Answers.Body: <p>If you are only selling through your own web store, I suggest looking into 'social DRM' - that is, adding information to each individually sold ebook that identifies the purchaser. There are some providers who will add encoded info invisibly throughout the book.</p>
  
  <p>But personally I'd recommend a pretty 'ex Libris' page after the title page giving name of the buyer, when bought and price paid, along with a 'signature' of the author/editor.</p>
  
  <p>Otherwise you're pretty much restricted to Amazon and Adobe DRM added by retailers for you - any other DRM scheme won't work with the vast majority of ebook readers.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-12-11T14:31:00.267Z
Answers.Text: Interesting! Can you name a provider that adds individual information to each ebook?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Karsten W.
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-12-12T15:25:14.853Z
Answers.Text: https://www.booxtream.com/ and http://www.digimarc.com/products/guardian/watermarking
Answers.UserDisplayName: paul_durrant
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-07-02T11:52:50.623Z
Answers.Text: When I purchased ebooks from The Pragmatic Programmer, they would generate the PDF and other versions on the fly with a footer on every page "Prepared exclusively for <my name here>".
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zonker.in.Geneva
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-08-08T14:22:55.257Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-10-10T11:50:59.290Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-10-10T11:50:59.290Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: paul_durrant
Answers.Body: <p>The easiest thing to add DRM to your e-books is to publish via a publisher who will add the DRM for you.</p>
  
  <p>The DRM enforcement schemes normally rely on a set of keys being available in the consumer device, in order to decode the encoded data. The number of such keys is limited and they (or their private counterparts, depending on the scheme) are therefore normally sold/licensed for significant amounts of money due to the scarcity. </p>
  
  <p>(I have only done DRM for DVD related materials, where the amounts involved for my company where in the 5 digit USD range. I have not done this for e-books, so the prices might be lower for that)</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-12-23T12:55:59.590Z
Answers.Text: @GisleHannemyr, No thanks necessary. I don't know any publishers that support DRM for Norwegian publications, and I don't really understand why Kindle limits the languages (maybe they only have  proofreaders for the ones you listed).
Answers.UserDisplayName: Anthon
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-12-23T10:43:24.160Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-12-23T10:43:24.160Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Anthon
Answers.Body: <p>It is in fact possible to <a href="http://www.adobe.com/manufacturing/drm.html" rel="nofollow">manage DRM</a> on your products directly through Adobe. For pricing, you would need talk to Adobe sales. </p>
  
  <p>Unless you are planning to market ebooks on a large scale, it's probably much cheaper to go through one of the companies that adds the DRM for you.</p>
  
  <p>But if your company is setting up it's own web store in Norwegian, this may then be the better option for you.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-12-23T15:40:13.817Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-12-23T16:04:06.013Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2013-12-23T16:04:06.013Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: chaskes
Answers.Body: <p>Allow me to offer a more modern answer from the perspective of a programmer.  To answer your question, solutions may exist, but it's often a cost with no return.</p>
  
  <p>DRM is intrinsically useless.  It makes people feel like they're protected, but it provides no actual protection.  Every DRM ever created has been broken and every DRM that will be created will be broken.  This is because there is nothing about software that cannot be modified or changed at any time.  Even the highest security encryption is only valuable until the key to unlocking it is released &mdash; and that assumes the encryption itself hasn't been broken (as every form of encryption eventually will be, which is the reason new encryption algorithms are periodically released).</p>
  
  <p>Regrettably, the world is full of programmers who will break DRM simply for the challenge.  Once they do, instructions for the programmatically inclined and simple software for those who aren't quickly find their way to the Internet.</p>
  
  <p>In conclusion, DRM (not unlike most gun laws) serve only to keep the basically honest people honest.  It will never stop the dishonest from being dishonest.  If you sincerely believe your book is or will be both (a) popular and (b) valuable, then your best solution is to publish only in print.  DRM will not stop a determined person from duplicating your book.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-10-20T14:22:58.670Z
Answers.Text: Publishing in print will not protect you either. What can be read can be copied. DRM is technical nonsense, intended only to discourage cheap copying for a while. It also discourages people like myself from buying the book, because I hate inviting cops in my living room to check on my readings.
Answers.UserDisplayName: babou
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-09-27T04:10:12.220Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-09-27T04:10:12.220Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: JBH
Answers.Body: <p>Per your comments I have read on <a href="http://www.editionguard.com/">EditionGuard</a> that offers an <a href="http://wordpress.org/plugins/editionguard-ebook-sales-with-drm/">extension</a> for WordPress sites.  There is a fee associated with content but my understanding is you upload your content to them, you can sell through your CMS and they will send a DRM ePub.  I have not tested this yet, but I had planned to in the future when I had time.  Also, note this is for only <code>.epub</code> and <code>.pdf</code> files NOT <code>.mobi</code> files yet.  </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-07-12T11:25:23.807Z
Answers.Text: A more up-to-date plugin with EditionGuard for WordPress would be this one:
  https://wordpress.org/plugins/editionguard-for-woocommerce-ebook-sales-with-drm/
  I suppose they stopped supporting the one linked in the answer and started supporting this one due to the integration with WooCommerce.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ioanna
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-12-23T15:28:20.827Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-12-23T15:28:20.827Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: DᴀʀᴛʜVᴀᴅᴇʀ
Body: <p>I've created software to generate valid ebooks from HTML/XML and auxillary files (metadata, cover artwork, etc.)  The software produces books in both the ePub and MobiPocket formats and does everthing except add DRM to the book.</p>
  
  <p>My ebooks will be in Norwegian.</p>
  
  <p>I am aware of publisher's arrangements, such as Kindle Direct Publishing. Unfortunately, they will not publish unless the book is in one of the following languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, or Japanese.</p>
  
  <p>What options do I have to add DRM to books that I self-publish?</p>
  
  <p>Assuming no free or near free option exists, if I were to purchase the necessary framework and licenses to do this myself for the ePub and MobiPocket formats, where will I get this software and what will it cost me.</p>
  
  <p>I am also interested in learning about publishers that will accept books in Norwegian and will publish them on the Kindle platform with DRM.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-08-09T14:30:20.580Z
Comments.Text: Though I haven't worked with DRM'd ebooks, I have worked for companies who produced protected videos and who have also made video DRM solutions. The short and skinny of it is this: the only winner is the company selling the DRM. If their solution is bypassed, they still have your money and not only is your book comprimised, but you've lost additional money paying for the DRM. DRM is akin to buying diet books, or exercise videos - it ultimately doesn't matter if it works! If your book is great it will be pirated no matter what you do. However, regardless of whether there's DRM or not, the vast
Comments.UserDisplayName: user3791372
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-08-27T04:02:12.087Z
Comments.Text: While it is definitely not answer to your question, you may want to check some successful self-publishing guys in technical fields (Nathan Barry, Sasha Greif, 32signals etc). They generally do not put DRM on their books. It may worth to consider if their argument does apply in your case.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Greg
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-02-18T08:53:34.510Z
Comments.Text: Another DRM free technical publisher (among many others) is O'Reilly. Besides producing technical bestsellers, he is also an advocate and has written many articles on his trade, and on things Internet related. You might want to check for that on the Web (keywords: O'reilly DRM)
Comments.UserDisplayName: babou
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-10-20T14:24:10.193Z
Comments.Text: I am intrigued by your pseudo "free radical", which seems to be a complete misnomer.
Comments.UserDisplayName: babou
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-10-21T06:50:45.607Z
Comments.Text: @babou, it is not "free" and in "free books" or "radical" as in "leftie". It is "unstable and reactive". See https://www.thefreedictionary.com/free+radical
Comments.UserDisplayName: Free Radical
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-12-23T11:25:13.627Z
Comments.Text: How would you distribute your book?
Comments.UserDisplayName: James Jenkins
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-12-23T12:36:48.443Z
Comments.Text: My plan is to set up a web-store to sell downloads of the ebooks my company publishes.  My ebooks are in Norwegian, so channels such as Kindle Direct Publishing is not an option (Amazon requires your book to be in English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, or Japanese).
Comments.UserDisplayName: Free Radical
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-12-23T12:39:43.727Z
Comments.Text: You should add these details to your question.  They will be important in getting a good answer.
Comments.UserDisplayName: James Jenkins
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-12-23T13:30:51.073Z
Comments.Text: I was under impression that Mobi software allowed DRM to what it published, but I didn't pay enough attention to be sure.
Comments.UserDisplayName: DVK
Tags: <drm>
Title: Is it possible to self-publish ebooks with DRM?
UserDisplayName: Free Radical
ThreadText: # Is it possible to self-publish ebooks with DRM?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-23)
  
  I've created software to generate valid ebooks from HTML/XML and auxillary files (metadata, cover artwork, etc.) The software produces books in both the ePub and MobiPocket formats and does everthing except add DRM to the book.
  
  My ebooks will be in Norwegian.
  
  I am aware of publisher's arrangements, such as Kindle Direct Publishing. Unfortunately, they will not publish unless the book is in one of the following languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, or Japanese.
  
  What options do I have to add DRM to books that I self-publish?
  
  Assuming no username_0 or near username_0 option exists, if I were to purchase the necessary framework and licenses to do this myself for the ePub and MobiPocket formats, where will I get this software and what will it cost me.
  
  I am also interested in learning about publishers that will accept books in Norwegian and will publish them on the Kindle platform with DRM.
  
  **Tags:** drm
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_4**: How would you distribute your book?  
  > **username_0**: My plan is to set up a web-store to sell downloads of the ebooks my company publishes.  My ebooks are in Norwegian, so channels such as Kindle Direct Publishing is not an option (Amazon requires your book to be in English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, or Japanese).  
  > **username_4**: You should add these details to your question.  They will be important in getting a good answer.  
  > **username_5**: I was under impression that Mobi software allowed DRM to what it published, but I didn't pay enough attention to be sure.  
  > **username_1**: Though I haven't worked with DRM'd ebooks, I have worked for companies who produced protected videos and who have also made video DRM solutions. The short and skinny of it is this: the only winner is the company selling the DRM. If their solution is bypassed, they still have your money and not only is your book comprimised, but you've lost additional money paying for the DRM. DRM is akin to buying diet books, or exercise videos - it ultimately doesn't matter if it works! If your book is great it will be pirated no matter what you do. However, regardless of whether there's DRM or not, the vast  
  > **username_2**: While it is definitely not answer to your question, you may want to check some successful self-publishing guys in technical fields (Nathan Barry, Sasha Greif, 32signals etc). They generally do not put DRM on their books. It may worth to consider if their argument does apply in your case.  
  > **username_3**: Another DRM username_0 technical publisher (among many others) is O'Reilly. Besides producing technical bestsellers, he is also an advocate and has written many articles on his trade, and on things Internet related. You might want to check for that on the Web (keywords: O'reilly DRM)  
  > **username_3**: I am intrigued by your pseudo "username_0 username_0", which seems to be a complete misnomer.  
  > **username_0**: @username_3, it is not "username_0" and in "username_0 books" or "username_0" as in "leftie". It is "unstable and reactive". See https://www.thefreedictionary.com/username_0+username_0  
  
  ---
  
  ## 5 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_12 on 2013-12-23. Score: 8 | Accepted answer
  
  Per your comments I have read on [EditionGuard](http://www.editionguard.com/) that offers an [extension](http://wordpress.org/plugins/editionguard-ebook-sales-with-drm/) for WordPress sites. There is a fee associated with content but my understanding is you upload your content to them, you can sell through your CMS and they will send a DRM ePub. I have not tested this yet, but I had planned to in the future when I had time. Also, note this is for only `.epub` and `.pdf` files NOT `.mobi` files yet.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_13**: A more up-to-date plugin with EditionGuard for WordPress would be this one: https://wordpress.org/plugins/editionguard-for-woocommerce-ebook-sales-with-drm/ I suppose they stopped supporting the one linked in the answer and started supporting this one due to the integration with WooCommerce.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2014-08-08. Score: 8
  
  If you are only selling through your own web store, I suggest looking into 'social DRM' - that is, adding information to each individually sold ebook that identifies the purchaser. There are some providers who will add encoded info invisibly throughout the book.
  
  But personally I'd recommend a pretty 'ex Libris' page after the title page giving name of the buyer, when bought and price paid, along with a 'signature' of the author/editor.
  
  Otherwise you're pretty much restricted to Amazon and Adobe DRM added by retailers for you - any other DRM scheme won't work with the vast majority of ebook readers.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_7**: Interesting! Can you name a provider that adds individual information to each ebook?  
  > **username_6**: https://www.booxtream.com/ and http://www.digimarc.com/products/guardian/watermarking  
  > **username_8**: When I purchased ebooks from The Pragmatic Programmer, they would generate the PDF and other versions on the fly with a footer on every page "Prepared exclusively for <my name here>".  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_9 on 2013-12-23. Score: 7
  
  The easiest thing to add DRM to your e-books is to publish via a publisher who will add the DRM for you.
  
  The DRM enforcement schemes normally rely on a set of keys being available in the consumer device, in order to decode the encoded data. The number of such keys is limited and they (or their private counterparts, depending on the scheme) are therefore normally sold/licensed for significant amounts of money due to the scarcity.
  
  (I have only done DRM for DVD related materials, where the amounts involved for my company where in the 5 digit USD range. I have not done this for e-books, so the prices might be lower for that)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_9**: @GisleHannemyr, No thanks necessary. I don't know any publishers that support DRM for Norwegian publications, and I don't really understand why Kindle limits the languages (maybe they only have  proofreaders for the ones you listed).  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_10 on 2013-12-23. Score: 3
  
  It is in fact possible to [manage DRM](http://www.adobe.com/manufacturing/drm.html) on your products directly through Adobe. For pricing, you would need talk to Adobe sales.
  
  Unless you are planning to market ebooks on a large scale, it's probably much cheaper to go through one of the companies that adds the DRM for you.
  
  But if your company is setting up it's own web store in Norwegian, this may then be the better option for you.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_11 on 2017-09-27. Score: 2
  
  Allow me to offer a more modern answer from the perspective of a programmer. To answer your question, solutions may exist, but it's often a cost with no return.
  
  DRM is intrinsically useless. It makes people feel like they're protected, but it provides no actual protection. Every DRM ever created has been broken and every DRM that will be created will be broken. This is because there is nothing about software that cannot be modified or changed at any time. Even the highest security encryption is only valuable until the key to unlocking it is released — and that assumes the encryption itself hasn't been broken (as every form of encryption eventually will be, which is the reason new encryption algorithms are periodically released).
  
  Regrettably, the world is full of programmers who will break DRM simply for the challenge. Once they do, instructions for the programmatically inclined and simple software for those who aren't quickly find their way to the Internet.
  
  In conclusion, DRM (not unlike most gun laws) serve only to keep the basically honest people honest. It will never stop the dishonest from being dishonest. If you sincerely believe your book is or will be both (a) popular and (b) valuable, then your best solution is to publish only in print. DRM will not stop a determined person from duplicating your book.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Publishing in print will not protect you either. What can be read can be copied. DRM is technical nonsense, intended only to discourage cheap copying for a while. It also discourages people like myself from buying the book, because I hate inviting cops in my living room to check on my readings.  
  
  ---
  
  