Main reason for using OI

[sbring]

Bebook and Hanlin V3 owners who use OI:

What is your main reason for exchanging the factory firmware?

[wallcraft]

For me the main reason is FBReader. I have used FBReader on multiple devices (Nokia 770, PepperPad 3, Iliad, and now the EZ Reader Basic). It isn't perfect, but it provides a highly customizable and moderately consistent screen layout across multiple devices and multiple DRM-free ebook formats. The OpenInkpot 0.2 Users' Guide includes a list of FBReader's capabilities and settings.

Other EInk readers now use FBReader, for example the PocketBooks and the Onyx Boox 60 (BeBook Neo), but the Hanlin V3 with OpenInkPot is still an excellent basic ebook reader.

Its only significant annoyance is the lack of filesystem export via USB. Using SSH to copy to/from the device is in some ways more powerful than filesystem export, but both could be supported. This is particularly problematic for Windows 7, see Gett SSH to work under Windows 7.

[PKFFW]

Initially I started using it because the stock bebook firmware was buggy and I was getting crashes and reboots quite frequently. I had heard OI was stable and that was the most important thing to me.

Now I use it because I am used to it, like it and still find it stable.

The SSH thing was a bit of a problem when I upgraded to Windows 7 but now that I have figured it all out, it is effectively only a couple more mouse clicks which is no big deal to me.

Cheers,
PKFFW

[sbring]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Its only significant annoyance is the lack of filesystem export via USB. Using SSH to copy to/from the device is in some ways more powerful than filesystem export, but both could be supported. This is particularly problematic for Windows 7, see Gett SSH to work under Windows 7.

Originally Posted by PKFFW

The SSH thing was a bit of a problem when I upgraded to Windows 7 but now that I have figured it all out, it is effectively only a couple more mouse clicks which is no big deal to me.

OK, so which is your preferred SSH client?

[PKFFW]

The only one I've ever used is WinSCP. Seems to work fine for me.

Cheers,
PKFFW

[sbring]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Its only significant annoyance is the lack of filesystem export via USB. Using SSH to copy to/from the device is in some ways more powerful than filesystem export, but both could be supported. This is particularly problematic for Windows 7, see Gett SSH to work under Windows 7.

Does this mean that copying files to and from the reader is possible only with SSH if you are using OI?

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by sbring

Does this mean that copying files to and from the reader is possible only with SSH if you are using OI?

Yes. They do have a to do item on the ticket system to make the internal book storage file system available as a thumb drive via USB. As far as I am concerned, I hope they never get around to it, since SSH is so much better.

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

Yes. They do have a to do item on the ticket system to make the internal book storage file system available as a thumb drive via USB. As far as I am concerned, I hope they never get around to it, since SSH is so much better.

That's fine, Dave, if one is willing to spend the extra money to purchase and download the Windows 7 Virtual PC upgrade, which to my knowledge is still the only current way that Windows 7 will accommodate the WinSCP method. Unless one purchased Windows 7 Pro initially, which already has it.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by ascherjim

That's fine, Dave, if one is willing to spend the extra money to purchase and download the Windows 7 Virtual PC upgrade, which to my knowledge is still the only current way that Windows 7 will accommodate the WinSCP method. Unless one purchased Windows 7 Pro initially, which already has it.

That is why I said "as far as I am concerned".

I know other people will have other priorities. I guess a really good compromise would be to have both access methods available, but I will not hold my breath for that. I have a house full of networked XP and Linux machines, and I usually never buy a new Microsoft OS until after the second service pack, so Win7 limitations do not concern me personally. I still have two unused XP licenses to use up.

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

That is why I said "as far as I am concerned".

I know other people will have other priorities. I guess a really good compromise would be to have both access methods available, but I will not hold my breath for that. I have a house full of networked XP and Linux machines, and I usually never buy a new Microsoft OS until after the second service pack, so Win7 limitations do not concern me personally. I still have two unused XP licenses to use up.

I fortunately have two XP machines still on hand, but the new (and faster) computer I recently purchased (and am principally using) was loaded (obviously) with Windows 7.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by ascherjim

I fortunately have two XP machines still on hand, but the new (and faster) computer I recently purchased (and am principally using) was loaded (obviously) with Windows 7.

Ahhhhhhhh, yes, I just noticed that you are located in the USA where Microsoft seems to get away with forcing computer dealers to preload an OS. They can not do that here. I just upgraded the main computer in my network and bought it with no OS installed, and then transferred the old license to it. Of course you can only do that with the retail license, and when you buy a computer with Windows already installed you usually end up with the nontransferable OEM license.

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

Ahhhhhhhh, yes, I just noticed that you are located in the USA where Microsoft seems to get away with forcing computer dealers to preload an OS. They can not do that here. I just upgraded the main computer in my network and bought it with no OS installed, and then transferred the old license to it. Of course you can only do that with the retail license, and when you buy a computer with Windows already installed you usually end up with the nontransferable OEM license.

Well, we have BOTH apparently learned something new today. Any day when that happens cannot be entirely bad!

[sbring]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

I guess a really good compromise would be to have both access methods available, ...

That might be a good reason to keep the factory FW and install live OI. Pity though, that the internal memory seems to be unaccessible for live OI.

BTW, Dave, I saw somewhere that you prefer using internal memory rather than SD. Everyone else seems to think otherwise. Would you like elaborate on that?

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by sbring

BTW, Dave, I saw somewhere that you prefer using internal memory rather than SD. Everyone else seems to think otherwise. Would you like elaborate on that?

It is not really a big deal, it is just a personal preference. With 500 Megabytes of internal storage and only 15-20 books at a time in my reading queue there just is no reason to have to mess with the SD card. Also, a very minor point is, the load on the battery is higher when reading on the SD card. What else am I going to do with that 500 megabytes of internal memory anyway.
I use the SD card plenty for all the different firmware builds that I try out though.

[mbovenka]

I use the internal memory for what is in effect my TBR queue, and have my entire collection on the SD card. When I have read a book, I remove it from the internal memory.