This is great. Now I can read all those books that I bought, legally, paid for, didn't borrow or steal, on the new device I have. Thank you for posting this information.</i><br /><br />You're very welcome.<br /><br /><i>Yes, I'm using a MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard, and to answer your question, when I type just python in Terminal, I get the following:<br /><br />Last login: Fri Aug 27 08:42:37 on ttys000<br />clarence-darrows-macbook-pro:~ clarencedarrow$ python<br />Python 2.6.1 (r261:67515, Feb 11 2010, 00:51:29) <br />[GCC 4.2.1 (Apple Inc. build 5646)] on darwin<br />Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.</i><br /><br />It looks like Snow Leopard users should <i>always</i> substitute <b>python2.5</b> for <b>python</b> in the procedure I gave. Thanks for helping me learn this!<br /><br /><i>Now that you've solved this mystery, can someone tell me why Barnes and Noble doesn't sell e-books to customers outside the US, but Amazon does, and the same books? How about why books that were purchased from Fictionwise.com can't be read on the B & N Nook, even though B & N owns Fictionwise???<br /><br />Sorry if I'm getting into issues unrelated to the matter at hand, but I would truly like to understand these things. All they do is deter people from using e-books.</i><br /><br />Agreed!<br /><br />I don't know the answers, but I do know that e-book vendors have contractual agreements with publishers, and those contracts specify what books can be sold, in what manner, and in what parts of the world those books can be made available.<br /><br />A new model for e-book selling came to the fore when Steve Jobs and Apple put iBooks on the iPad and other similar devices. This so-called "agency model" for the first time lets the <i>publishers</i>, not the sellers, set the selling price to the customer. I assume it gives publishers other means of distribution control as well. If you check various Amazon Kindle e-books, you will now see several that sell for a price that is higher than $9.99, the price that formerly prevailed for new bestsellers.<br /><br />That's the "agency model" at work. It means we consumers can expect to pay higher prices. Amazon's Jeff Bezos, wh was not using the "agency model," had been selling e-books <i>at at loss</i>, at $9.99, to get the Kindle off the ground.<br /><br />Publishers are afraid of the e-book market ... afraid to ignore it, but afraid to exploit it for fear that it will undermine the bricks-and-mortar stores that they have long depended on for sales. They are afraid lest e-books get widely pirated, as happened with Napster for songs. Worst case scenario for book publishers: e-books kill off bricks-and-mortar stores, and then, after DRM has been removed, get distributed illegally via bit torrents or whatever ...<br /><br />You have to sympathize to a certain extent ...<br /><br />Best,<br />Ericerichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05244758906105140609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-48793549393878268552010-08-26T23:05:21.382-07:002010-08-26T23:05:21.382-07:00Hello Eric
Thank you so much for getting back to ...Hello Eric<br /><br />Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. I did what you said and used python2.5 instead of just python and it worked! Success! This is great. Now I can read all those books that I bought, legally, paid for, didn't borrow or steal, on the new device I have. Thank you for posting this information.<br /><br />Yes, I'm using a MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard, and to answer your question, when I type just python in Terminal, I get the following:<br /><br />Last login: Fri Aug 27 08:42:37 on ttys000<br />clarence-darrows-macbook-pro:~ clarencedarrow$ python<br />Python 2.6.1 (r261:67515, Feb 11 2010, 00:51:29) <br />[GCC 4.2.1 (Apple Inc. build 5646)] on darwin<br />Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.<br />>>> <br /><br />Now that you've solved this mystery, can someone tell me why Barnes and Noble doesn't sell e-books to customers outside the US, but Amazon does, and the same books? How about why books that were purchased from Fictionwise.com can't be read on the B & N Nook, even though B & N owns Fictionwise???<br /><br />Sorry if I'm getting into issues unrelated to the matter at hand, but I would truly like to understand these things. All they do is deter people from using e-books. <br /><br />Thanks again for this blog and for your help.<br /><br />CDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-150437775794843332010-08-26T08:59:20.574-07:002010-08-26T08:59:20.574-07:00Anonymous said...
I followed all the steps, and g...Anonymous said...<br /><br /><i>I followed all the steps, and got a message saying "Processing . . . done", but the folder I created is empty! Strange.<br /><br />Here's what I did:<br /><br />Last login: Thu Aug 26 17:23:42 on ttys000<br />joe-smith-macbook-pro:~ joesmith$ python /Users/joesmith/Desktop/eReader2html.txt <br />/Users/joesmith/Desktop/eReader2html.txt:10: DeprecationWarning: the sha module is deprecated; use the hashlib module instead<br />import struct, binascii, zlib, os, sha, sys, os.path<br />eReader2Html v0.03. Copyright (c) 2008 The Dark Reverser<br />Converts eReader books to HTML<br />Usage:<br />ereader2html infile.pdb outdir "your name" credit_card_number <br />Note:<br />It's enough to enter the last 8 digits of the credit card number<br />joe-smiths-macbook-pro:~ fredericknaff$ cd ~/Desktop<br />frederick-naffs-macbook-pro:Desktop joesmith$ python eReader2html.txt "ChangebyDesign_95152.pdb" "ChangeHTML" "Joe Smith" 5311********7005<br />eReader2html.txt:10: DeprecationWarning: the sha module is deprecated; use the hashlib module instead<br />import struct, binascii, zlib, os, sha, sys, os.path<br />eReader2Html v0.03. Copyright (c) 2008 The Dark Reverser<br />Processing... done<br />joe-smiths-macbook-pro:Desktop joesmith$<br /><br />I"m not sure why my "sha module is deprecated", but it's not as painful as it sounds!</i><br /><br />Hi, Anon,<br /><br />I'd like to see what you get in Terminal if you enter just<br /><br /><b>python</b><br /><br />after the prompt, with no further arguments or parameters, and hit the return key. I get<br /><br /><b>iMac:~ eric$ python<br />Python 2.5.1 (r251:54863, Jun 17 2009, 20:37:34) <br />[GCC 4.0.1 (Apple Inc. build 5465)] on darwin<br />Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.</b><br /><br />where <b>iMac:~ eric$ </b> is my prompt. (To exit from python, type <b>exit()</b> and hit the return key.)<br /><br />As you see, I'm using Python 2.5.1, as installed from my Leopard 10.5.8 install DVD. I wonder if you are on Mac OS X 10.5.8 and have that (and only that) version of Python on your machine. That malarkey about "sha module is deprecated" suggests you may have another Python (or more than one) installed on your platform. This is likely if, for instance, you are on Snow Leopard, in which case I believe Python 2.6 gets installed with the Developer Tools.<br /><br />I've been told that Python 2.5 is also there, for Snow Leopard users. If so, you may be able to type the line<br /><br /><b>python2.5</b><br /><br />after the prompt in Terminal and use that version instead of the "default" version on your platform.<br /><br />If that works, then you can substitute <b>python2.5</b> for <b>python</b> in the procedure in my main blog entry above. It may well allow you to get the procedure working ...<br /><br />Best of luck,<br />Ericerichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05244758906105140609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-67840888849196061992010-08-26T07:33:44.745-07:002010-08-26T07:33:44.745-07:00Hello eric
Thanks so much for posting these instr...Hello eric<br /><br />Thanks so much for posting these instructions. I can tell I"m very close to making this work. <br /><br />I followed all the steps, and got a message saying "Processing . . . done", but the folder I created is empty! Strange.<br /><br />Here's what I did:<br /><br />Last login: Thu Aug 26 17:23:42 on ttys000<br />joe-smith-macbook-pro:~ joesmith$ python /Users/joesmith/Desktop/eReader2html.txt <br />/Users/joesmith/Desktop/eReader2html.txt:10: DeprecationWarning: the sha module is deprecated; use the hashlib module instead<br /> import struct, binascii, zlib, os, sha, sys, os.path<br />eReader2Html v0.03. Copyright (c) 2008 The Dark Reverser<br />Converts eReader books to HTML<br />Usage:<br /> ereader2html infile.pdb outdir "your name" credit_card_number <br />Note:<br /> It's enough to enter the last 8 digits of the credit card number<br />joe-smiths-macbook-pro:~ fredericknaff$ cd ~/Desktop<br />frederick-naffs-macbook-pro:Desktop joesmith$ python eReader2html.txt "ChangebyDesign_95152.pdb" "ChangeHTML" "Joe Smith" 5311********7005<br />eReader2html.txt:10: DeprecationWarning: the sha module is deprecated; use the hashlib module instead<br /> import struct, binascii, zlib, os, sha, sys, os.path<br />eReader2Html v0.03. Copyright (c) 2008 The Dark Reverser<br />Processing... done<br />joe-smiths-macbook-pro:Desktop joesmith$<br /><br />I"m not sure why my "sha module is deprecated", but it's not as painful as it sounds!<br /><br />Any suggestions? <br /><br />Thanks in advance!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-17891297400919876472010-08-05T10:18:00.464-07:002010-08-05T10:18:00.464-07:00Thanks a Million .... I Got it working!!!Thanks a Million .... I Got it working!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-61447804272224066322010-08-05T07:59:33.582-07:002010-08-05T07:59:33.582-07:00More about the problem that the anonymous earlier ...More about the problem that the anonymous earlier poster was having:<br /><br />I have looked at the Python code for <b> eReader2Html</b>. The code spits out the brief guide to its usage seen by the anonymous poster if and only if the number of arguments on the command line is incorrect.<br /><br />The only acceptable number of arguments for <b> eReader2Html</b> v0.03, the version I am using, is 5. So this is correct:<br /><br />python a b c d e<br /><br />where<br /><br />a = <b>eReader2Html.txt</b><br />b = the input PDB file name<br />c = the output HTML folder name, in quotes<br />d = your name, in quotes<br />e = your credit card no., or the last 8 digits of it<br /><br />If there are more or fewer arguments, the script spits out the usage guide and quits.<br /><br />Later versions of the script, such as v0.09, allow either 4 or 5 arguments. If only 4 are present, then it derives the output folder name from the input file name.<br /><br />There are certain things that might cause the number of arguments to be wrong:<br /><br />• If you type Return before entering any remaining argument(s), the Terminal "shell" will think you are done typing in arguments and will try to execute the command line as is.<br /><br />• Any time any one argument contains embedded spaces, then it needs to be put in quotes. The quotes can actually be either single quotes (' ... ') or double quotes (" ... ") as long as both are the same kind. Don't try to copy paste the command line from any text editor that is using "smart quotes," though, since those represent special kinds of quote characters that don't work right in the Terminal command line. Also, if there happens to be a quote character embedded in the argument itself, that can cause a problem!<br /><br />• If you don't want to type in the argument within enclosing quotes, then (only in the case of a file or folder) you can drag the file or folder's icon from Finder into the Terminal window and drop the icon there. As long as there is at least one space character following the <i>previous</i> argument when you do that, you're fine. A space character will automatically be generated following the new argument. The spaces and other troublesome characters in the new argument will automatically be preceded by escape chracters (\ characters).<br /><br />•While <i>extra</i> spaces between arguments (more than one space per argument, that is) do not themselves cause problems, there can conceivably be a problem when any of the so-called spaces is actually some other invisible or "whitespace" character, such as a tab character. Again, be careful when typing in the command line, and especially careful if you are entering it into a text editor and then copying-and-pasting it into Terminal.<br /><br />However, you will not get the result I have been discussing if you enter the wrong name or credit card number. You will see "Processing... Error: Incorrect Name and/or Credit Card" instead. So if (for example) you get mixed up and type in a credit card number with embedded * characters (because you wish to conceal part of the number), you'll get "Processing... Error: Incorrect Name and/or Credit Card".<br /><br />A "wrong" name or credit card number is any version of your name or any CC number <i>other than</i> the ones used on the account at the vendor's site at which you purchased the PDB e-book. Specifically, they are the name and CC number on the account at the time you downloaded the book. If for any reason you later changed either the name on the account or the CC number, the name and number that were in force at the time you downloaded the book still apply to that particular download. If, however, you change the name or CC number on the account, then download the book again, the new download may (though I am not sure about this) bear the updated name/number combination.erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05244758906105140609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-81949784255051569812010-08-04T17:16:38.975-07:002010-08-04T17:16:38.975-07:00Anonymous said...
It still is not working what py...Anonymous said...<br /><br /><i>It still is not working what python application and version are you using?<br />I tried with"" with out and every way possible. <br /><br />Thanks</i><br /><br />Anon,<br /><br />I am using Python 2.5.1, which is the Python that is installed from the Mac OS X 10.5.n DVD.<br /><br />Using your OS X 10.5.n Install DVD, navigate to and then double-click <b>Mac OS X Install DVD:Optional Installs:Xcode Tools:Xcode Tools.mpkg</b> on that DVD. You will, by the installer program which opens, be led through the necessary steps to install the Developer Tools package.<br /><br />If you alreaady have a <b>/Developers/</b> folder at the root directory level on your Mac, this would replace it with a folder structure that contains Python 2.5.<br /><br />Are you on Snow Leopard, i.e., Mac OS X 10.6? That might explain the problems you have. If you're on 10.6, then I think the default Python version may be other than Python 2.5. In the Terminal command line that you've been using, try substituting <b>python2.5</b> for <b>python</b>. That may give you a version of Python that works for you ...erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05244758906105140609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-21121902718868963472010-08-04T15:06:10.527-07:002010-08-04T15:06:10.527-07:00It still is not working what python application an...It still is not working what python application and version are you using?<br />I tried with"" with out and every way possible. <br /><br />ThanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-79915273515093876802010-08-04T14:22:47.962-07:002010-08-04T14:22:47.962-07:00Anonymous said...
I cant get the .pdb file to pro...Anonymous said...<br /><br /><i>I cant get the .pdb file to process I don't get an error here is what I get: <br />Shane-Wilsons-MacBook-Pro:Trial scya$ python ereader2html.txt lifeontheedge.pdb [lifeontheedge HTML] "Shane Wilson" 1******0<br />eReader2Html v0.09. Copyright (c) 2008 The Dark Reverser<br />Converts DRMed eReader books to PML Source and HTML<br />Usage:<br />ereader2html infile.pdb [outdir] "your name" credit_card_number <br />Note:<br />if ommitted, outdir defaults based on 'infile.pdb'<br />It's enough to enter the last 8 digits of the credit card number<br />Shane-Wilsons-MacBook-Pro:Trial scya$ <br /><br />I have tried every variation and am at a loss<br /><br />Thanks</i><br /><br />Anon,<br /><br />It looks like you have been using a different version of <b>eReader2Html</b>, v0.09. I am using v0.03, available <a href="http://pastebin.com/f1fc790cb%22" rel="nofollow">here</a>.<br /><br />It looks as if you enclosed the output directory in square brackets — [lifeontheedge HTML] — which indeed v0.09 seems to call for. But I am fairly certain the author doesn't really want you to type in those square brackets literally, when you use <b>eReader2Html</b>.<br /><br />Instead, try enclosing the output directory in double quotes: "lifeontheedge HTML" ...<br /><br />If there is still a problem, try downloading v.0.03 of <b>eReader2Html</b> and using that, again with double quotes and not square brackets around the output directory name.<br /><br />For those who want to try even later versions of <b>eReader2Html</b> than v0.09, I have found a v0.11 <a href="http://pastie.org/771116" rel="nofollow">here</a>.erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05244758906105140609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-89632088723764537262010-08-04T13:44:09.635-07:002010-08-04T13:44:09.635-07:00I cant get the .pdb file to process I don't ge...I cant get the .pdb file to process I don't get an error here is what I get: <br />Shane-Wilsons-MacBook-Pro:Trial scya$ python ereader2html.txt lifeontheedge.pdb [lifeontheedge HTML] "Shane Wilson" 1******0<br />eReader2Html v0.09. Copyright (c) 2008 The Dark Reverser<br />Converts DRMed eReader books to PML Source and HTML<br />Usage:<br /> ereader2html infile.pdb [outdir] "your name" credit_card_number <br />Note:<br /> if ommitted, outdir defaults based on 'infile.pdb'<br /> It's enough to enter the last 8 digits of the credit card number<br />Shane-Wilsons-MacBook-Pro:Trial scya$ <br /><br />I have tried every variation and am at a loss<br /><br />ThanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-84033326639625254302010-08-03T08:05:48.914-07:002010-08-03T08:05:48.914-07:00Anonymous said...
Would it be possible to get a c...Anonymous said...<br /><br /><i>Would it be possible to get a copy of your original pdb version of this? I cant find it anywhere.</i><br /><br />Sorry, I can't give you a copy of my original PDB version of Dan Brown's <i>The Lost Symbol</i>.<br /><br />For one thing, it would be illegal.<br /><br />For another, it violates my own rules against sharing copyrighted e-books. I don't mind decrypting them for my own use, but sharing them with others is out of the question. Sorry 'bout that.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ereader.com/ebooks/b93274/?si=59" rel="nofollow">Here is a link</a> to where I bought mine, at eReader.com.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the price at the moment is a steep $22.46.! I bought my copy in Sept. 2009 for just $9.99! I consider the current price highway robbery ...<br /><br />A way to locate and price-shop e-books is to visit <a href="http://ebooks.addall.com/" rel="nofollow">http://ebooks.addall.com/</a>. You can enter "Dan Brown" as author and "The Lost Symbol" as title, then click on <b>Show more options</b>. To search for just PDB versions, unselect all formats in <b>Search all formats</b> except <b>eReader</b>, which is synonymous with PDB. Scroll down and click <b>Search</b>.<br /><br />After about 5 seconds, you'll see a list of hits. I got 3 hits for this search. One of them showed the e-book available for $22.46 at Fictionwise, which is the same company as eReader.com. BooksOnBoard supposedly has it for $19.98 ... but when I followed the link provided to that outfit, it turned out the real price was $25.40!<br /><br />I know I'm going way beyond your original question here ... but I need to vent! The prices of certain e-books, in certain formats, have skyrocketed! I think this may be in part attributable to the move away from the eReader/PDB format in favor of EPUBs with Adobe encryption.<br /><br />But it is pretty clear also that publishers are leaning on e-book distributors to adopt a different model for computing prices. This model <i>does not</i> favor us e-book consumers!<br /><br />Anyway, keep in mind that the list of hits you see at <a href="http://ebooks.addall.com/" rel="nofollow">http://ebooks.addall.com/</a> shows vendors that offer e-books in various formats. It is up to you to be sure you are getting the format you want from the vendor you select ... Let the buyer beware!erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05244758906105140609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5604054196233846020.post-73912281966112641002010-08-02T21:57:20.563-07:002010-08-02T21:57:20.563-07:00Would it be possible to get a copy of your origina...Would it be possible to get a copy of your original pdb version of this? I cant find it anywhere.<br /><br />defianse@live.com<br /><br />Thank you so muchAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com