Digital Editions and Linux

[llaen]

I've read that Digital Editions works well on Linux under Wine.

I wanted to give it a try, but I can't even download the software installer.

The page just declares that my OS is not supported and refuses to give me a link to anything.

Do I have to download the setup on a different (Windows) machine and then send it to myself in order to be able to install the software?

That's kind of stupid, isn't it?

If not, am I simply not seeing the link?

[Frustrated in AZ]

Hi!

I checked the Digital Editions support pages and found the System

Requirements HERE

<http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/systemreqs/>. There's no

mention of Linux/Unix support, so I'd bet that's why you're getting the

message....

================

[llaen]

Frustrated in AZ,

This isn't a question about supporting the software in Linux. It's a question about downloading the setup file while using Linux.

It's up to me to make it work on my system which doesn't fully fit the software requirements. I don't need Adobe pointing out what OS I'm using and how their software is not supported in this case.

They can add a warning to the download page - sure. At the end of the day, I'm accessing their website on a computer, requesting the install file. It's none of their business what OS I'm using at the time.

What if I was downloading the file under Linux but meaning to set it up on a different, Windows machine?

It makes no sense for Adobe to be barring me from using the software that they're trying to promote... Seems like a great example of non-progressive, backwards thinking.

It ticks me off enough to not care to try it out in Windows (which I sometimes use) either. Was that the end goal of their website? Probably not.

You can trick some institutions into using your software (like my local library), but you also need a proper userbase to have it really take off.

In my case, I ended up ignoring the Digital Editions format of the book I wanted and instead getting the good old paperback version from the library.

If that was less of a hassle than trying to use Adobe's software, then there's something wrong with the software or, as in this case, the distribution model.

There's nothing simpler than a download link and yet somehow they got that wrong.

This shouldn't even be up for discussion!

-- Stan

[Guest]

There is no linux version for ADE, so you cannot install it.

However, what you can do is install WINE and then use WINE to install ADE.

(s-g like "wine install.exe")

You can also pray that this works right...

[jelabarre59]

The problem with ADE under Wine is it *still* doesn't let you manage content for the B&N Nook, since you need USB connectivity, which Wine doesn't have yet.  And since B&N kneecapped the Nook, there's no installing regular Android tools/apps either.

[Frustrated in AZ]

So you're out of luck with ADE. Sorry!

You might try another epublication management system like Bluefire Reader,

Overdrive or B&N's own site....

================

[jelabarre59]

VERY MUCH out of luck.  The local library system uses Overdrive for it's digital book lending, which requires ADE to interface between their system and the Nook.  No other app will work, apparently, therefore without USB connectivity, I can't check out digital books.  (yes, I checked it out on Overdrive's site, ADE is specified as their interface).
 
A direct interface to the Nook would require sideloading some 3rd-party ap, which thanks to the thugs at B&N has been blocked.  And B&N doesn't have any intention of letting you check-out books rather than paying full retail through them (FYI, it was a gift, and at the time it was purchased B&N hadn't pulled a Sony and *kneecapped* the device yet).   Just have to wait until CM9 is ready and just root the device with a replacement OS.

[Frustrated in AZ]

I know.... The industry settled on certain standard software back in the

late '90's when the digital standards were being developed into the Digital

Millenium Copyright Act of 2000. Adobe had their Content Server software

in a mature enough state that it was selected for use in digital rights

management, along with a couple of others. Digital Editions was developed

around the mid-90's (if my information is correct) and included the CS

routines. As time passed, Adobe's software became the 'de facto'

standard.

I'd talk with your local library about alternatives they might have. You

might be able to figure out a way to load ebooks from their Overdrive

system directly to an ereader..... ??????

===================

[Guest]

I believe if Adobe is not going to release Linux version of  Digital Editions any soon, the community will find a way to live without DRM, Digital Editions and... Adobe. The largest science fiction publisher in the world, Tom Doherty Associates (whose labels include Tor, Forge, Orb, and Starscape books) announced on April 24th, that "by early July 2012, their entire list of e-books will be available DRM-free:       www.defectivebydesign.org

Even O'Reilly already sells DRM-free computer and technical books in a variety of formats...

[tanfur]

Hello,

This might be more of a licensing issue than a technical one.  The following is advice only if in fact installing on Linux doesn't violate the EULA for the program.  Of course, the technical issues are the same whether or not the license allows it.

Have you ever heard of user agent spoofing ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_agent_spoofing )?   Most of the browsers (all those I know of) have plugins.  Look for the User-Agent string that identifies you as a MS user, and set your browser to identify itself as that.  Or set the User-Agent string to identify yourself as an OS/X user, if you want to be sure it won't require ActiveX.

I had to do this around 2001, when my bank's website at the time wanted me to use IE on Windows.  I was running FreeBSD and using Konqueror, which had (at least then) a built-in User-Agent spoofer.  The bank's site didn't actually use any proprietary MS components, it just was picky.  But by spoofing I was able to do the business I needed to do.

Fortunately, fewer sites are doing that anymore.

Also if you d/l the installer, perhaps you might also look into using a VM (such as VMWare Workstation or Player, of VirtualBox), and install a full OS on that.  Windows will do that much better than OS/X, which is much harder to virtunalize.  Many computers come with Windows and if so you'll have a license already.

Good luck!

Blackfeather

[bman_reader]

The standalone-installation package can be downloaded now from https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/entitlement/index.cfm?e=digitaleditions (the link provided by Jim_Lester above is out of date), and then installed with Wine. I just installed it on Linux Mint 13, runing Wine 1.5, and I was reading my DRM-ed pdfs in less than a minute. It is annoying the adobe.com makes it nearly impossible to find the link -- I grabbed it here from Wine HQ.

[jelabarre59]

Sure, can install ADE under Linux through Wine, but *still* can't use it with my Nook Tablet, since Wine doesn't work with USB.  Interfacing to my Nook Tablet is the only thing I would need ADE for, so it's useless to me.

[Guest]

Those who are frustrated by not being able to use ADE on linux under WINE might want to try Virtual Box. There is a free version of it that will run on linux boxes. Of course, that does assume that you have some version of a Windows OS.

[jelabarre59]

Sure, but that means having to run an entire OS inside VirtualBox just to transfer a couple of files; not entirely efficient, certainly not quick (especially on the old hardware we have at home.  Probably can't point ADE to the "network" drive (virtualbox shared folder) to manage the books on my system either.  I have to do the same thing to manage my daughter's LeapFrog toys as well; they may run Linux as the embedded OS on the LeapPad, but spit in the face of those same Linux folks when it comes to managing/updating the toys from your computer (and, like my thought on re-configuring the app data directory, they have no way to re-configure the data directory for their management application, or at least don't feel like trying).

One thing in Adobe's defense, though; at least there's still active forums to discuss the problem here.  LeapFrog's solution to people's problems and complaints with the shoddy Mac & Windows toy management tools was to *shut down* the forums!

[EowynCarter]

Anyone managed to get 2.0 running ith wine ?

As with 1.8, total fail.

Why, adobe, why.... Why did you try to fix somthing that wasn't broken ?

[Guest]

Thanks, That download link worked fine, on my computer, under xubuntu 12:04 and Wine 1.4. I cannot get my DRM Adobe books to transfer to my Pandigital Novel and work under Adobe eBooks DRM (ADE), but 50% success is one great step for me. I'll stick to plain Nook, smashwords or Kindle books in future. ADE is just too much hard work.

[bman_reader]

I own a Kobo Touch, and use Ubuntu 12.04 on my latop; I find that ADE works fine for downloaded Adobe DRM-ed books (epub or pdf), and it is easy to transfer the books to my Kobo reader via USB, and the reader handles them fine. Of course I don't direclty transfer books from ADE in Wine to my reader; but a copy and paste using the window manager is easy enough. Thus, I've had no trouble with Linux, ADE, and my Kobo reader. Just an FYI, in case that helps anyone.

[Guest]

Did you copy and paste into any particular folder and what did you copy? I've tried the whole folder, just the files and into both the SD Card and the reader's books folder, but the files are just not recognised except for the epub file, which it cannot open. (Pandigital Novel - a Nook type device)

[sjpt]

You must authorise the Pandigital Novel with your AdobeID to read DRM books on it.

Unfortunately, it may well be that the only way to do that is with ADE connected to the Pandigital Novel.

If you can get hold of a real Windows PC or Mac just long enough to run ADE once with the Pandigital Novel connected and working,

you should be able to do the registration. 

You'll need to register that computer with your AdobeID, then the  Pandigital Novel.

After that, I suggest you deregister the computer so it isn't using up one of your registration count.

After that, you can revert to your Linux route. 

You should be able to read the books you have already copied, and any you copy in future.

[Guest]

Thanks sjpt, I managed to do that, after a while. It was somewhat flaky and awkward but it worked, eventually.  Greg

[Lascoo]

I try to run ADE (the current ver 2.0) on wine with no success. It correctly install into wine with no errors, but when I lunch it (via menu or direcly from the file system) nothing appens.

Have you installed any other specific components (adobe reader, .net, winetricks, ...?) in orther to execute ADE2.0?

[Guest]

No, I didn't have to install anything else.

[sjpt]

You may find that ADE 1.7.2 runs better under Wine than V2.0 does.

It certainly runs better under older Windows systems such as XP.

Of couse, that won't resolve any issues with attached devices if Wine does not recognise the USB.

Version 1.7.2, it is a little difficult to find, available on Adobe site for Windows and for Mac.

http://helpx.adobe.com/digital-editions/kb/cant-install-digital-editions.html

The forum software is sometimes corrupting the link above.  There shouldn't be a blank in 'editio ns.html'.  The following redirects to the same page: http://tinyurl.com/diged172

[jg7447]

It's this kind of ridiculousness and making you jump through hoops to get your book onto your ereader that makes stripping the DRM easier than playing along with its crap.
Well done, Adobe.