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

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Why can't you use your linux netbook in both situations?

Because there is no linux client.

True, you can try running it under WINE. No guarantees, though.

Amazon requires you (since always) to have some sort of registered device, so it's download via K4PC or own a Kindle ereader (and download from MYK if you want).

Kobo now inconsistently requires you to use a Kobo app/device to get the KEPUB, without an EPUB option.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Because there is no linux client.

Maybe, but it is long overdue.

Quite some time ago, I wondered why a python plugin would not work under linux when calibre itself works under linux.

I unzipped the plugin, looked around, and found an if/else structure that had one block for windows and another block for osX. The contents of the osX block looked to me like they would run fine in linux.

I am not a python programmer, so I wrote a tiny python script to find out what the return string on my box is for the OS query. I substituted that into the osX portion and zipped the files back into the plugin. The plugin worked!

Of course a true fix would be written so that all three situations would be handled, but I did not care to spend the time learning enough python to do so, no matter how little that might have been.

Please note that the nature of this problem and its fix has nothing to do with the tasks performed by the code and would apply to any code written to work on microsoft and apple computers where the osX "specific" code would work under linux but does not get the chance to try.

I tried to report my finding in a thread here complaining about it not working in linux and got soundly reprimanded over some idiomatic irrelevancy in return without any consideration that just maybe I had information to contribute.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

True, you can try running it under WINE. No guarantees, though.

Part of the thrashing I got was that of course it runs under linux because it runs under WINE. Apparently I was supposed to write about it running natively under linux, a phrase that I had never noticed in 20 years of linux use.

[lkmiller]

Yes, I am unable to open newly downloaded DRM'd B&N ebooks in Mantano since I changed my billing info yesterday. DRM'd books downloaded before yesterday, open using my name & cc number.

I have done some further investigating today and have reached the conclusion that if you have changed your billing info very recently (perhaps since they removed the download buttons) the encryption is no longer based on your account name and default credit card. They weren't messing around when they removed the download buttons and said they would no longer support sideloading of B&N books.

[cromag]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Why can't you use your linux netbook in both situations?

I've used Wine in the past and didn't like it. It's better than nothing, if you really have to have it, but I found it to be a bit "flukey" under the best of circumstances. Plus, I'm pretty sure the latest versions of Kindle for PC and Adobe's Digital Editions won't work under Wine, so it takes some searching to get a good version.


EDIT: If I were to go to a brick & mortar store and they started making me jump through hoops before they'd sell me anything, I'd probably go to a different store.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

Yes, I am unable to open newly downloaded DRM'd B&N ebooks in Mantano since I changed my billing info yesterday. DRM'd books downloaded before yesterday, open using my name & cc number.

I have done some further investigating today and have reached the conclusion that if you have changed your billing info very recently (perhaps since they removed the download buttons) the encryption is no longer based on your account name and default credit card. They weren't messing around when they removed the download buttons and said they would no longer support sideloading of B&N books.

I guess they want to go out of business. Does the change in billing info include updating your expiration date? My card expires at the end of the month. I already changed my Apple ebook settlement from B&N to be a check so I won't have to worry about it.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by cromag

I've used Wine in the past and didn't like it. It's better than nothing, if you really have to have it, but I found it to be a bit "flukey" under the best of circumstances. Plus, I'm pretty sure the latest versions of Kindle for PC and Adobe's Digital Editions won't work under Wine, so it takes some searching to get a good version.

EDIT: If I were to go to a brick & mortar store and they started making me jump through hoops before they'd sell me anything, I'd probably go to a different store.

I gave up trying to get the things I was interested in working under WINE in the late 1990's. Since then, I lost interest in running that stuff on any platform.

The only thing keeping the plugin from running under linux is the OS check, but getting that information to the right people is like pulling teeth. I haven't quite given up hope, but it is fading away.

[eschwartz]

What plugin are we talking about?

And regarding the WINE issue, I have to agree -- it is better than nothing, but I would always try to run the application in question in native Windows, if Windows is indeed available. Perhaps I should just get a Windows VM... (That will happen when I get a computer which can support the strain. )
And I still cannot get ADE working properly (not that I tried very hard, but still...)

I do wish Amazon, Adobe, and Co. would release linux clients. Supposedly Adobe has an internal linux version of ADE that they refuse to release !!!

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

What plugin are we talking about?

I see that cromag was sticking on topic and referring to B&N downloads.

My mistake. I was referring to the calibre plugin that eases restrictions on not epubs. With that in mind, I stand by rest of my post regarding getting it to run under linux. I am extremely frustrated by the extreme effort required to get any atention paid to a matter that can do so much good with so little effort.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

And regarding the WINE issue, I have to agree -- it is better than nothing, but I would always try to run the application in question in native Windows, if Windows is indeed available. Perhaps I should just get a Windows VM... (That will happen when I get a computer which can support the strain. )
And I still cannot get ADE working properly (not that I tried very hard, but still...)

For a couple of years in the mid 1990's, I put quite a few hours into making new machines dual boot. I noticed I was never booting, so for a couple of years, I would reformat the disk and just install linux. Then I got tired of subsidizing vicious attacks on computing freedom and only bought OSless sytems, used diskless systems, or parts, and, lately, systems with preinstalled linux (unfortunately, usually ubuntu). Oh, and one chromebook that had chromeos replaced by linux within minutes of being first powered up.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I do wish Amazon, Adobe, and Co. would release linux clients. Supposedly Adobe has an internal linux version of ADE that they refuse to release !!!

Linux versions of commercial software would be nice. (There are some, I know.)

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

I guess they want to go out of business. Does the change in billing info include updating your expiration date? My card expires at the end of the month. I already changed my Apple ebook settlement from B&N to be a check so I won't have to worry about it.

They truly do want to go out of business. Having the more flexible DRM was really their major attraction (at least for me).

I don't know if changing the expiration would effect things. I had two credit cards on my account. When I switched the default from one to the other, I had no problems. When I added a new card and made it the default, that's when I could no longer unlock new downloads. Afterwards I switched my default back to the original and deleted the new card, but it still didn't work.

I've unzipped and inspected copies of the same book downloaded at various times, and now the encryption key never changes no matter which card is currently default.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

I see that cromag was sticking on topic and referring to B&N downloads.

My mistake. I was referring to the calibre plugin that eases restrictions on not epubs. With that in mind, I stand by rest of my post regarding getting it to run under linux. I am extremely frustrated by the extreme effort required to get any atention paid to a matter that can do so much good with so little effort.

Do you mean the [deleted] all-in-one tools plugin? It is cross-platform, and even recognizes ADE/K4PC in WINE.
Hmm, maybe you mean the [deleted] plugin? I think it will have a better chance of being supported through WINE when Alf gets ahold of it.

For a couple of years in the mid 1990's, I put quite a few hours into making new machines dual boot. I noticed I was never booting, so for a couple of years, I would reformat the disk and just install linux. Then I got tired of subsidizing vicious attacks on computing freedom and only bought OSless sytems, used diskless systems, or parts, and, lately, systems with preinstalled linux (unfortunately, usually ubuntu). Oh, and one chromebook that had chromeos replaced by linux within minutes of being first powered up.

I will be building my computer from parts myself, and getting laptops with linux preloaded too. But currently I use an old computer that had Windows on it when I salvaged it.

No point deleting the Windows partition, it took little effort to setup dual-boot and it just costs disk space.
I don't believe in wiping a potentially useful Windows partition on principle, though I wouldn't pay for one.

Linux versions of commercial software would be nice. (There are some, I know.)

It will happen in the Year of the Linux Desktop.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

They truly do want to go out of business. Having the more flexible DRM was really their major attraction (at least for me).

I don't know if changing the expiration would effect things. I had two credit cards on my account. When I switched the default from one to the other, I had no problems. When I added a new card and made it the default, that's when I could no longer unlock new downloads. Afterwards I switched my default back to the original and deleted the new card, but it still didn't work.

I've unzipped and inspected copies of the same book downloaded at various times, and now the encryption key never changes no matter which card is currently default.

The expiration date would not be part of the hash. If you look at what you are asked to unlock the book, in a reader or other tool, you will not be asked for the expiration date.

I always had to re-download the ebooks to get a file that unlocked with a newly added CC#. The older downloaded file still unlocked with the card data that it was purchased with. So far my current purchases are unlocking with the purchase details shown for the order number. The new purchase details show the name with my middle initial dropped, from what is on my card and what I typed in at the original purchase using that card.

Luck;
Ken

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Do you mean the DeDRM all-in-one tools plugin? It is cross-platform, and even recognizes ADE/K4PC in WINE.

I mean the all in one tools plugin.

One more time. NOT WINE!

As downloaded, it will not run in native linux. What does the fact that it will run in WINE have to do with the fact that an itsy bitsy teeny weenie tweak will make it run natively in linux?

I am bending over backwards and will bend some more if that is what it takes. What does it take to get someone to even try to understand the very simple information I am trying to convey? I know the forum rules make things a bit difficult, but I have put a lot of effort trying to get my information across and it seems like a complete waste of time.

I am an extremely slow typist and spend an enormous amount of time on posts more than a few lines long. This is extremely frustrating.

I am not writing about something theoretical. I have done it. It works.

[eschwartz]

The tools work natively in linux. I use them natively in linux.

The only time WINE enters in at all is its ability to run natively in linux and call WINE for python+pycrypto+ADE to import the DeDRM key from a WINE app. In other words, I was confused by what you meant (and was simply throwing out random ideas).
Because the DeDRM plugin works out-of-the-box in native calibre on linux. Enclosed is a picture of me running the configuration dialog for the DeDRM all-in-one plugin, on my linux computer.

I'm sure the tools maintainers, who for the record use linux themselves (at least, the first one on the list does ) would never dream of leaving the plugin incompatible with an OS that he/they use a lot.

EDIT:

Also,

[eschwartz@arch ~]$ unzip ~/.config/calibre/plugins/DeDRM.zip -d /tmp/DeDRM/
[eschwartz@arch ~]$ cd /tmp/DeDRM/
[eschwartz@arch /tmp/DeDRM]$ grep -e "suppoted_platforms" __init__.py
    supported_platforms     = ['linux', 'osx', 'windows']
[eschwartz@arch /tmp/DeDRM]$

[j.p.s]

Thanks.

I am using version 2.8

I have only downloaded it 3 times. I had never been able to get a response ecept to be told that it works under wine. After 2 downloads over a long period of time with no change in the part I was interested in, it was hard to bother to try again without some assuarance that the matter would be addressed.

There is one file withe the line:
if sys.platform.startswith('darwin'):

I had to change darwin to linux for the plugin to work for me.

The code block above it has:
if sys.platform.startswith('win'):

There was no code block for linux

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

There is one file withe the line:
if sys.platform.startswith('darwin'):

I had to change darwin to linux for the plugin to work for me.

The code block above it has:
if sys.platform.startswith('win'):

There was no code block for linux

There doesn't need to be a specific check for Linux. The code is structured to assume it's running on *nix/bsd if the tests for darwin and windows both fail.