Kobo Desktop

[Kaysclie]

I have seen posts here both pro and con for the Kobo Desktop. I haven't installed it yet on my new windows 10 computer. But I am wondering if I should install it.
Could people please give me your ideas on the advantages of having the Kobo Desktop on my pc vs not having it there. I do lean toward installing it, but believe its better to test the waters before diving in.

[ps67]

The biggest advantage of Kobo Desktop is that you can synchronize your Kobo without a wi fi. If the wi fi of Your Kobo doesn't work, Kobo Desktop is useful. For the rest it is not so useful. Sure, you can read us the books on the PC but reading them on the Kobo is much better. And as for Kobo book purchases: I prefer to do them on the site or directly with the device.
I needed it after a factory reset because my Kobo's wi fi didn't work at the time.

[petercreasey]

I've never had nor wanted nor needed the Kobo desktop.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Kaysclie

I have seen posts here both pro and con for the Kobo Desktop. I haven't installed it yet on my new windows 10 computer. But I am wondering if I should install it.
Could people please give me your ideas on the advantages of having the Kobo Desktop on my pc vs not having it there. I do lean toward installing it, but believe its better to test the waters before diving in.

I find it useful when I'm playing with the firmware on my Kobos. I also use the Obok plugin for calibre to import/deDRM books that I purchased on Kobo's site and downloaded to the Kobo Desktop application.

For me, it doesn't take that much space and has it's uses. YMMV.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Kaysclie

Could people please give me your ideas on the advantages of having the Kobo Desktop on my pc vs not having it there.

A big plus for me is that Apprentice Alf's OBOK plugin for calibre will access books that have been downloaded from the Kobo Store to Kobo Desktop's book directory on your local disk. You can then conveniently de-DRM them and put them in calibre.

I don't use it for upgrading firmware, which I prefer to do manually. I don't use wi-fi for anything Kobo-device-related.

[davidfor]

Another use is if you don't want to upgrade to the latest firmware, but, want to sync books. The desktop application will download the firmware to the device, but, you can remove the files before ejecting, hence no update. Yes, you can use a patch to prevent the update as well, but, if you are just delaying the inevitable, then this works.

And, even if you rarely use it, it has very low impact. It doesn't associate itself with anything, it doesn't try to start when you connect the device, it is only active when you start it and there is no communication with Kobo if it isn't running. The only impact is the space it takes for itself and the books and an icon somewhere on the desktop or in the menus.

[stumped]

is the PC desktop software supplied with a new kobo ( I have one due to arrive any day now) e.g. in a device partition to run when you first connect to PC, or you you have to go fetch a copy

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by stumped

is the PC desktop software supplied with a new kobo ( I have one due to arrive any day now) e.g. in a device partition to run when you first connect to PC, or you you have to go fetch a copy

You have to go fetch a copy from Kobo.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by Kaysclie

I have seen posts here both pro and con for the Kobo Desktop. I haven't installed it yet on my new windows 10 computer. But I am wondering if I should install it.
Could people please give me your ideas on the advantages of having the Kobo Desktop on my pc vs not having it there. I do lean toward installing it, but believe its better to test the waters before diving in.

I had it at one time and downloaded what few books I had. no need since, but my use case may be different than yours.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You have to go fetch a copy from Kobo.

yes.
I remember that with the old sony readers, the was a ( usually out of date) installer on some special partition that popped up when you first made a wired connect.

The Kobo Libra arrived this morning, and wi-fi set up was quick and painless, I used sign in with Google to make a new account, then switched to aeroplane mode. Before that, the Kobo found and installed one firmware update, which took a couple of minutes and a single restart.

...but when I connected it to calibre I got a fail message about firmware database version unsupported ( which I recall reading about). I had calibre 4.3 I think. I updated to 4.6 and the message went away though there is no mention in the calibre 4 series release notes?

Then I got the standard drive may be corrupted message from windows 10 on the 2nd connect. I let it fix it ( as I am within warranty so why not) and as expected it said no errors found

So I am all good and I doubt I will ever bother to go get the desktop installer
Instead I am looking at covers, but that's for another thread. The Libra seems amazingly light, maybe because I am used to using tablets.

All seems to be working ok and I am successfully coping without bothering to read the instructions .
I had calibre sideload 3 books which I will use to tweak other settings as I read...

[PeterT]

You'll probably find that Windows reports a corrupted file system on a fairly frequent basis. I know that no matter how careful I am with the eject function from my computers, Windows quite often informs me of errors when I connect a Kobo. Of course the scan is quick and 99% of the time reports no errors found.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by PeterT

You'll probably find that Windows reports a corrupted file system on a fairly frequent basis. ..the scan is quick and 99% of the time reports no errors found.

I had read similar summaries before, and I had not added much content, so I was not too worried, but what should you do in the 1% case when windows says there ARE errors

the procedure I am using, learned here is to eject via calibre menu, wait until the kobo screen refreshes to show home page/books and not show connected to computer, then unplug it. is that still the best approach ?

I am happy to learn a better one, before that gets too ingrained, if needs be

the advantage of the current method, for me, is that its the same for Kindle and Kobo readers and its easier to remember only one procedure

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by PeterT

You'll probably find that Windows reports a corrupted file system on a fairly frequent basis. I know that no matter how careful I am with the eject function from my computers, Windows quite often informs me of errors when I connect a Kobo. Of course the scan is quick and 99% of the time reports no errors found.

When I properly eject my Kobo using Windows eject or Calibre's eject, I never have Windows tell me I need to scan my H2O and this is with just over 5 years of ownership.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

When I properly eject my Kobo using Windows eject or Calibre's eject, I never have Windows tell me I need to scan my H2O and this is with just over 5 years of ownership.

As we've seen MANY times, users milage DOES vary. Trust me Jon; I always do a safe eject yet do get issues.

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