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

[crich70]

Originally Posted by dandelioncottage

Just tweeted my annoyance to @NOOK_Care, and this is their reply:

"The ability to sideload NOOK purchased content has been discontinued. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."

So I guess the ability to download to your computer is gone for good.

Nice of them to tell their customers in advance isn' t it? At least I don't recall hearing anything of any such plan to discontinue that ability. I'm sure it would have been posted here at MR if someone had heard of it prior to it being done.

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by dandelioncottage

Just tweeted my annoyance to @NOOK_Care, and this is their reply:

"The ability to sideload NOOK purchased content has been discontinued. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."

So I guess the ability to download to your computer is gone for good.

Well, NOOK for PC seems to still work for the moment, though they tried to kill it off once before.

I had to use Google to find it, but here's a direct link to the current NOOK for PC installer (it's the same one from 2011):
http://images.barnesandnoble.com/PRe...tup_latest.exe

I can't imagine what business purpose that removing the download links is supposed to serve. The only thing I can think of is that they're planning to change the DRM to be like Amazon's, where there's a different encryption key for each device (Amazon only gives you a download link if you have an e-ink Kindle on the account).

Originally Posted by cromag

It's worth noting that I have not updated the Nook app. The most recent update wanted drastically increased permissions.

I've never liked the NOOK app for Android. It wants to run all the time and is always hitting the network.

[astrangerhere]

This is really irksome to me. I started with Nook devices years ago but bought a Kobo Aura HD last year. In spite of that, though, because of the ability to get gift cards to B&N (and therefore limit my spending and provide gift requests to family members), I never stopped shopping at B&N.

This, I fear, will be the end of that adventure.

[Ripplinger]

Nook for PC and Nook Study both work still to download the books in case you haven't done that yet. I agree it looks like they're trying to stop downloading altogether and those programs might not work in the future. Although I don't see how they can continue to sell books without letting people download them somewhere.

I suggest if you haven't downloaded your books from B&N, you get them all downloaded soon before the ability goes away entirely, especially if you don't own a Nook ereader.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Difflugia

I can't imagine what business purpose that removing the download links is supposed to serve.

They are most likely moving to app-locked content to placate BPH "concerns" over piracy. Their "thinking" is that if they take the PC and mac versions out, move the ebooks to obscured repositories in iOS and Android the pirates can't get to the files to crack the encryption. They never learn.

[apesmom]

Those of you that may be receiving settlement from Apple via B&N may want to request a check in lieu of a credit. Without a download option that credit will become worthless to me.

You have until 10/31 to request a check.

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

Nook for PC and Nook Study both work still to download the books in case you haven't done that yet. I agree it looks like they're trying to stop downloading altogether and those programs might not work in the future. Although I don't see how they can continue to sell books without letting people download them somewhere.

I suggest if you haven't downloaded your books from B&N, you get them all downloaded soon before the ability goes away entirely, especially if you don't own a Nook ereader.

Another quick suggestion is that if you're using one of these programs, it might be worth your while to re-download any books that you've already downloaded, particularly if it's been a while since you downloaded them the first time.

After reading this post, I spot-checked some of my B&N books and an easy majority of them have been updated since I first downloaded them. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to tell if a book had been updated before downloading the new one.

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by dandelioncottage

Just tweeted my annoyance to @NOOK_Care, and this is their reply:

"The ability to sideload NOOK purchased content has been discontinued. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."

So I guess the ability to download to your computer is gone for good.

Wow. That's mindboggling. Goodbye Nook.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Synamon

Wow. That's mindboggling. Goodbye Nook.

Wow, indeed. What's insane is that with so many discussions about the various awful things ebook vendors could do, the one that can least afford to lose customers is the one that did it - changed their service so that content can no longer be used in the same context under which said content was purchased.

I strongly suspect that this move is for the same reason I suspect Kobo is going to kepub - data tracking. The best thing about epub with ADE DRM (and previously B&N DRM) is that you ended up with a file authorized for your account, and it would work on any device you authorized with your account. Everything was done on the front end - there was no additional handshake or connection required after the initial file retrieval, the file was portable between authorized devices and the retailer (and Adobe) had no further hand in it.

Of course, the problem with that is it leaves no precious tracking data.

(insert several choice words here, most of them not suitable for this forum)

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

Nook for PC and Nook Study both work still to download the books in case you haven't done that yet. I agree it looks like they're trying to stop downloading altogether and those programs might not work in the future. Although I don't see how they can continue to sell books without letting people download them somewhere.

I suggest if you haven't downloaded your books from B&N, you get them all downloaded soon before the ability goes away entirely, especially if you don't own a Nook ereader.

Already done. They're cooking away in Calibre as I type this.

[elemenoP]

Wow thanks for the heads up. I can confirm that Nook for Mac can still download books. I just downloaded this application today.

[bgalbrecht]

I was able to get a copy of the BN-Dloader script here: It's in the source code tab. I'm pleased to report that I can use it to download Analog/Asimov magazines, so I no longer have to download them to my phone and copy them off to my PC so that I can read them on my Nook Simple Touch.

[mycurlylocks]

Thanks for the script link. It works for me. I've never even used Nook for PC. I hope this script continues to work.

[jgaiser]

Sigh... Haven't bought anything from B&N for nearly a year, but this is the final nail for me. Greasemonkey script seems to work, but I'll have to get broadband access before I can really try it out. Goodbye Nook...

[cromag]

Originally Posted by dandelioncottage

Just tweeted my annoyance to @NOOK_Care, and this is their reply:

"The ability to sideload NOOK purchased content has been discontinued. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."

So I guess the ability to download to your computer is gone for good.

That's pretty much the answer I got at Facebook. In my reply I did say that it was something else for me to consider when deciding where to buy content.

I've never bought from Google Play before, and I have some problems with their apps being intrusive, but it's worth cultivating a new option.