When will Linux version be released?

[_Robert_Kasanicky_]

FAQ says:
Will a Linux® version of Digital Editions be available?
Yes, a desktop Linux is under development and a public beta is expected later this year.

I paid for a digital editions book and still can't read it on my linux laptop. Could you give some more concrete date than 'later this year'? This year won't last long, so I hope it won't just be updated to 'later next year'...

Thanks

[_Ric_Wright_]

Unfortunately, while we do have an internal build of DE that runs on Linux, for various reasons which I am not at liberty to discuss, we have decided to postpone the Linux release to coincide with a general release, probably next year. Not what you wanted, I know. In the interim, you can get a Adobe Reader for Linux here:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2_allversions.html

[_Renich_Bon_]

Yes, I can, but how am I supposed to read the ebooks I bought from ebooks.com? They won't display on acrobat.

[_Ric_Wright_]

AH so. Yes. Adobe never ported the DRM support to Linux. Unfortunately, the Digital Publishing team has no immediate plans to support Linux either. The only silver lining is that we have done the port already, we just don't plan to support it as a public product at this time.

[Czajka]

Then I suggest you update your website faq or reconsider releasing a public beta.

http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/faq/

[_Ric_Wright_]

We are updating the FAQ as part of the new release, due out soon. Sadly, it will not include a promise of a Linux version.

[_Renich_Bon_]

;=(

Not good...

[_John_Blan_]

Consider the work of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project, it would seem now is the time to release a version that will work within the Linux environment. The benefit will be in making available to the world so many great books. Hope you will join in this effort!!

[_Manuel_Diaz_]

I need urgent a version for Linux because My University (UNAM) have a OverDrive-Librisite Library (PDF Format) but my computer it's a Suse linux Plataform then I can't Use the books from my School. Adobe launch this year (2008) the linux Version for Digital Editions ?. What it's a other solutions for me ?

[_lennart_aangeenbrug_]

Subscribing. Want also more adobe software for linux, starting with a better ebook support.

[_Donald_Flowers_]

I just bought an ebook not knowing it is proprietary to Digital Editions which is not supported in Linux Ubuntu. I spent my monthly book allotment and am very upset. Any suggestions?

[_Stian_Johnsen_]

Is there any hope that 'later this year' really refers to 2008?

[_Mad_Chatter_]

I have to agree with the consensus above. I scrapped windows completely from my system after the third virus and only run Ubuntu. I also have an account through my local city and county libraries for Overdrive.com but can not read any of the books I have checked out. I am not happy that Adobe will not even consider porting the DRM to the Linux platform as it leaves many users out in the cold and will not allow me access to support my local libraries. And here my image of Adobe was actually beginning to become a somewhat positive one. 🙂 When Adobe finally decides to support DRM for Linux, please let us all know! Until then, I will continue to use my good PDF readers and take Adobe off my system again.

[_Chris_Gordon-Smith_]

I would like to add my voice to the above calls for a version of Digital Editions that runs on Linux. My low cost eeePC is ideal for reading ebooks, but currently can only read free ones, such as are available from project Gutenberg. This is a very unfortunate limitation (even though the Gutenberg books are terrific).

Linux is ideal for low cost laptops such as eeePC and those from the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project (see also the posting from John Blan above).

A version of Digital Editions that can run on these types of devices is much needed.

Chris Gordon-Smith
www.simsoup.info

[_kate_sisco_]

I also hope to purchase a 9" eeePC and want very much to have a reader for Linux. I am trying to use the OverDrive software the local library offers to read books on my sansa clip--but guess what? they don't even offer a computer with the download so you can check that the software will trans the book to your device, a compatible issue and the library doesn't even have a single computer with the OverDrive available to see if your device is compatible!!!!

this is suggested on the OverDrive site itself.

[_Ryan_Ware_]

It's been a while since I looked for a Linux version. Disappointing to see it still isn't available and mention of it has been removed from the FAQ.

One alternative folks might want to consider is getting Acrobat for Windows 7.1.0 and installing that via wine. Yes, I completely agree that it is far from ideal. However, it is functional.

That said, Ric, I do hope Adobe reconsiders this position sometime in the near future. I don't know what the issue are specifically, but they obviously aren't technical in nature. Maybe your internal port is tied to some GPL code that you want to extricate yourself from before any release. Maybe you can't get commitment from your validation teams. Maybe management is asking why you would want to bother releasing a version of the product for an OS whose users only care about something being free.

Whatever the reason, you may want to ensure your management understands that there are people here wanting to pay for services tied to Adobe technology and who don't have a solution for their OS.

[_Robert_Campbell_]

Well, I am currently looking at things with DE and Linux, and am truly sad that Adobe made the choice not to port it over.

What am I to do with this book that I bought and can not read? Shall I use DE on a Windows computer and do screen shots for each page and export to PDF? I hate doing that, because technically, it's illegal... (Of course, technically, I am in Mongolia... DRM means nothing here anyways...)

But, what about everyone else? Will I then have to host the file so that everyone else who bought the same book and has the same problems can read it too?

Being a Christian, your company has knowingly put me into a bad position.

Please do something about this.

[_Karen_M_]

I'm another eeepc user hoping for Linux support.

[_Hanna_Mint_]

I am another new eee pc user, I also wanted to loan e-books from my library and read them. Very disappointing.

[_richard_oelmann_]

Another disappointed eeebook user - not with the eeebook, which I think is a brilliant product, but with adobe's decision not to enable digital editions for Linux and therefore for the eeebook (non-windows versions). I am currently planning to provide these for all the children in a large primary school, and while lack of digital edition support will not influence that decision, it will mean me looking for alternatives to adobe products as I cannot rely on them being available or backwardly compatible - or even by the look of it having future versions compatible with those released now!!!
And I though Microsoft were bad at tying things down and restricting use of things we have legally bought and own! - don't tell me - I haven't actually bought these ebooks, just a licence to view them as and when a software provider decides I can????
DRM'd to extreme!!!
Oh yes - and while I'm at it - its not just Linux and my eeebook, can't even transfer these ebooks to my new Windows based ipaq!!!
Another VERY UNHAPPY digital editions user

[_Renich_Bon_]

I totally agree with Richard. Please, Adobe, release this to the people. Writing was created so it could be read... are you going to deny us the right to choose our OS?

Make it available for linux or provide both versions!

[_Paul_Ro_]

Just wanted to buy Methods in Molecular Biophysics and recommend it to my students as an eBook. Unfortunately, my whole dept. runs on Linux, sorry, but another sale of 50 copies down the drain ...

[_Paul_Ro_]

Just for curiosity I searched for "Linux" under http://ebooks.ebookmall.com/
Is it sad or outright ridiculous ?

[_Stephen_Cole_]

Paul,

Please forgive the craven commercial nature of this message ...

if you really need your students to have digital access to "Methods in Molecular Biophysics", eBooks.com offers online access to the book as well as the ability to download an Adobe version.

http://www.ebooks.com/ebooks/book_display.asp?IID=293277

Because the book is viewed in a browser, it's Linux compatible.

Stephen Cole
CEO
www.ebooks.com

[_Andy_Ekers_]

Hi Stephen
Your eb20 application looks interesting but your website doesn't yet explain how it operates. Do you always need to be online to read the ebook or can you also download something to read offline in the browser? Your dropdown mentions "Adobe" so is this based on Adobe DRM or something else? Are you able to explain a little more about how this all works? Any chance of a free (perhaps public domain) ebook to try it out?
Regards
Andy