Download ebooks, docs, etc. from personal website

eisegesis · 09-01-2010, 02:24 PM

Can anyone create a website (similar to Project Gutenberg, Feedbooks, etc.) from which you can directly download files to the Kindle (for free), while using the Kindle browser?

In other words, let's say I have all my documents, ebooks, etc. on my website and I'd like to be able to use the 3G connection on the Kindle to download any of them at anytime. Can I do what Project Gutenberg has done with their website or do they have special permission from Amazon? Would it be abusing the free 3G?

(note: I posted this in the sticky thread area, but poohbear_nc suggested I post it in this section - thanks!)

mrzerga · 09-01-2010, 03:01 PM

calibre allows you to run your own content server, as far as i understand - however it has to run on your computer in order for the content server to be running ... so this homebrew solution is one option..not sure of any other...

NormHart · 09-01-2010, 03:15 PM

So far as I can tell if you have the ability to run your own web server and can setup links to download files from it via http you should be fine. Naturally you would want good security and you would not want to give access to other people to ebooks that you do not have rights to, Amazon ebooks or ebooks from other pay sites. So far as I can tell you could also give open access to those ebooks that are in the public domain but I'd be very cautious about public domain ebooks from sites like here or Project Gutenburg.

Basically if you have the skills you can do it for your own access and pleasure but you might run into serious issues if you open your site to the public.

I'm still considering whether it is worth the work or not.

eisegesis · 09-01-2010, 03:33 PM

Thanks for the replies. I also am debating whether it is worth the effort.

While browsing a website on the Kindle, is there a way to right-click on a link and do a "Save target as..." and basically download it to the kindle? (sorry, but I left my kindle at home so I can't experiment at this time!)

tomsem · 09-01-2010, 04:02 PM

Currently you cannot download PDF from a website using the browser. But if it is MOBI, PRC, AZW, TXT it definitely works over 3G or wifi. That's how Magic Catalog and Feedbooks guides work: they launch the browser and download to your documents folder.

calibre Content Server works as well, but it is a lot simpler to use over wifi on a local network. Otherwise you have to navigate firewalls and such. Again, however PDF is disallowed (as are most file types).

eisegesis · 09-01-2010, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Currently you cannot download PDF from a website using the browser. But if it is MOBI, PRC, AZW, TXT it definitely works over 3G or wifi. That's how Magic Catalog and Feedbooks guides work: they launch the browser and download to your documents folder.

calibre Content Server works as well, but it is a lot simpler to use over wifi on a local network. Otherwise you have to navigate firewalls and such. Again, however PDF is disallowed (as are most file types).

So the browser knows what type of file it is that you are trying download (based on the file extension, I suppose). Thanks for the additional info.

When will someone develop a more functional browser app using the kindle development kit?

fjtorres · 09-01-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eisegesis

Can anyone create a website (similar to Project Gutenberg, Feedbooks, etc.) from which you can directly download files to the Kindle (for free), while using the Kindle browser?

Yes. It works very well.
A friend of mine has his ebooks on a private web page running on his home server. It's not hard at all.
(It's not a fancy web site; just a list of folders and files, but that's all that's needed anyway.)

Solicitous · 09-01-2010, 08:51 PM

I havent played with it much but I'm finding a little trouble downloading directly using the web browser.

Using the Calibre content server I get prompted and download the ebook fine (adds to my documents folder, all is well).

Using a website created with Calibre2Opds (I think makes a better website, more browseable with the Kindle) I get a page full of obscure characters when trying to download an ebook (like it has tried opening the file inside the browser).

Using just a directory listing of the webserver to download the ebook (no funny filenames/space) I get the same page full of obscure characters.

Each test has been done with a .mobi so no issues there. Currently for me Calibre Content Server is the winner. Yet to test sites such as Baen and Gutenberg.

vermontcathy · 09-03-2010, 12:17 PM

I've uploaded ebooks to my Google Docs account, and once I found the right mobile version of the site to use, I'm able to download them just fine.

I've also put ebooks in my personal webspace at my university and that worked fine, too.

Rave · 09-12-2010, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solicitous

I get a page full of obscure characters when trying to download an ebook (like it has tried opening the file inside the browser).

Same here :/ I've written a small Kindle friedly website for my public domain book conversions, but all I got are these obscure characters inside the browser...

Why does it work on gutenberg and other websites? They use the standard link tags like <a href="file.mobi>Link</a>

Did you found any solution yet?

EDIT: Now it works

I had so set the MIME Types on the server...

Create a .htaccess file which contains the fallowing text and place it in the folder in which the website is located.

Quote:

# mobi
AddType application/octet-stream .mobi

# prc
AddType application/octet-stream .prc

09-01-2010, 02:24 PM	#1
eisegesis Banned Posts: 14 Karma: 574 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: huh?	Download ebooks, docs, etc. from personal website Can anyone create a website (similar to Project Gutenberg, Feedbooks, etc.) from which you can directly download files to the Kindle (for free), while using the Kindle browser? In other words, let's say I have all my documents, ebooks, etc. on my website and I'd like to be able to use the 3G connection on the Kindle to download any of them at anytime. Can I do what Project Gutenberg has done with their website or do they have special permission from Amazon? Would it be abusing the free 3G? (note: I posted this in the sticky thread area, but poohbear_nc suggested I post it in this section - thanks!)

09-03-2010, 12:17 PM	#9
vermontcathy Zealot Posts: 100 Karma: 10000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: vermont Device: Kindle 11, PW5, Oasis	I've uploaded ebooks to my Google Docs account, and once I found the right mobile version of the site to use, I'm able to download them just fine. I've also put ebooks in my personal webspace at my university and that worked fine, too. Last edited by vermontcathy; 09-03-2010 at 12:19 PM.

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09-01-2010, 03:01 PM	#2
mrzerga Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 7060 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle 3 wifi - love it	calibre allows you to run your own content server, as far as i understand - however it has to run on your computer in order for the content server to be running ... so this homebrew solution is one option..not sure of any other...

09-01-2010, 03:15 PM	#3
NormHart Semper Carpe Bufo Posts: 537 Karma: 21676 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Napa Valley, California Device: Kindle2 & Kindle3	So far as I can tell if you have the ability to run your own web server and can setup links to download files from it via http you should be fine. Naturally you would want good security and you would not want to give access to other people to ebooks that you do not have rights to, Amazon ebooks or ebooks from other pay sites. So far as I can tell you could also give open access to those ebooks that are in the public domain but I'd be very cautious about public domain ebooks from sites like here or Project Gutenburg. Basically if you have the skills you can do it for your own access and pleasure but you might run into serious issues if you open your site to the public. I'm still considering whether it is worth the work or not.

09-01-2010, 03:33 PM	#4
eisegesis Banned Posts: 14 Karma: 574 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: huh?	Thanks for the replies. I also am debating whether it is worth the effort. While browsing a website on the Kindle, is there a way to right-click on a link and do a "Save target as..." and basically download it to the kindle? (sorry, but I left my kindle at home so I can't experiment at this time!)

09-01-2010, 04:02 PM	#5
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,900 Karma: 27013865 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Currently you cannot download PDF from a website using the browser. But if it is MOBI, PRC, AZW, TXT it definitely works over 3G or wifi. That's how Magic Catalog and Feedbooks guides work: they launch the browser and download to your documents folder. calibre Content Server works as well, but it is a lot simpler to use over wifi on a local network. Otherwise you have to navigate firewalls and such. Again, however PDF is disallowed (as are most file types).

09-01-2010, 08:51 PM	#8
Solicitous Wizard Posts: 1,434 Karma: 1525776 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: TAS, Australia Device: Astak Pocket Pro (Black), 2 x Kindle WiFi (Graphite), iPod Touch 4G	I havent played with it much but I'm finding a little trouble downloading directly using the web browser. Using the Calibre content server I get prompted and download the ebook fine (adds to my documents folder, all is well). Using a website created with Calibre2Opds (I think makes a better website, more browseable with the Kindle) I get a page full of obscure characters when trying to download an ebook (like it has tried opening the file inside the browser). Using just a directory listing of the webserver to download the ebook (no funny filenames/space) I get the same page full of obscure characters. Each test has been done with a .mobi so no issues there. Currently for me Calibre Content Server is the winner. Yet to test sites such as Baen and Gutenberg.

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