The firmware issue and jetbook support

[bill_mchale]

Just a bit of a rant here. I posted to the Ectaco forum asking about them providing the firmware in a package that is friendly to other platforms than the .exe format. Their response really annoyed me. Essentially they told me to use a friend's PC or to send them my unit for them to do the upgrade. They didn't point me to any third party tools that could help, and they certainly didn't offer to provide me with a version of the firmware in a different format. Now, I was able to get my firmware upgraded, but that is because of help I got on here, and from my own technical knowledge. Many people are not going to be that lucky.

What gets me so riled up, is that providing a .zip or a .tar package that can be used on virtually any computer is so bleeding easy that they have no excuse not to provide at least one of those formats.

--
Bill

[thenitch]

I hear ya. I use OpenBSD for my computers and couldn't do anything with that self extracting .exe file, so I wrote them via their "contacts" page on their website and they emailed me back with a direct download link to their ftp site for a regular .zip file. For anyone who needs it, here it is:

ftp://80.247.183.35/JL04_v033g.zip

In my letter to them I did ask that they provide an option to download a regular .zip file from their firmware download page, but they had no response to that part of my letter. I hope more than just the two of us complain to them, otherwise they probably won't change anything.

Lance

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by thenitch

I hear ya. I use OpenBSD for my computers and couldn't do anything with that self extracting .exe file, so I wrote them via their "contacts" page on their website and they emailed me back with a direct download link to their ftp site for a regular .zip file. For anyone who needs it, here it is:

ftp://80.247.183.35/JL04_v033g.zip

In my letter to them I did ask that they provide an option to download a regular .zip file from their firmware download page, but they had no response to that part of my letter. I hope more than just the two of us complain to them, otherwise they probably won't change anything.

Lance

Welcome to MobileRead, thenitch. (Love the name!)

Thank you for helping out another member. It's members such as yourself that make MobileRead a great community.

Again, thank you and Welcome!


Don (Moderator)

[LuBiB]

Originally Posted by thenitch

I hear ya. I use OpenBSD for my computers and couldn't do anything with that self extracting .exe file, so I wrote them via their "contacts" page on their website and they emailed me back with a direct download link to their ftp site for a regular .zip file. For anyone who needs it, here it is:

ftp://80.247.183.35/JL04_v033g.zip

In my letter to them I did ask that they provide an option to download a regular .zip file from their firmware download page, but they had no response to that part of my letter. I hope more than just the two of us complain to them, otherwise they probably won't change anything.

Lance

thanks for the link! it should definitely help others who may have the same problem

[Kralik]

Note that the ZIP file is now directly linked to from Ectaco. They listened.

[bill_mchale]

Good it only took several too many emails from me though. I guess I and several others on here shamed them into it. What bugged me was the answers that made it seem like they couldn't offer it. Still I am glad I can go back to being happy with the Jetbook.

[Andybaby]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

Good it only took several too many emails from me though. I guess I and several others on here shamed them into it. What bugged me was the answers that made it seem like they couldn't offer it. Still I am glad I can go back to being happy with the Jetbook.

tech support isn't one person, sometimes you get someone who is knowlegable, sometimes you get someone who doesn't pay attention at meetings.

[Xerxes]

Originally Posted by Andybaby

tech support isn't one person, sometimes you get someone who is knowlegable, sometimes you get someone who doesn't pay attention at meetings.

Or you get one person who knows nothing and they all look around at each other until an idea is formed and it pays off.

[galavanter]

Originally Posted by thenitch

I hear ya. I use OpenBSD for my computers and couldn't do anything with that self extracting .exe file, so I wrote them via their "contacts" page on their website and they emailed me back with a direct download link to their ftp site for a regular .zip file. For anyone who needs it, here it is:

ftp://80.247.183.35/JL04_v033g.zip

In my letter to them I did ask that they provide an option to download a regular .zip file from their firmware download page, but they had no response to that part of my letter. I hope more than just the two of us complain to them, otherwise they probably won't change anything.

Lance

Hey nitch thanks! I've been absent for a while, happily reading on my jetBook, but I found a favorite book on ereader.com (not available on Amazon).

So I spent last night and part of today once again searching, learning, downloading, dedrming, converting, etc, only to find I had old v030 firmware.

Unfortunately, as of this writing, any and all firmware is mysteriously missing from Ectaco's jetBook site for days now! Luckily, I came across your post, downloaded the update via ftp, and all is well. Thanks again.