False info re ebooks.com

d.nixon5 · 01-27-2012, 04:52 PM

Whenever I do a search on calibre ("get books"), the results of the search frequently show that the ebook is available on ebooks.com. When I go to ebooks.com, I can't find the book. What's the problem?

kovidgoyal · 01-27-2012, 11:59 PM

Gve us an example of such a search

d.nixon5 · 01-28-2012, 09:38 AM

"Winter and Night" by S. J. Rozan. I've done perhaps 2 dozen searches on calibre that showed a book as being available on ebooks.com: I wasn't able to find any of the books on ebooks.com. I sent them an email and all they could come up with is that the book may no longer be available or that calibre is searching cached pages (this is too technical for me). Thanks for the help, Kovid.

PeterT · 01-28-2012, 10:11 AM

It would appear that book is only available for US based purchase.

HarryT · 01-28-2012, 10:24 AM

That's strange. If a search is being done by the user, from the user's location, then surely it should return the same books that are visible to that user by going to the site, shouldn't it?

kovidgoyal · 01-28-2012, 11:45 PM

I'm in India and I tried doing a search for that book, got a result in calibre, clicked on the result to open it ina browser and I got a page for the book, alongwith a message that said this book is not availabale for purchase in my country. Are you seeing something different?

PeterT · 01-29-2012, 12:32 AM

I think the issue is that the result is different from just doing a search via a web browser from eBook.com.

I *DO* see the same as you; the results when clicked on from within calibre DO show the book as being unavailable.

d.nixon5 · 01-29-2012, 06:35 AM

I'm learning. When I do as Kovid suggests, I get the desired result. I get a page for the book along with a message that says the book is not available for purchase in my country.
PeterT is right: "The result is different from just doing a search via a web browser from eBook.com."
For what it's worth, I have a couple of observations that may be indicative of why I stumbled:
1) When I run my mouse pointer over one of the results of a search, the pointer doesn't change to a pointing hand. Rightly or wrongly, this is how I determine if a link is present. The bottom line is that I didn't realize one could click on one of the results of a search and the book would open in an external browser. In retrospect, I guess the "Open in external browser (at the bottom of the "Get Books" page)" should be self explanatory but I just didn't put 2 and 2 together (running your mouse pointer over this area gets one a tool tip which helps).
2) When I go to the user manual (I gave it a cursory inspection when I started using calibre), under "Sections" is a link "The Graphical User Interface." I followed the link to "Actions." All the available buttons are shown. The "Get Books" button is nowhere to be found. For whatever reason, learning how to use this feature has been a slow process. Needless to say, once I get the message I wonder how I could have been so dense. Thanks to all.

01-27-2012, 04:52 PM	#1
d.nixon5 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Amazon Kindle	False info re ebooks.com Whenever I do a search on calibre ("get books"), the results of the search frequently show that the ebook is available on ebooks.com. When I go to ebooks.com, I can't find the book. What's the problem? Last edited by d.nixon5; 02-03-2012 at 04:58 AM.

01-28-2012, 09:38 AM	#3
d.nixon5 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Amazon Kindle	"Winter and Night" by S. J. Rozan. I've done perhaps 2 dozen searches on calibre that showed a book as being available on ebooks.com: I wasn't able to find any of the books on ebooks.com. I sent them an email and all they could come up with is that the book may no longer be available or that calibre is searching cached pages (this is too technical for me). Thanks for the help, Kovid. Last edited by d.nixon5; 01-28-2012 at 09:41 AM.

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01-27-2012, 11:59 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,349 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Gve us an example of such a search

01-28-2012, 10:11 AM	#4
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,514 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	It would appear that book is only available for US based purchase.

01-28-2012, 10:24 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	That's strange. If a search is being done by the user, from the user's location, then surely it should return the same books that are visible to that user by going to the site, shouldn't it?

01-28-2012, 11:45 PM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,349 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I'm in India and I tried doing a search for that book, got a result in calibre, clicked on the result to open it ina browser and I got a page for the book, alongwith a message that said this book is not availabale for purchase in my country. Are you seeing something different?

01-29-2012, 12:32 AM	#7
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,514 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	I think the issue is that the result is different from just doing a search via a web browser from eBook.com. I DO see the same as you; the results when clicked on from within calibre DO show the book as being unavailable.

01-29-2012, 06:35 AM	#8
d.nixon5 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Amazon Kindle	I'm learning. When I do as Kovid suggests, I get the desired result. I get a page for the book along with a message that says the book is not available for purchase in my country. PeterT is right: "The result is different from just doing a search via a web browser from eBook.com." For what it's worth, I have a couple of observations that may be indicative of why I stumbled: 1) When I run my mouse pointer over one of the results of a search, the pointer doesn't change to a pointing hand. Rightly or wrongly, this is how I determine if a link is present. The bottom line is that I didn't realize one could click on one of the results of a search and the book would open in an external browser. In retrospect, I guess the "Open in external browser (at the bottom of the "Get Books" page)" should be self explanatory but I just didn't put 2 and 2 together (running your mouse pointer over this area gets one a tool tip which helps). 2) When I go to the user manual (I gave it a cursory inspection when I started using calibre), under "Sections" is a link "The Graphical User Interface." I followed the link to "Actions." All the available buttons are shown. The "Get Books" button is nowhere to be found. For whatever reason, learning how to use this feature has been a slow process. Needless to say, once I get the message I wonder how I could have been so dense. Thanks to all.

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