Post #860172

2026-03-23 01:02 UTC

How to buy an ebook Doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things, but: I bought an ebook yesterday. This is a ridiculous experience. Let's compare the process to downloading from various noncommercial "illegal" or legal sites: "illegal" sites or free sites like project gutenberg (1) download ebook (2) put it wherever you want, laptop, smartphone, ereader (3) read it buying a book on a commercial site (1) i tried to buy the ebook first on the publisher's site, then discovered they don't allow you to download the book at all, only view it on their website or app (2) luckily I found a general ebooks site that sold the book too (ebooks.com, this is not an endorsement). Cheaper than the publisher's site, which still means the price of a regular, actual book on paper. (3) I managed to complete the buying process. Now I see a Download epub button. Question at this point: do you think that will actually download an epub? You fool. You magnificent, hopeful optimist. of course it doesn't. 1/3

Replies (2)

@workingclassgames@tech.lgbt 2026-03-23 01:08

Download epub, in fact, downloads an acsm file. This is a mostly empty file, just some urls and adobe codes. This is a way to punish you for trying to buy an ebook. You criminal. So you can install that in an ereader right? Hah! Yes, if you mean ADOBE DIGITAL EDITIONS, a software program last updated around the year 2000. It "works" in a fashion. It has that "windows 3.11 was peak UI" vibe, and not in a cutesy "I installed a windows xp theme in my Linux" way. (4) So once you've downloaded and authorized adobe digital editions - you like making accounts for no reason, right? - You can add and then see the book. It's terrible, and the font options are ugly, but there is the book you paid money for. Now let's get it into an actual ereader device or on Calibre, which is an open source program with nice display options. (5) since you've installed the book into adobe digital editions, there's now an epub on your computer. This is progress, you mumble. You could have done the dishes or made food, but no. 2/3

Open ##2187615
@lued@troet.cafe 2026-03-24 06:38

@workingclassgames@tech.lgbt Admit.. you love to punish yourself 😏😂

Open ##2187620