B&N removed download option on all books in "My Nook" library

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon removed the SD card slot. Amazon doesn't have a download link unless you have a hardware Kindle and in that case, you do need to use a program to download. So overall, Amazon is not that different from B&N.

What program is needed for download?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon removed the SD card slot. Amazon doesn't have a download link unless you have a hardware Kindle and in that case, you do need to use a program to download. So overall, Amazon is not that different from B&N.

Amazon has always been straightforward about needing a device or app to download.

Amazon hasn't been playing monkey games with de-supporting the apps.

Amazon experimented early on with an SD card, but most people who buy Kindles are unaware that there ever was one, and don't care either way.
An SD card is not necessary for Kindles -- the userstore is not partitioned, you can use all 3.5 GB for sideloaded content.

[Jane12]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

On KDP published books "Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited" will let you know a book is DRM free. For books from publishing houses that submit another way some like Tor and Baen mention it in the books description ("At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management)") and for others like Carina Press and O'Reilly the books are DRM-free, but there is no way of knowing that other than knowing the publisher is DRM-free. Then you have some publishers that are DRM-free at their own sites like Samhain (DRM-free at their site and B&N) but not elsewhere which makes it worse. Unfortunately Amazon doesn't have something as simple and direct as mentioning the DRM status in the product details.

Thanks! They say "consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds," but this takes inconsistency to a whole new level of crazy!

[Jane12]

Originally Posted by Solo1959

So, in other words, if you own a Nook, and you buy a book from Barnes and Noble, you are required to have WiFi. There is no way to get the book you bought via your computer onto the Nook unless you can connect to a WiFi someplace. Doesn't make sense.

When I asked a B&N person what my mother-in-law who doesn't have WiFi should do now that they've removed the download link, he actually advised that she take her Nook to her nearest B&N store to use their free WiFi. Unbelievable!

P.S. I'm so mad at B&N nowadays that I can't even walk into one of their stores -- and I used to love hanging out there, it was one of my favorite places!

[gbm]

Originally Posted by Jane12

When I asked a B&N person what my mother-in-law who doesn't have WiFi should do now that they've removed the download link, he actually advised that she take her Nook to her nearest B&N store to use their free WiFi. Unbelievable!

P.S. I'm so mad at B&N nowadays that I can't even walk into one of their stores -- and I used to love hanging out there, it was one of my favorite places!

The nearness B&N--to me-- is a 100 mile round trip.

bernie

[murg]

Originally Posted by gbm

The nearness B&N--to me-- is a 100 mile round trip.

bernie

We used to walk that, barefoot, in the driving snow...

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Jane12

When I asked a B&N person what my mother-in-law who doesn't have WiFi should do now that they've removed the download link, he actually advised that she take her Nook to her nearest B&N store to use their free WiFi. Unbelievable!

P.S. I'm so mad at B&N nowadays that I can't even walk into one of their stores -- and I used to love hanging out there, it was one of my favorite places!

Can't she just use Nook for PC? How would she be downloading the book if the download links were still on the website?

[Jane12]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

Can't she just use Nook for PC? How would she be downloading the book if the download links were still on the website?

B&N's original download links provided direct download of the complete epub, no "helper" software required.

My mom-in-law is technophobic -- thus the lack of WiFi. Simply getting her to try a Nook was a big deal. However, we taught her how to use a web browser to find a book, purchase it, go to her online Nook Library and click the "download" link. Then the complete epub would download to her computer. She would connect her Nook via USB, then drag-and-drop the epub file from her computer to her Nook. All done.

At this point it seems all the Nook desktop apps are no longer supported, and even if we found a copy to download, with all the DRM changes, it's not clear whether an ebook downloaded through a desktop app would open on an old Nook 1st ed. that hasn't connected to WiFi for many years.

Finally, my mom-in-law is using this situation as "proof" that computers and technology are not to be trusted "and who needs ebooks anyway when paper books are just fine," she says.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Jane12

B&N's original download links provided direct download of the complete epub, no "helper" software required.

My mom-in-law is technophobic -- thus the lack of WiFi. Simply getting her to try a Nook was a big deal. However, we taught her how to use a web browser to find a book, purchase it, go to her online Nook Library and click the "download" link. Then the complete epub would download to her computer. She would connect her Nook via USB, then drag-and-drop the epub file from her computer to her Nook. All done.

At this point it seems all the Nook desktop apps are no longer supported, and even if we found a copy to download, with all the DRM changes, it's not clear whether an ebook downloaded through a desktop app would open on an old Nook 1st ed. that hasn't connected to WiFi for many years.

Finally, my mom-in-law is using this situation as "proof" that computers and technology are not to be trusted "and who needs ebooks anyway when paper books are just fine," she says.

Look back in this thread. Find the Greasemonkey download script. Make sure your mother has Firefox and Greasemonkey installed. Then install the script. She will then get the download links back.

[Tarana]

Finally, my mom-in-law is using this situation as "proof" that computers and technology are not to be trusted "and who needs ebooks anyway when paper books are just fine," she says.

A LOT of older people in my area have Nooks because they were compatible with the library and there is a B&N across the street. Most of them don't have wifi. They buy their books online and make selections at the library. Then, when they have an appointment at a medical facility, they download everything using the free wifi. The library books remain active until they are hooked to wifi again.

I am mentioning this only as an option to keep your MIL actively reading ebooks. A lot depends on the books she likes to read. Those who really like doorstops really appreciate an ereader and will do anything reasonable to continue to use one. My sister stopped reading books because her hands couldn't hold even a smaller book open any more - she does fine with my old Nook ST.

In rural areas, free wifi is available at most, if not all hospitals. You don't have to be a patient, but when you hook up to it, pretty much all of them require that you click on an agreement.

[JSWolf]

Oh and one other solution is to get your MIL a WiFi router.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon removed the SD card slot. Amazon doesn't have a download link unless you have a hardware Kindle and in that case, you do need to use a program to download. So overall, Amazon is not that different from B&N.

Right; so the SD card slot was annoying, but not a deal-breaker (although it was one of the reasons I went B&N in the first place).

Amazon has a download link, so that's advantage Amazon. Sure you need a Kindle, but even with a Nook, you can't download from B&N anymore, so that tips the scale.

Basically, everything which differentiated (in a positive way) B&N from Amazon, and what pushed me toward B&N in the first place, has been removed. It's a tie in a few places, but Amazon wins everywhere else: better ereader software, Matchbook, website that doesn't break half the time I try to use it, and so on.

[murg]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Oh and one other solution is to get your MIL a WiFi router.

It's a good thing we're not talking about the Mother-in-law's friend...

[Jane12]

Originally Posted by Tarana

A LOT of older people in my area have Nooks ... Most of them don't have wifi ... when they have an appointment at a medical facility, they download everything using the free wifi ...

Well, I really don't want to encourage B&N in thinking it's okay to block downloading and expect customers to go in search of free WiFi if they don't have it at home

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Oh and one other solution is to get your MIL a WiFi router.

My current plan is to talk her into a WiFi router and a Kindle

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by Jane12

B&N's original download links provided direct download of the complete epub, no "helper" software required.

My mom-in-law is technophobic -- thus the lack of WiFi. Simply getting her to try a Nook was a big deal. However, we taught her how to use a web browser to find a book, purchase it, go to her online Nook Library and click the "download" link. Then the complete epub would download to her computer. She would connect her Nook via USB, then drag-and-drop the epub file from her computer to her Nook. All done.

At this point it seems all the Nook desktop apps are no longer supported, and even if we found a copy to download, with all the DRM changes, it's not clear whether an ebook downloaded through a desktop app would open on an old Nook 1st ed. that hasn't connected to WiFi for many years.

Finally, my mom-in-law is using this situation as "proof" that computers and technology are not to be trusted "and who needs ebooks anyway when paper books are just fine," she says.

If her computer's new enough to have Windows 7 and has a wireless adapter, it can be set up as a wireless hotspot. Alternately, if you have a laptop that fits the bill, you could set yours up this way to update her NOOK with new DRM keys or whatever.

As administrator, enter the following at a command prompt:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=<some ssid> key=<WPA passphrase>
netsh wlan start hostednetwork

This creates a WiFi hotspot that connects to the computer. If you then go to Network Settings and find the adapter that's actually connected to the network, go to Network Sharing and share the network with the new connection (probably named "Wireless Network Connection 2".

This connection survives a reboot, but it needs to be restarted with the "netsh wlan start hostednetwork" command. If you're setting her computer up, you can put that command in a script and either put it on the desktop or have it run automatically at startup.

If you want more information or more detailed tutorials, Google "Windows 7 virtual access point".