Glo Firmware 2.1.5

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by SeigneurAo

I can only agree with that.
Remains to be seen if indeed said hard reset does work, or note.
Let's hope nobody gets to test it.

I agree.

What I don't really get there is : what do you expect these "incompatibilities" to result in, if not a broken device ?
Incompatible blood types result in a pretty bad outcome for instance.
Incompatibility may be perceived as a trifle inconvenience, but strictly speaking it's not. It's a serious business. But arguably yes, this word has lost some strength as of late, maybe it's not very appropriate.

What I expect from firmware incompatibility between devices is that something will go wrong, somewhere down the line of trying to install it. However, I do expect there to be hard reset options. So basically, this boils down to the first point again. (Incompatibility leads to hard reset; 'broken' leads to throw it in the bin.)

I do reckon that they could, and should, make the risks more explicit, as we get more and more to have to explain the obvious (Hey guys, you know, these cigarettes things, they do tend to cause several unpleasant health issues such as, you know, cancer and death. Let's write it on the packs, so that people are finally aware).
It's sad but it's the way it is.

It seems we agree after all then

[SeigneurAo]

I agree whole heartadly that you should be able to perform a factory reset under any circumstances.
I disagree that they should lose time in preventing people from installing something that's not meant to be used.
Plus it would introduce a risk that this control mechanism may go astray, and stop the installation of legit software.
This clearly reminds me of computer games DRM, a pain for legal buyers and not even the beginning of a bother for people obtaining them illegally.

[murg]

Originally Posted by jusmee

A question, if the update file is for Touch only, why name it kobo-update-2.1.5.zip and not something sensible like kobo-touch-update-2.1.5.zip ??

The file used to be called: kobo3-2.1.4.zip

kobo3 seems to be Kobo's name for the Touch. Kobo4 is the Glo.

So, for the first release with a split firmware, both file names are identical, where before, the file names would have been different.

[HarleyB]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

And no, the person who had the break and fixed it (semhoun), was not given a solution. He fixed it himself...

Actually in the Direct Links to Kobo Firmware thread in the Kobo Developer's Corner george.talusan posted a solution. I'm such a techno newbie that I assumed that was what semhoun did but perhaps he came up with his own fix as well - it's all gobbledygook to me!

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by SeigneurAo

I agree whole heartadly that you should be able to perform a factory reset under any circumstances.
I disagree that they should lose time in preventing people from installing something that's not meant to be used.

Well, developing such a fail safe in order for the device to not install something that will break it would not be necessary if the hard reset would work... So yes, I also agree it would be a waste of their time to makes sure there's a fail safe.

But as long as they're saying there is no reset possibility and if you install the wrong firmware the device's next destination is the bin... in that case they should absolutely make a fail safe.

But all in all, I do not believe there is no hard reset option, that would just be stupid. And as semhoun proved for us, there is indeed a way out. I'm confused as to why mdclements would just say it's broken. Oh well.

[murg]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

But all in all, I do not believe there is no hard reset option, that would just be stupid. And as semhoun proved for us, there is indeed a way out. I'm confused as to why mdclements would just say it's broken. Oh well.

Apparently, someone at Kobo thought it would be a good idea to remove the hardware factory reset from the Glo. I have no idea what specific experiences would lead someone to think this.

But it must be true, as the solution to breaking your Glo with the Touch firmware is to find a computer with Linux on it, get a copy of the Glo internal SD card image, do some Liniux shell commands, and rebuild the internal SD card yourself.

And to think that all I needed to recover from Kobo's last few authorised releases for the Touch was a bent paperclip.

Yup. Modern technology is so much better.

[SeigneurAo]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

I'm confused as to why mdclements would just say it's broken. Oh well.

I guess that's the real bottom line there.
Just like you, I'm very confident in the fact that a factory reset remains possible at any moment.
Why a Kobo dev would state otherwise is beyond me.
And if, against all my beliefs, there exist such ways as to break the device so bad that a factory reset becomes impossible, this is stupid design indeed.

[SeigneurAo]

Originally Posted by murg

Apparently, someone at Kobo thought it would be a good idea to remove the hardware factory reset from the Glo. I have no idea what specific experiences would lead someone to think this.

Mrs_Often stated, though unable to remember the source of the information, that it does indeed exist, still.
It's just that you have to press the light button instead of the Home one.
No evidence yet as to whether this works, but no proof it doesn't either.

[Mrs_Often]

I since found the source:

Taming mentions here it: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=2252198

[SeigneurAo]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

I since found the source:

Taming mentions here it: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=2252198

Great.

[Mrs_Often]

Reset by holding down light button when switching on on glo confirmed here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...5660&page=3#32

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by murg

The file used to be called: kobo3-2.1.4.zip

kobo3 seems to be Kobo's name for the Touch. Kobo4 is the Glo.

So, for the first release with a split firmware, both file names are identical, where before, the file names would have been different.

Doesn't that seem backwards? Surely it's the firmware that is device specific that needs to be separately named

[murg]

Originally Posted by jusmee

Doesn't that seem backwards? Surely it's the firmware that is device specific that needs to be separately named

Exactly!

Reminds me of the classic knock-knock joke:

Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Banana. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Banana. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Banana. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn't say "banana"?

Only Kobo did it as:

Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Kobo3-1.9.17.zip. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Kobo3-2.0.0.zip. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Kobo3-2.0.0.zip. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Kobo3-2.0.0.zip. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Kobo3-2.0.2.zip. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Kobo3-2.0.4.zip. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Kobo3-2.1.4.zip. Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Kobo-2.1.5.zip.
Kobo-2.1.5.zip who?
Orange you glad I'm device specific now?

[ltr]

Two changes in Ver 2.1.5 I've noticed that don't really agree with me.

1. There are always 5 books on the Home page under READING, regardless of whether they are finished or being read. In previous versions, once a book was finished and I wasn't reading it anymore, it didn't appear on the Reading Home page. I don't really understand the change logic?

2. No more option to have Powered off screen and Sleep screen different. I found it convenient to quickly see if the unit was off or asleep.

ltr

[RareBird]

Originally Posted by ltr

Two changes in Ver 2.1.5 I've noticed that don't really agree with me.

1. There are always 5 books on the Home page under READING, regardless of whether they are finished or being read. In previous versions, once a book was finished and I wasn't reading it anymore, it didn't appear on the Reading Home page. I don't really understand the change logic?

2. No more option to have Powered off screen and Sleep screen different. I found it convenient to quickly see if the unit was off or asleep.

ltr

I haven't noticed this behavior. I just finished a book and it was removed from my reading page right away and when I'm put my touch to sleep across the top it says sleep mode or powered down it says powered off. I wonder why there would be a difference?