Quote:
Originally Posted by FF2
Do I need PC-compatible software to actually get these books on my computer?
|
Nope, but you do need a Barnes & Noble website account with a valid US shipping/billing address entered (not necessarily one you live at; they don't bother to check) before their system will let you get the books. (Also a credit card # which they won't actually charge but just use for encoding their easily liberated social DRM and a US or Canadian IP address which can be supplied via VPN proxy, but that's beside the point.)
Once you've gotten their "Thank you for purchasing X book, your price was $0.00" message after you click the "Download Now" button for your free books (or the "You have already bought this NOOKbook" if it's a second attempt), you can then get the actual e-book files in one of 3 ways:
1) Download directly via your browser from the
My NOOK Library page. If you are on Windows and/or presumably Linux, this will give you an ePub file.
If you are on a Mac, you will get a PDB file and for ePub, you will have to tell your browser to spoof a Windows user-agent string when visiting the B&N website (there's an add-on for Firefox which does this, or maybe you can set it directly in the Advanced Preferences) or use one of the other methods below.
Oh, and if you're trying to download via Firefox and have the ePubReader add-on installed already, you'll have to use another browser or disable the add-on just long enough to get your downloads. The ePubReader add-on tends to automatically try to put any ePubs into its own catalogue location rather than your regular download folder, and if it's a DRM-ePub, it'll fail to retrieve it.
2) Download via the NOOKStudy app mentioned above, which works for both Windows and for 10.6 Snow Leopard Macs.
3) Download via the free NOOK for PC app. This works under Wine for non-10.6 Intel Macs and presumably for Linux, too.
Most of B&N's books do have their special B&N-DRM, which is easily removed. But if you would rather read them without stripping, you'll need a NOOK app installed for your computer or smartphone, or have a nook or JetBookLite reader.
The Samhain romance freebies are DRM-free and can be read on or converted for any platform without hassle.
Hope this helps.