Thanks for the tip on ps2pdf, but when I tried it I got an error message

"This PostScript file was created from an encrypted PDF file.
Redistilling encrypted PDF is not permitted.
%%[ Error: undefined; OffendingCommand: get ]%%
ESP Ghostscript 815.02: Unrecoverable error, exit code 1"

I get a very similar error when I try to convert in windows using ghostscript viewer. Anyone got any ideas or other software that we can use?

ive had some experience with the ebx files. one thing to make note of is that if you download the pdf on one windows box and take it to another, the pdf will not work. it does something that ties it to the download machine, what it is i dont know (could be a key that is stored somewhere). i took some online classes a while back and the books were all in this format it was a pain. they do act like normal files though after they are downloaded, so if you try a converter from your friends computer it may work..

i have a vmware install of windows so i never got into trying to get anything working with them on linux..

good luck

(and everyone wonders why people steal electronically)

When I tried this I getI can open it and read it in Windows no problem (I have login credentials) but I really need it on my laptop which runs Linux. Is there another way perhaps?

Ahh.. I figured it out. I would post but I do wonder about the legality of these things.

I am currently running Ubuntu Gutsy and have been able to get around the whole Adobe DRM issue using Wine.

First, I downloaded and installed the latest version found of Wine found in the repository.

Second, I downloaded ies4linux to install IE 6.0 in Wine.

Third, I download Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0.9 for WinXP from www.adobe.com. Firefox automatically ran the file through Wine and the install was successful.

Fourth, I went through IE 6.0 to http://aractivate.adobe.com, signed in using my Passport identification, and requested to install on a new computer. I followed the steps, and eventually it asked me to download a file with extension ".edn". I saved this to my user directory then exited IE 6.0.

Fifth, I opened Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0.9, via Wine, and opened the ".edn" file I saved in the previous step. Adobe Acrobat Reader then goes through the process and verifies all the credentials. Make sure you have a working internet connection!

My online university provides the course E-Books using DRM PDF files. The whole process is initiated through an "ebx.etd" file (which looks just like an XML file) which Adobe Acrobat Reader uses to verify your identity. I download this ".etd" file, using any browser, and save it to the home directory. Then, through Adobe Acrobat Reader via Wine, I can open this file and the PDF file with DRM will be downloaded and viewed anytime you wish.

Hope this helps!
-Bryan Allred

Maybe you can copy the text from your friends computer into another text file?

Or take screenshots of it?

I don't get your point. You can reverse engineer those games or the pdf-format yourself and join their laughter

One more reason why pdf's are not really ok for electronic publishing. Apart from the fact that most pdfs write two up with prefixed page sizes. You keep scrolling up and down and lose track of where you were or adjusting the page width and end up spoiling your eyes.

End