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

[Sydney's Mom]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I think that was Shari's point -- that you shouldn't have to have extra software just to download your books. I -- personally -- don't have Nook for PC. I don't even know if it would work with Linux (though I think I read somewhere that it could be set up under Wine). I used to be able to download Nook books directly from B&N's site but can no longer do it. So, even if I can get Nook for PC to work in Linux it's an unwanted and unneeded extra step for me. With the Kindle I can directly download my books into Calibre from the device. Guess who's going to get my business.

I download to K4PC and then use add books on Calibre. Are you talking about sideloading into Calibre from your Kindle?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

I download to K4PC and then use add books on Calibre. Are you talking about sideloading into Calibre from your Kindle?

You can do that, and you can also download directly from http://amzn.com/myk

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

I download to K4PC and then use add books on Calibre. Are you talking about sideloading into Calibre from your Kindle?

Yep. Since I use Linux the most direct route is usually the easiest. I may (or may not) be able to get K4PC working in Linux under Wine (I haven't tried it), but by downloading directly from the Kindle I don't have to worry about it. Some people don't like WiFi (or 3G) downloads, but it doesn't bother me.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You can do that, and you can also download directly from http://amzn.com/myk

Just like B&N used to allow you to do. But you never could download directly from the device with the Nook. (At least I never knew how to do that.)

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If it makes you feel better, sure.

Yes thanks!

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Just like B&N used to allow you to do. But you never could download directly from the device with the Nook. (At least I never knew how to do that.)

This would be the hidden partition thing again? I would think the old non-Glow would be transferrable.

It is after all accessible as a file. Difficult to protect that from copying over USB.

I know you can't with Kobo either, but that is because KEPUBs are caught with a not-a-real-book error.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

They would have to not allow the Nook Android app to download either. Although at the rate B&N is going it wouldn't surprise me if they did that too.

Good to know the Android app stores the books in an accessible spot -- I hadn't looked at that. The 1st edition Nook does too. As far as I know all the newer Nook devices require root to get to where the books are stored.

Of course, my account is on the new "anti-social drm." So if they were to cut off Nook Study and then change my key, I'd be unable to Alf my books. I pick up the occasional freebie just to see if I can still unlock them. But I won't risk actually buying anything anymore.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

Kind of like Kobo. And there is a plugin to extract books from the Kobo db. Maybe someone will do one for Windows 8 - especially for non drm books, and for when the Win 7 version no longer works.

The Kobo Desktop books are just in a hidden folder, without a file extension, and an indecipherable file name. Then if you can find the non-drmed ones, they still have kepub junk in them. Other then that, totally accessible!

ETA: And yes, thankfully, there's a now a plug-in for that.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

The Kobo Desktop books are just in a hidden folder, without a file extension, and an indecipherable file name. Then if you can find the non-drmed ones, they still have kepub junk in them. Other then that, totally accessible!

ETA: And yes, thankfully, there's a now a plug-in for that.

You can remove the kepub junk from drm free books using the Modify epub plugin.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

You can remove the kepub junk from drm free books using the Modify epub plugin.

Thanks -- I'll have to check that out. I'd heard there was something but hadn't gotten around to looking in to it yet.

[DiapDealer]

Just bought an epub today:

... didn't go with B&N because I can't download/sideload without installing special scripts for their website to download the book without a Nook/app.

... didn't buy from Kobo because the book appears to only be available in their kepub format. I can get around that, but I'll avoid that hoop if I can.

... finally went with Google Books because I could download the adobe ascm file and download the epub using ADE. Yay!! Except that after all that ... turns out it's an ePub3.

I give up.

[Apache]

Should have gone with Amazon and converted it. (Said by a B&N HD+ Owner)
Apache

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Just bought an epub today:

... didn't go with B&N because I can't download/sideload without installing special scripts for their website to download the book without a Nook/app.

... didn't buy from Kobo because the book appears to only be available in their kepub format. I can get around that, but I'll avoid that hoop if I can.

... finally went with Google Books because I could download the adobe ascm file and download the epub using ADE. Yay!! Except that after all that ... turns out it's an ePub3.

I give up.

What's wrong with epub3 and how do you tell it's epub3? I've been buying at Google more myself so I want to know if I need to lookout for anything.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

What's wrong with epub3

Nothing's wrong with it (beside the fact that my preferred reading app's support for ePub3 yields a less than satisfactory reading experience compared to its epub2 experience).

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

and how do you tell it's epub3? I've been buying at Google more myself so I want to know if I need to lookout for anything.

Without buying it and looking at the OPF file, I don't think you CAN tell--with Google, anyway. It just gave me a link to download the "EPUB."

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Apache

Should have gone with Amazon and converted it. (Said by a B&N HD+ Owner)
Apache

That's probably where I'm headed from now on (said the guy who was reading epubs on a Kindle Fire)

I prefer epub (epub2) because it's easy to work with and tweak whenever necessary. I consider it my source format. With KindleBooks and EPUB3s, there's always more futzing around to be done to make sure the book works OK in my reading app.

I could always just install the various reader apps on my tablet and read each book in the retailer's app I bought it from, but there's the tiny problem of me hating each and every one of those apps: Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Google ... all yuck. So a-futzing I will go, I guess.

Right now, it's looking like Kindle Books will offer me the path of least resistance to a DRM-free, sideloaded ePub2 ebook.