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



## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

I just logged into my book at Amazon's DigitalTextPlatform  (1/15) and found the following two new options:

- Enable digital rights management (DRM)
- Do not enable digital rights management

When did this happen?
Why are they allowing us to turn off DRM?
What are you fellow authors planning to do with this new freedom? Are you going to turn off DRM (to make some readers happy) or leave it on (to prevent illegal copying)?

I have a feeling this is a bit like opening Pandora's box...


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

Well, allow me to be the first to dive headfirst into the new DRM-free pool. Starting tomorrow (1/16 - or whenever my change takes effect) my book, Cyberdrome will no longer be constrained by DRM encryption.

I can only speak for myself, but I know I would be happy with someone buying my book and sharing it on 2 Kindles, or a Kindle and a PC (with the Kindle reader), or your iPhone. It's yours, so why shouldn't you be able to read it anywhere you want? I am also not that worried about people "stealing" it and making thousands of copies that are spread all over the web - I should be so popular! 

So, I am officially stating it here for you (and Google to store) - "If you buy the new DRM-FREE Kindle version of Cyberdrome, I am authorizing you to read it wherever you want, whenever you want, on as many platforms as you want, so long as you both shall live." 

Cheers, peace, and long live freedom for the readers!

p.s. Authors, be aware that when you make the change, DTM actually reprocesses your book (to exclude the DRM encryption) so make sure you look at the preview before accepting. I can't see why removing DRM would affect anything inside your document, but check just to make sure...

p.p.s. I wonder how long this will take to trickle down (or up) to the mainstream publishers, and if they will accept it. I imagine not (but maybe that will give Indie books a bit of a boost with readership.)


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I saw you posted this on the amazon kindle forum--really nice to have choices--and provide choices for the reader.


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

MariaESchneider said:


> I saw you posted this on the amazon kindle forum--really nice to have choices--and provide choices for the reader.


Yes, I think this news is too big not to spread it wherever we can!
I think is was Neo in the Matrix Trilogy who said, "Everything begins with choice."
Lets get the word out - we finally have a choice!


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

This is cool ... and now I'm curious whether the DRM setting will be visible on Amazon's book pages ....  I looked at Cyberdrome and didn't see anything showing DRM Status ... but that could mean nothing at all.

If I know something is DRM free, I do think I would be more likely to buy it.  I did the same thing with music ...


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> This is cool ... and now I'm curious whether the DRM setting will be visible on Amazon's book pages .... I looked at Cyberdrome and didn't see anything showing DRM Status ... but that could mean nothing at all.
> 
> If I know something is DRM free, I do think I would be more likely to buy it. I did the same thing with music ...


No, there is nothing showing on the book pages (and I'm sure Amazon wouldn't want to advertise it, especially since they didn't even mention this new option as far as I can tell). However, I found a tag for "drmfree" and I added it to my book. I suggest every author who makes the switch be sure and add the tag to their book. It couldn't hurt if we all "tag" each others books as well. I, for one, would be happy to tag anyone who makes the change, and lists their book here!


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## David Derrico (Nov 18, 2009)

My books have been DRM free for a while... you can tell where it says "Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited." My stance is that DRM annoys legitimate customers and doesn't prevent piracy anyway. Plus, if someone sent a free copy of my book to every person on Earth, would I be better or worse off? WAY better! Then everyone would have heard of me, maybe buy my other books, I'd get a movie deal, etc...

Anyway, I'd greatly appreciate any tagging assistance on my books (links below in sig) ... I just added the "drmfree" tag too.

PS: Is there a "help each other tag our books" thread I missed?


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

Perhaps Amazon is trying to move onto other platforms - Sony, Nook, etc. Would make sense to me. I hate having to have a different reader for each proprietary format!!      And, after all, they are a bookstore, right?

Just my humble opinion, but, I would be MUCH more likely to purchase a non-DRM'ed book, if it were available.


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

David Derrico said:


> My books have been DRM free for a while... you can tell where it says "Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited." My stance is that DRM annoys legitimate customers and doesn't prevent piracy anyway. Plus, if someone sent a free copy of my book to every person on Earth, would I be better or worse off? WAY better! Then everyone would have heard of me, maybe buy my other books, I'd get a movie deal, etc...
> 
> Anyway, I'd greatly appreciate any tagging assistance on my books (links below in sig) ... I just added the "drmfree" tag too.
> 
> PS: Is there a "help each other tag our books" thread I missed?


David,
My book has always said "Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited" and so does every Kindle book I just looked at, so I don't think that is what it means. Also, how do you know your books are DRM-free? If you publish them through Amazon's DTM service, I don't think you have ever had the option to turn it off until now. At least I have never seen this option (and I have been here for almost 2 years)...


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Oh, then I guess mine have been DRM free for a while.  I set that the last time I uploaded, although it didn't read the way it does now.  I was a little worried that selecting it now might affect formatting.  And the last thing I need is to have formatting become an issue...


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

MariaESchneider said:


> Oh, then I guess mine have been DRM free for a while. I set that the last time I uploaded, although it didn't read the way it does now. I was a little worried that selecting it now might affect formatting. And the last thing I need is to have formatting become an issue...


When did you last upload, Maria? Because, I was there two weeks ago and I didn't notice this new option. Today, it stood out like a sore thumb...


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## sierra09 (Jun 20, 2009)

For books already uploaded, is this a required choice or can you just leave things are they are? I see the little red thingey that means required but I'm not certain if that's just for new uploads, like if you do a revision, or if you have to make the choice.

Also, making a choice, does that put the book back into review? That would be the only thing that would keep me from choosing an option.


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

sierra09 said:


> For books already uploaded, is this a required choice or can you just leave things are they are? I see the little red thingey that means required but I'm not certain if that's just for new uploads, like if you do a revision, or if you have to make the choice.
> 
> Also, making a choice, does that put the book back into review? That would be the only thing that would keep me from choosing an option.


Sierra,
I would say don't change anything unless you want to remove the DRM protection. Changing this option, however, will make the DTP (DigitalTextPlatform) program reconvert your original content, just like when you upload a new version. So, just make sure you preview the final version before re-publishing your book (not that it should change anything, but look anyway). Then, yes, your book goes back into the "review phase" which usually take about 24 hours (at least for me). However, your original book is still available during this period, so you don't really loose sales.

I am "losing sales" right now simply because I told everyone who wants a DRM-free copy of my book to hold off buying until tomorrow (Sat 1/16) when I expect my new version will go online. That was my decision and it doesn't have to be yours. You can just let everyone know after the change takes effect if you want...

Hope that helps!


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## David Derrico (Nov 18, 2009)

Interesting... I literally looked at it last night and I'm pretty sure the DRM thing wasn't there, and now it is. Some people over on the MobileRead forums assured me that "Device Usage: Unlimited" means there is no DRM whatsoever attached (there are plenty of books that list a maximum number of devices on the Kindle store). But I'm not 100% positive. Next time I update my book, I will choose the "No DRM" option just to be sure.

People can always buy a DRM-free version from my own website too.


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

David Derrico said:


> Interesting... I literally looked at it last night and I'm pretty sure the DRM thing wasn't there, and now it is. Some people over on the MobileRead forums assured me that "Device Usage: Unlimited" means there is no DRM whatsoever attached (there are plenty of books that list a maximum number of devices on the Kindle store). But I'm not 100% positive. Next time I update my book, I will choose the "No DRM" option just to be sure.
> 
> People can always buy a DRM-free version from my own website too.


Here is what I found googling "Simultaneous Device Usage":
from: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_kip_faq_num?nodeId=200298470&#howmany


*How many Kindles can I use to access titles in my library?*
Most books and other non-subscription items you purchase from the Kindle store may be simultaneously accessed for your personal use on up to six Kindles (or Kindle compatible devices, such as Kindle for iPhone) registered to your Amazon.com account. If the limit is less than six kindles for a specific title, you'll see the message "Simultaneous Device usage: Up to X simultaneous devices, per publisher limits" on the detail page.

If you reach the device limit and wish to replace one of your current devices with a new one, you must first deregister and delete the content from the device you wish to replace before you can access the content in question from your new device. For device registration instructions, please see the Help page for the device you wish to register/deregister on the Kindle Support pages. There is no limit on the number of times a title can be downloaded to a registered device.

Subscription content can only be downloaded to one Kindle at a time and cannot be accessed from Kindle for iPhone.

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...


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## sierra09 (Jun 20, 2009)

Thanks, that's what I needed to know. I think right now I may leave it alone or try one at a time. Definitely will wait until this head cold goes away as I can't handle checking formats when my head feels like it's in a vise.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

For anyone that's still confused, here's a screenshot that I used in another thread:










I removed the DRM from all my books and yes, it did put them back into review but they were republished within a day and the original pages remained up the whole time.


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## Eric C (Aug 3, 2009)

What exactly is the benefit to consumers of removing DRM from my book? What could Kindle owners do with the book they couldn't do before?


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Eric C said:


> What exactly is the benefit to consumers of removing DRM from my book? What could Kindle owners do with the book they couldn't do before?


Clearly it opens up limitless possibilities for new hardware and software readers.

I haven't experimented yet because getting an updated copy is so hard, but my guess is that an unencrypted file has no PID embedded in it so you would be able to open the file with the Kindle or Kindle for PC without going through Manage My Kindle as you must with DRM protected books. It should also open in Mobipocket Reader and any other reader that supports Kindle or Mobipocket files.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

and probably Calibre as well


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Chad Winters (#102) said:


> and probably Calibre as well


Yes. I should have mentioned Calibre.


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

Eric C said:


> What exactly is the benefit to consumers of removing DRM from my book? What could Kindle owners do with the book they couldn't do before?


It also opens up the possibility of "giving" your purchased Kindle book to a friend or family member after reading, but since that still goes against the copyright agreement, I would have to say that just my opinion and not a recommendation.

If you ask about my book, Cyberdrome, specifically, I would have no problem if you GAVE it to a friend after reading it. By GAVE, I mean delete your version after copying it to them. That way it would make my ebook more like a physical paperback.

What none of us want, however, is for someone to put their DRM-free ebook on a server where everyone can download it for free. That is not only illegal, but it would make authors like myself rethink our generosity, and force us back into DRM encryption, which would be sad...


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

JosephRhea said:


> David,
> My book has always said "Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited" and so does every Kindle book I just looked at, so I don't think that is what it means. Also, how do you know your books are DRM-free? If you publish them through Amazon's DTM service, I don't think you have ever had the option to turn it off until now. At least I have never seen this option (and I have been here for almost 2 years)...


I think this has been appearing more and more, but it used to be on very few Kindle books. It does mean DRM free; there have been other mentions of it here.

Betsy


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I think this has been appearing more and more, but it used to be on very few Kindle books. It does mean DRM free; there have been other mentions of it here.
> 
> Betsy


Here is what I found googling "Simultaneous Device Usage":
from: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_kip_faq_num?nodeId=200298470&#howmany

How many Kindles can I use to access titles in my library?
Most books and other non-subscription items you purchase from the Kindle store may be simultaneously accessed for your personal use on up to six Kindles (or Kindle compatible devices, such as Kindle for iPhone) registered to your Amazon.com account. If the limit is less than six kindles for a specific title, you'll see the message "Simultaneous Device usage: Up to X simultaneous devices, per publisher limits" on the detail page.

If you reach the device limit and wish to replace one of your current devices with a new one, you must first deregister and delete the content from the device you wish to replace before you can access the content in question from your new device. For device registration instructions, please see the Help page for the device you wish to register/deregister on the Kindle Support pages. There is no limit on the number of times a title can be downloaded to a registered device.

Subscription content can only be downloaded to one Kindle at a time and cannot be accessed from Kindle for iPhone.

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...


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## Eric C (Aug 3, 2009)

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


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

Eric C said:


> 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!_


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## koland (Nov 24, 2008)

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).


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

koland said:


> 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...


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

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.


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## David Derrico (Nov 18, 2009)

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.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

David Derrico said:


> 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?


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## David Derrico (Nov 18, 2009)

Jeff said:


> 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.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

David Derrico said:


> 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.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

JosephRhea said:


> 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


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## koland (Nov 24, 2008)

JosephRhea said:


> 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).


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

koland said:


> 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.


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

David Derrico said:


> 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 ---


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## JennaAnderson (Dec 25, 2009)

I just updated mine along with a few description tweaks.

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

Jenna


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## JennaAnderson (Dec 25, 2009)

JennaAnderson said:


> 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


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## JennaAnderson (Dec 25, 2009)

JennaAnderson said:


> 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.


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

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

Steve


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## Joseph Rhea (Nov 9, 2009)

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


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## Randolphlalonde (Sep 12, 2009)

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!


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