You think geo restrictions are, well, restrictive? Enter OS discrimination

[kacir]

Originally Posted by amoroso

I have a fresh bad experience of a Windows application I tried to install with Wine (it installed but didn't work, the uninstaller failed, and I am still fixing file associations it changed).

There are several possibilities here.
When you install Wine it uses ~/.wine directory to store its virtual C: drive. So you can
- back up the ~/.wine directory and if you see the new application is not working restore the copy
- use a temporary "empty" ~/wine/C: directory and see if the app is working and then you install it to your main Wine installation.

I use the first variant. But my ~/.wine directory isn't big at the moment.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

You use linux, strip the DRM. It is really trivial. If you're not willing to put in that much effort, you really shouldn't be using linux. The whole point of using linux is that you are willing to put in the work required to get it to work as you need it to, and the reward you get for that work is stratospheric productivity.

Very nicely said.

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

You use linux, strip the DRM. It is really trivial. If you're not willing to put in that much effort, you really shouldn't be using linux. The whole point of using linux is that you are willing to put in the work required to get it to work as you need it to, and the reward you get for that work is stratospheric productivity.

That's what I don't get - *you* have to work harder to get it to work, and that *increases* your productivity?

Sounds like just the opposite to me, but I've never used it. Anyone care to enlighten me?

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by khalleron

That's what I don't get - *you* have to work harder to get it to work, and that *increases* your productivity?

Sounds like just the opposite to me, but I've never used it. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Because when *you* put in work to customize things to work the way *you* need them to work, they work far more efficiently, for *you*. And since the effort needed to customize is one time (more or less) whereas you use the results of the customization repeatedly over an extended period, the gains in productivity are quite literally, astronomical.

This of course only works if you are fairly proficient with software in the first place.

[hrickh]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Because when *you* put in work to customize things to work the way *you* need them to work, they work far more efficiently, for *you*. And since the effort needed to customize is one time (more or less) whereas you use the results of the customization repeatedly over an extended period, the gains in productivity are quite literally, astronomical.

This of course only works if you are fairly proficient with software in the first place.

To be fair, this is applicable to any desktop platform, not just Linux.

R.
==

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by hrickh

To be fair, this is applicable to any desktop platform, not just Linux.

R.
==

Yes, but it is much more applicable to linux (and apps developed on linux), because linux is *much* more configurable than most other operating systems.

[darknessangel]

Originally Posted by amoroso

...
* not buy the ebook in the first place, and go to the dark side

GJMS

[delphidb96]

I am always amazed when Amazon does a 'reverse' geo-restriction.

Like today. I 'discovered' Mark Abernethy (Great Britain) through his latest book that I found through a darknet site. So I cruised over to Amazon to pick up all three for my Kindle. Lo and behold, I *can't* get them in the US! I can't even hit a 'request for Kindle' link. Sigh. It's like they *want* me to resort to downloading them through the darknet.

And yes, I went ahead and darknetted the first two as well. That's three Kindle sales lost because of geo restrictions!

Derek

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by carld

You can run ADE under WINE on your Linux system. Here's a thread from the Kobo forum about doing that. It's not an ideal solution, but it apparently works.

ADE on Linux

I've said this many times before, I find it ironic that a Linux-based device is not fully supportable by users of a Linux OS. Kobo IMHO are the closest to filling this gap with the Kobo-Desktop for Linux (a big plus for me when looking at my second reader, though already have ordered a Kindle I may still buy a Kobo - IF they release updates via SD card).

As a long-term Linux user I am pretty sick of the ideology that Linux is a hackers distro and 'if tho wants X program tho will find a work around'. Really makes me feel the Linux user base is inferior and worth ignoring by companies. Us Linux users breath, walk, eat, spend money on gadgets, just like everyone else.

OSX user base is smaller but they get support. With the ease of cross-platform application development surely it is not that much extra effort to release a Linux version. Come on, we have Java, .Net/Mono, the c and c++ libraries are everywhere (they might not be the best solution but IMHO is a better solution than having nothing at all). Look at Calibre, runs on all 3 platforms, look at other open source applications, all 3 platforms (Windows, Linux and OSX).

Now look at the Sony readers, Linux based. Here is the app...for Windows and OSX. Apple, apparent big supporters of open source - here is our iTunes for....WINDOWS AND OSX, two closed sourced OS. End rant!!

[Hellmark]

I use Linux pretty much exclusively, and I really have no problem with DRM. ADE runs fine with Wine, and DRM removal is easy.

Most linux users are used to being ignored, and come up with their own solutions.

[Kali Yuga]

I'm sorry, but I'm finding this highly amusing.

Several ebook devices work totally independent of the OS. The Kindle and the Nook, for example, can download straight to the device; you can order books using pretty much any browser or from the device itself. Linux boxes can also mount the Kindle's storage as a drive; not sure about other devices but I'm pretty sure most of them can as well.

Would Linux users want an app that supports proprietary formats, DRM and routinely phones home anyway?

By the way, did you wake up this morning and suddenly realize that ebook apps don't run on Linux? I hate to sprinkle salt on your Cheerios, but there are countless apps that don't run on Linux.

If you want to use a minority OS, unfortunately you're going to get locked out. C'est la guerre. Fortunately, with at least some devices, the device is are mostly or fully functional regardless of your choice of OS.

[hrickh]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Would Linux users want an app that supports proprietary formats, DRM and routinely phones home anyway?

As a Linux user, personally I say no. But my needs are fairly simple. I end up converting everything anyway, so I might as well make sure I can read it wherever I need to. I currently use a Nokia N800, which does a pretty good job at epubs and pdfs. Hell, I can even read every epub I have on a decade old Zaurus (5600) with no problem.

Since I'm reading on devices that really weren't marketed as ereaders, well, I expect to have to put in some extra effort.

I'll tell you right now though, with that extra effort I am assured that all my files will be readable for many, many years to come, no matter the device.

R.
==

[Blue Tyson]

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

But you don't have to "screw around" with wine. Install Wine. Install ADE. It's that simple, at least these days.

That would be after you install a recent operating system where it is that simple? Or bought the machine that it would work on?

Wine does not always work. Anyway that says it does is lying.

All of which take a lot, lot longer than find in a few seconds, download for free.

[luqmaninbmore]

If you don't want to keep your Os up to date, bully for you. But don't whine when you have fewer options as a result. Most things in life take more than a few seconds. It's not a big deal. And remember to figure in the time it will take to format the pdfs that you will find on the torrent sites.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

That would be after you install a recent operating system where it is that simple? Or bought the machine that it would work on?

Wine does not always work. Anyway that says it does is lying.

All of which take a lot, lot longer than find in a few seconds, download for free.

I've been using linux for years, Wine as well, and it isn't that bad, even with old stuff. Yeah latest version of ubuntu and the like make it where you just have to click the installer, but it isn't that complicated if you do things the old way.

I'm a commandline junkie, and here is the complicated way to do a full install.
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install wine
wine digitaleditionsinstaller.exe

That will update your apt list, grab the latest version of wine, then run the installer. Apt is up to date? Just drop the top command. If you already have wine installed, you just run the last command. Once the installer is running you just go at it like you're on Windows. Plus, to reiterate, that is the complicated, commandline way, and it is still relatively simple.