Is there an open source alternative to "Adobe Digital Editions"?

Question

For the moment I run Adobe Digital Editions under Wine to download ebooks burdened with ditigal restriction management. I only use it to open .acsm files supplied by ebook-shops, which contain authentication information required to download the actual DRM'ed ebook files, which I then transfer to my reader-device with calibre. My question is, if there exist open source alternatives to Adobe Digital Editions. They don't need much functionality. I just want to put the .acsm-file in and get the .epub out (no, I don't want to remove the drm, that'd be illegal afaik).

Solution 1

.acsm can only be used with Adobe Digital Editions and stands for Adobe Content Server Manager.

For more information about Adobe Digital Editions please see http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/faq/

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_{Side note (may not be generally applicable to Digital Editions users): Stated in the agreement (may be of concern in making a program to access .acsm ) for Adobe Content Server section 11.1 you agree not to:}

_{(d) obtain or attempt to obtain any materials or Information through any means not intentionally made available through the Services;}

_{Interpret this as you will, I will not give you legal advice.}

Solution 2

You can also use OverDrive which is a fairly reasonable ebook reader. You need to put in your Adobe ID to register it, and after that, it will open .acsm files and download the relevant ePub for you.

Comments

[Mateo]

I have made it less prominent, again I will state that I am just passing on information I found on the Adobe website and "Interpret this as you will, I will not give you legal advice."

[Niaz Bin Siraj]

My local public library is one of many using Overdrive. No Adobe ID needed to make it work, just my library card and pin, and it opens .ascm files downloaded from OpenLibrary.org as well.

[Niaz Bin Siraj]

See comments below. At least one other ebook reader can legally open these files, which are available from many libraries. Your comments suggest that Adobe runs a centralized, single-source book server, like Amazon Kindle, which is not what the Adobe website says.

[Mateo]

that is certainly what it sound like: epubsoft.com/how-to-open-acsm-file-cannot-open-acsm-file.htm‌​l anyway bypassing drm is still a grey area, or even using a third party client breaks their agreement already...

[hackerb9]

Just noting for those who might not know, OverDrive is an alternative, but not open source.