Apple has assured me over and over there is no DRM on our files.
Until you have at least tried the examples I went and found for you,
I read all sorts of stuff with Safari and Opera Lite, which is your
And I said it wouldn't matter if they have DRM on your files or not as long as they prevent you from moving the files from applet to applet, and/or prevent you from sharing the files with your friends, because then they have accomplished the same goals as DRM without actually implementing the DRM. that allowed ME to read AND download directly from gutenberg.org.... Well, I just spent about an hour reading all the manuals for goodreader -- the applet you most recommended -- and it talks about supporting PDF not epub nor mobi and it talks about why when you try to read a big book it crashes, and how if you want to set up wifi to talk to your computer then that kills wifi to the internet, etc. So forgive me if I am not impressed. I also looked up everything else on the iTunes store listed under "ebooks" or "books" and those apps are even weaker. So clearly we are living on non-parallel planets! problem? I told you the first thing I tried doing at the Apple bricks and mortor store was to go to PG in the Safari Browser, clicked on an epub link, and it says "Sorry downloading that file type is not allowed."
Please experiment and cite your specific examples that we can recreate.
Please use your Safari browser, go to PG, pick an epub link, click on it, and report back what happens on the iPad. When I tried this at the Apple Brick and Mortor store iPad says "I'm sorry but I can't do that Hal". For comparison, I go on my desktop using IE or Mozilla, click on an epub or mobi link and that book opens automatically in its appropriate ebook reader, just the same as clicking on a PDF file causes that file to open in Adobe Reader. Or clicking on a djvu file opens it in a LizardTech djvu ebook reader. For comparison, on Kindle I go to PG, I click on a mobi link and it says "Do You Want to Download This Book?" I say "Yes" that book shows up in my Kindle bookshelf, where I click on the book and read it any time I want.
And you never tried to install those reader apps I mentioned. . . . So what right have you to complain?
I complain because every time you suggest something where I have to spend my $500 up front only to determine that indeed what I said doesn't work doesn't work. If I spend the $500 and sure enough it doesn't work are *you* going to offer me my money back??? Sure I know that iPad has Safari that can read HTML but I don't want to read HTML. I want to read ePub or Mobi on a decent ebook reader which will allow me to set things like font sizes and margins.
What is it you want?!?!?!? You haven't SAID you want anything I haven't found for you. Yet you have refused to acknowledge those efforts.
I have checked them out and at least according to their own documentation they don't work. What I want is a slate like device with wifi where I can download epubs and mobis from the internet or from my intranet, read them, perhaps lightly edit or annotate them, and I want to be able to do so as seamlessly and as painlessly as from my netbook -- given that a slate is simply a netbook minus the keyboard.
Are you saying you sent to gutenberg.org and tried this without success?
Yes.
Are you telling us what program you used in that effort?
Safari
Are you willing to do what it takes to get what you want?
I already have done so three different ways: 1) Using a desktop. 2) Using a netbook. 3) Using a Kindle. The question then is NOT whether I can find iPad "workaround" to get to some subset of what someone might be doing somewhere in the ebook world. The question is whether or not there is some iPad reader app that allows at least as good and as complete an experience as I am already experiencing via 1) 2) 3) above. 1) has the problem that its not portable. 2) has the problem that it has a keyboard that gets in the way. 3) has the problem that it has slow and unreliable whispernet rather than fast and reliable wifi. Is iPad better? Presumable not, or you would not keep emphasizing work-arounds. Perhaps when HP comes out with the Slate it will be "unlocked." Perhaps not. But I'm not going to pay $500 for the privilege of hack work-arounds!
You still have refused to name what programs you tried on what sites, and what you tried to do with them.
I think I've told you, actually. When I say I used the web browser, I think its pretty obvious that the web browser on iPad is Safari? I told you we used iBooks, because we both discussed the PG limitations of what is there. I told you we tried Stanza, because I told you about the large blurry iPod simulator that brought up. I told you I spent an hour reading the Goodreader documentation about crashes and having to reconfigure ones computer and router to either support reading from the internet or from a local computer, and having to reconfigure to switch between the two...
Tell me, honestly, have to asked Apple for the documentation on how to write for the iPad?
I have researched the issue of developing for Apple, yes, and was turned off having to pay subscription fees up front. Even Big Bill doesn't require that.
It's not the "programs" or the "ebooks" you are complaining about, it's "how badly 'locked down` their device is". . .!!!
Same thing since they lock the books to the programs...
You haven't even gone back and tried ONE of them.
Again, how would I test them more than I have already tested them without spending my $500 up front?
Let's deal with reality before dealing with the other stuff, ok?
The reality is that people had bought iPods using Stanza and expecting to be able to share books and Apple took this away from them. Same "1984" kind of deal as the student who had purchased "1984" for their Kindle, was relying on that to do his homework, and without warning Amazon took off the purchased book without permission.
Four hours??? And you never managed to download ONE eReader App???
Sure we did, I told you we downloaded Stanza.
I have a strong feeling you didn't ask them for very much help.
There wasn't much help to be had, truth be told. I will go back and see if they will allow me to install Goodreader, since that is your top suggestion.
I did mention Goodreader earlier, did I not?
Perhaps, but you didn't mention that it could download directly from any particular website, in fact you have said repeatedly you don't care if it can download from any particular website.
And just how do think most of the great apps in history got started???
Most of them got started somewhere where a mere say-so from Steve Jobs isn't enough to get them *stopped!!!*