Really, really angry.

[earlyferry]

Sorry, this isn't a question as such. More of a long story.

I made a real mess of registering with Adobe - mixture of change of house / email address / service provider and loss of last email address. That's all entirely my fault. 6 months have gone by and over the time I've tried to find solutions in the forums, but nothing worked. My new ereader tells me that I can't read books which I bought and paid for, on my previous ereader.

So today, I sat down, web chatted to Adobe in the firm belief that at last, it'd be sorted.

Hah. No chance.

There seemed to be no real understanding of what I was asking about - the representatives seemd to fall back on, for example; "have you tried the help page on activation" and I was referred to the technical web chat, so off I went, still thinking it could be sorted. That cycle happened twice.

Then I tried phoning the UK phone number. Got referred (wasn't told this) to the US where I was in a queue for 40 minutes and then a guy who sent me off to the web tech chat. He was a bit miffed when I asked how, having been on to them twice this morning already, they could now help.

I must sound like Demented, Loonsville, but I'm not. I'm really not. What I'm furious about is the waste of time and Adoibe's complete lack of any ability to run a bath, based entirely on my personal experience today. Others may have a different opinion. One has to use their software to be able to read a Sony reader, so I'm stuck. 90 books bought and I can't access them.

[Frustrated in AZ]

Check my moniker - I feel your pain.

Two things stand out in your story. First, the change from wherever you

were to wherever you are now. Next, that you're using a SONY ereader. In

the process you've gone through, you have encountered people who are not

able to help you because, IMO, they don't know what you're talking about.

And, most important, they would not know how to fix the issues you have.

That doesn't mean we're geniuses and can wave a magic wand, either.

Because ID's have changed, I think you've run afoul of the way publishers

have implemented restrictions under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act of

2000 (DMCA). The bottom line is that they use protective rules to make sure

that ebooks are not redistributed, copied or printed beyond the buyer, thus,

they feel, insuring that royalties and such are paid, and they establish

rules for one purchase, one use. It's possible that this can be fixed - but

by the source of the ebook, not by Adobe. They'll have to reauthorize the

ebook to your new environment - which many of them will agree to do, if you

have the right documentation.

Part of the implementation of the DMCA was to decide on electronic formats

for ebook transport. Adobe Digital Editions emerged to become the de-facto

'open' standard, allowing folks with a variety of ereaders to use

epublications without restricting them to one site as a source, It's not

the only one, and does have limitations. However, with proper configuration,

ADE supports many of the SONY readers.

I'll assume that your computer is a Windows PC. I'll assume also that you

are familiar with some of the utilities that a Win PC has.

Does ADE see the SONY ereader? If not, are you able to see it from the

computer directly, via My Computer and do a display of its contents?

Does ADE show the ebooks you've purchased in the Library? If not, then can

you find the files for them on your computer?

Have you registered and authorized your SONY ereader via the SONY website?

If so, do you have a library of ebooks on it? Can you transfer a (free)

ebook from the website to your ereader directly?

Do you still have contact information for the sites where you purchased your

ebooks?

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

[earlyferry]

Hi Frustrated in AZ,

you're spot on. I spoke with another rep from Adobe, in the hope that someone could have some answers.

All Adobe can offer is that I contact publishers - got about 90 books to do that for, so I'm not happy.

As I see it, I have to use Adobe, and Adobe hold my emial addresses, not the publishers, so surely it can all be pulled together by Adobe??

It's a ludicrous system. My next ereader will be determined on whether this rigmarole has to followed for it - I don't know if Kindles use the same system, but if not, it'll be ahead of Sony straight away.

Who designs this?? Actually, I don't think anyone does, it must just clunk along.

thanks for your reply.

[earlyferry]

sorry, I missed your bit about the Sony library on my computer. I do have one; it shows all books, both the old and the new, but when I drag an "old" one to my new ereader, I get amessage that it's not licenced to view or that it's authorised to another user.

Quite mad.

You can buy a paper book, lend it, give it to a charity shop. Once you buy it, it's yours. In this insane system, we buy them , but only in certain circumstances. It's bad enough charging paper prices for electronically transmitted books which don't need printed onto paper, nor transported, nor sold in a shop without this ridiculous restriction.

[earlyferry]

Adobe might be due an apology for my assertion that they couldn't run a bath in my experience.

Certainly it took a number of livechat interactions before the 5th person was able to tell me that Adobe can't merge

email addresses to solve this and that I can't have all of my books - I can have either set as I've used 2

email addresses, so either way I'll lose books, unless I contact publishers.

Didn't like what I heard, but at least I got a clear answer, so thanks for that. It's a publishers' restriction, rather than Adobe blocking the system up.

Oddly enough, talking to someone yesterday who hasn't bought an ebook in months because of the restrictions. It would be a great pity to have such a wonderful technology killed stone dead by its woeful applications.

[Frustrated in AZ]

To your earlier point concerning different ereaders. They ALL implement the

digital rights management of epublications in a similar way. Switching to a

Kindle or a Nook won't be a 'magic bullet'.

Digital rights can be cumbersome - and frustrating. I have four ereaders

now, and I am able to download ebooks from ADE to any or all of them IF the

digital rights are set so that they can be downloaded to an ereader. So,

I'm able to 'make copies' - but only under one ID. Of course, one must ask:

'what good are four copies if they're all licensed to you?' Don't have an

answer for that one.

Many of the ebook seller sites do recognise that people change ID's, and

they would be willing to work with you to get you another copy - if the

records supporting the original purchase are available. Give it a shot -

and good luck!

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

[Guest]

I had a similar experience,  I called Adobe, waited, opted for the "call back".  The guy who called asked for my name, phone address, etc.  I sadi no to the address," Why should I give you that?"  "We'd like to have it"  After a bit he went on to give an account number and ticket number.  When I told him I was caslling about Digital Editions he told me "we don't support that"  Why did he waste my time?

I find the library page frustrating, there is no help button and this page only sends me to the forums, maybe some body can figure it out.

ADOBE

SUCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Frustrated in AZ]

There IS a reference to HELP on the Library page. Just click on the small

arrow next to the word 'Library' and then click on the entry for Adobe

Digital Editions Help. Or, since ADE follows Microsoft conventions, you

can press the F1 key instead. I think you'll find reading the FAQ section

in Help to be 'helpful'.

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

[Guest]

I did contact the seelers of the books, as suggested. They (WHSmith) are saying that they can't

do this and they are surprised that Adobe can't.

[Frustrated in AZ]

I'm sorry, but your post doesn't seem to reflect any of the dialogue we were

having with this thread. So, what is it that WH Smith can't do?

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

[Guest]

sorry Frustrated in AZ,

it's totally unclear!

It was suggeted that I contact the book seller to have my email updated on their system, thus allowing me to read the previously purchased books on the current ereader.

WHSmith were unable to do this, referring me back to Adobe's help pages, and expressing some disbelief that this had ever been suggested.

The task of contacting the publishers is huge - I'll need to find the publisher for each book, then get onto them if I've any chance of having the labyrynthine, tortuous paths between publisher, provider of books, book seller and providers of All and Any Software to make ereaders work.

I think, if it were explained that this could happen, ereader book sales would plummet. I love technology and gadgets, but this one's a horse's ass.In my opinion and experience.

Perhaps a more precise way to sell ebooks would be to to say that they are sold subject to stringent conditions and that the ebooks don't actually belong to the purchaser in the way that a paper book does.

Any way, I'm totally hacked off with this.

Hope you all have more success with yours.

[Frustrated in AZ]

I see now.... But I'm afraid that I disagree with some of the points.

First, if Adobe tech support told you to contact WH Smith to update their

system with your 'current' email, that's an error. I can understand why WH

Smith was surprised by this suggestion, because it makes no sense. I think

there's an interpretation error here.

Many, but not all, booksellers have safeguards built into their systems to

prevent duplicate downloads, and if WH Smith has them, then they can do

something about that - it's not something Adobe can help you with. Your

bookseller should be able to figure out how they can let you download those

ebooks again under your current settings (which include your account ID, but

also some other information).

I'm not sure why you think you'd have to contact the publishers directly at

all. They're out of the loop entirely - the roadblock in your way relates

to you personally and your transactions with a bookseller. ADE is the

transfer agent, and the librarian for you. As I said above, now that your

ereader is working with ADE, WH Smith should be able to figure out how you

can retransfer the books you've purchased. If they refuse, or insist it's

Adobe's problem, maybe you should talk with someone higher up in their chain

of command. I've seen many posts to the board where the bookseller has

figured it out.

=====

[Guest]

Hi,

thanks for this.

Adobe rep suggested contacting the publishers - then it was suggested that I

contact the sellers. As I say, I wasn't too sure that the Adobe reps had much

help to offer once their initial 3 ideas had been tried and failed.

I'll get back to WHSmith - thanks again.