Tech Help

[don]

I would like to burn a CD, preferably in PDF format, with copy protection, much like a movie DVD. I plan on sending it out to a number of people but need to keep it from being easily copied. Does anyone have any suggestions on this one?

As always, mucho thanks, 'tulips.

[aaron]

Re: Tech Help

You probably should use a service like this:

http://www.protectedpdf.com/benefits-of-pdf-drm/

It appears to be very reasonably priced.

CD's can always be copied and burned. It is the same with a PDF file. However, if you use the service above, you can have quite a bit of control over your IP.

[dcarrigg]

Re: Tech Help

I would like to burn a CD, preferably in PDF format, with copy protection, much like a movie DVD. I plan on sending it out to a number of people but need to keep it from being easily copied. Does anyone have any suggestions on this one?

As always, mucho thanks, 'tulips.

Make the file read-only:
To simply password protect the .pdf:
List of .pdf DRM software (some of which is free):


As always, these are just methods that make it difficult to copy, but that appears to be all that you are looking for anyways.

[don]

Re: Tech Help

I'll be checking these out and report my experiences.

Thanks, guys!

[don]

Re: Tech Help

Acrobat 9 Pro (9.4.1) offers pretty good restrictions on use within the Acrobat format.

Both password protected use and password protected printing and copying are restricted, but here's the rub. On the desktop of my Mac I can go to File. Duplicate and it will copy the PDF no problemo. The passwords remain but they can be shared with other users. I'm surprised Adobe hasn't covered this rather large (the Enterprise?) loophole.

On to 3rd party protection . . . .

[nedtheguy]

Re: Tech Help

redacted

[lomaxzoltor]

Re: Tech Help

Acrobat 9 Pro (9.4.1) offers pretty good restrictions on use within the Acrobat format.

Both password protected use and password protected printing and copying are restricted, but here's the rub. On the desktop of my Mac I can go to File. Duplicate and it will copy the PDF no problemo. The passwords remain but they can be shared with other users. I'm surprised Adobe hasn't covered this rather large (the Enterprise?) loophole.

On to 3rd party protection . . . .

Just remember that if someone can see it with their own eyes, they can copy it. All of these services and protections are the equivalent of a lock on your front door: it's not intended to keep burglars out of your house, they're intended to keep honest people honest. No matter what DRM you put on anything, anybody willing to take a little time can circumvent it.

[don]

Re: Tech Help

Wait, you are trying to prevent a file that exists on a computer or some open form of computer media from being COPIED? Good luck with that. Large entertainment companies are banding together and spending billions of dollars on the latest DRM measures to prevent copying and yet millions of DVD's and Blu-ray discs are being ripped, traded, and passed around the globe with the click of a button.

Unless I am severely misunderstanding you, the operation that you described above by copying the PDF on your Mac is not a loophole. You think Apple would let Adobe dictate what files Apple computers are allowed to copy? Can you please clarify again what you are trying to do, because it sounds like you are trying to find some software that will dictate to any computer in the world that it is not allowed to copy a certain file. Any third party company that promises you they can do that is selling vaporware.

You can easily encrypt your file using the methods dcarrigg describes above with pretty good encryption. Don't worry about who gets your file, your issue is trusting your friends to not give out your password. It's just like an ATM card. If you drop yours and someone finds it, they probably can't get your money. However, if a "friend" gets it, and you told him your PIN number, your hard earned cash is now at risk. Unless you are moving around state secrets, the above methods should work fine. Otherwise, move on to stronger encryption.

Cheers!

I just finished writing a book and it won't be out for a couple of upcoming events. I thought I could burn it to a CD if I was reasonably assured it couldn't be easily copied by everybody and anybody. I guess there's a significant difference between blocking printing and editing in a PDF and simply making copies of the whole thing. The latter is what I'm most concerned with. I hope that's not insolvable.

[nedtheguy]

Re: Tech Help

redacted

[don]

Re: Tech Help

That's where the larger tire meets the road. Traditional publishing offers the best protection while being a somewhat dying media, not to mention the most expensive, the most difficult to distribute, etc. compared to digital. Seeing 2-3 years of work evaporate with a few keystrokes means that writers are simply not going to put in the time, at least not down that avenue.

[ggirod]

Re: Tech Help

While DVDs cannot be duplicated without special cracking programs, that bit of technical control had to be built into every DVD drive made, every player produced, and DVD software worldwide. Even with all that effort, people cracked the encryption and can decrypt/copy the DVD and make unencrypted copies to their heart's content.

You can use the DRM applied to eBooks, and there is "good" DRM for acrobat reader, but it requires that the file be specially encrypted for each user with the user's credit card number, and then decrypted with the same number in a viewer application. Use of that key data means people are unlikely to share it. Of course, distribution on a CD is not possible... but you can protect it.

[metalman]

Re: Tech Help

I just finished writing a book ...

what's the book about?

[gvozden]

Re: Tech Help

There is no way to protect it if it is on CD.

You should copy protect it on the server – make it only available to be red on the server.
Then share link with trusted people.

If you let the file out there is no way to protect.

[c1ue]

Re: Tech Help

If you make an electronic copy, you cannot prevent it from being disseminated. Adding passwords, DRM, etc etc only makes it more cumbersome for those whom you do want to see it - yet will fail to deter those who choose to ignore your desires to not disseminate it.

All you can do is make sure that at a minimum, you can figure out where the leak came from and retain ownership of the intellectual property.

I'd suggest a combination of digital watermarks on whatever file you choose plus an image only copy (i.e. not text).

[don]

Re: Tech Help

If you make an electronic copy, you cannot prevent it from being disseminated. Adding passwords, DRM, etc etc only makes it more cumbersome for those whom you do want to see it - yet will fail to deter those who choose to ignore your desires to not disseminate it.

All you can do is make sure that at a minimum, you can figure out where the leak came from and retain ownership of the intellectual property.

I'd suggest a combination of digital watermarks on whatever file you choose plus an image only copy (i.e. not text).

Your first point is well taken. Many of the guys that would attempt to read this would be experiencing their first long read on a monitor. Cumbersome procedures to get there would only discourage them further.

I would go the Kindle route except the book is filled with pictures, which Kindle, the best-reading popular e-book device, doesn't support yet. The Kindle is PDF capable. I'm not sure what that means in my case. I suspect file size is the killer.

Your suggestion on the watermark and image-only copies I can't quite follow, due to my own limitations. Could you expand? Thanks c1ue.