How to Download the Latest Kindle Reader for PC

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

No further help is offered. Poor show, Amazon, I say.

Were you able to find it on your own or not?

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Were you able to find it on your own or not?

I was able to find the US download link from post #2 of this thread - does that count as 'on my own'? Not really for most UK users, I think.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Horse manure. It didn't show up on their computer by magic. They had to download it from Amazon in the first place.

It's easy to assume that just because you and I understand the basic ideas of software, and what it means to download a program, that everyone else in the world does.

There are millions of people in the world who use computers every day, who don't have a clue about these things. Nor should they. For many of these people, the program did indeed "show up by magic". More exactly, it might already have been installed on the computer on purchase (I found it pre-installed on my HP tablet), or a friendly dealer might have installed it, or a relative or friend. Or the user might have installed it themselves a long time ago, and have now forgotten how they did that.

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Look, there's two different issues being conflated here. One is that the "expiration" of the program could have been handled much, much better. I don't think anyone disagrees with that. The other is the suggestion that the download page for the software is hard to find on Amazon's site: which I believe to be patently false. If you are looking for it ... you will find it.

I agree that there are two different issues. My comments are concerned with finding how to download the software. I am not merely saying that the download page is hard to find. I am saying that many tens of thousands of users don't even know what a download page is. Or that they should expect to find it on the Amazon site. And, even when they do find the correct page, they don't necessarily know whether they want the Kindle app for Mac, Windows XP/Vista/7 or Windows 8. There is probably a vast number of Windows users out there who don't even know which version of Windows they are using.

All it would take is for Amazon to provide a simple "Click here" link in the existing message box.

Mike

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Mike L

It's easy to assume that just because you and I understand the basic ideas of software, and what it means to download a program, that everyone else in the world does.

I'm not assuming everyone in the world does. Just those who already downloaded and installed the application from Amazon in the first place. It didn't come pre-installed on their PC. If they don't know what it is, or where it came from... then they don't use it.

Besides, this thread isn't about "all those poor innocent, confused OTHER" users out there. People just want to bitch a little bit. I get that. But there was no crisis here. Everybody figured it out or got help figuring it out. It's not worth the argument.

[Xanthe]

The most important question, though, is does the update screw up Alf's tools?

[DiapDealer]

Nope. Business as usual so far.

[qprfan99]

Got the same message & have been trying to download the latest. I kept getting in a loop going nowhere. Trying from an independent site I managed to download it & tried to install it. After all that I then got the original message. Getting mightily pissed off.

To the clever clogs who thinks you should know everything about a program because it's installed on your PC, have you ever considered that some people get somebody else to do all this sort of thing for them.

What's ALF?

Regards
Larry

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by qprfan99

To the clever clogs who thinks you should know everything about a program because it's installed on your PC, have you ever considered that some people get somebody else to do all this sort of thing for them.

Sure. This clever clog considered that. And I figured those people would get it fixed the very same way. If you needed help getting it downloaded/installed in the first place (and there's nothing wrong with that, mind you), how would a link have helped you get it downloaded/installed this time around?

[qprfan99]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Sure. This clever clog considered that. And I figured those people would get it fixed the very same way. If you needed help getting it downloaded/installed in the first place (and there's nothing wrong with that, mind you), how would a link have helped you get it downloaded/installed this time around?

Blimey, you must think the world is perfect. That everybody has IT support running around on tap. What a wonderful life you must lead.
Anyway, none of this is getting this bloody update installed on my PC - and I did install the original. So any help you can give would be welcome. Any snide cracks about how stupid everybody else is, not quite so welcome.

[eschwartz]

Go to http://amzn.com/kindleforpc and download the latest version (you said something about an "independent site" which kinda scares me). If that doesn't work, something is seriously wrong.

Yelling (metaphorically speaking) at people who have not insulted you or accused you of being stupid is not the best way to make people speak politely the next time around though. You may want to take that chip off your shoulder.

[jgaiser]

Actually, a simple pointer back to post #5 in this thread would have been enough. Apparently some folks just like to complain.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Actually, a simple pointer back to post #5 in this thread would have been enough. Apparently some folks just like to complain.

That would require clicking back. It happens to be I know the amzn.com Amazon internal shortlink service, as well as the fact that they use locations like:

http://amzn.com/kindledx
http://amzn.com/kindlekeyboard
http://amzn.com/kindlepaperwhite
http://amzn.com/myk
http://amzn.com/account
http://amzn.com/music
http://amzn.com/kindlestore

or in fact,

http://amzn.com/kindle*nameofkindletype*

so it was really easy to provide that link. But expending more effort than that is something I only do for people who aren't showing extreme signs of Complaint®.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by qprfan99

Blimey, you must think the world is perfect. That everybody has IT support running around on tap. What a wonderful life you must lead.

I'm a janitor. But I'm fairly happy, yeah.
Best of luck. There's now two direct links (and the steps to get to the various Kindle app downloads from Amazon's home page) in this thread alone. I'd stay away from "independent sites" if it were me.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

That would require clicking back. It happens to be I know the amzn.com Amazon internal shortlink service, as well as the fact that they use locations like:

.....

And, of course, the important part is that all these are fairly obvious where they could go. Mostly I guessed based on the one (MYK) I already knew.

Also, http://amzn.com/{asin} will take you to the product page for that ASIN.

[vsalvaggio]

I remember something similar the last time Amazon updated the Kindle Reader for PC program. Total clunky way to go about it Amazon!