noob help - Purchase ebooks. will they work 10 years from now? different pda/pc?

cybyte · 04-04-06, 02:51 PM

I was reading at mobipocket.com that you have to activate or register your ebooks that you use. If this is true, can I use my ebooks on like my next 5 pda's that I will own?

I thought ebooks were a great idea, but am now reconcidering this. If I just purchase the paper book I will always be able to use it, but then some people said after 4 different activations they no longer will work. I'm confused can someone please clarify this for me?

Thanks very much. I don't even have my axim here yet, but I would like to order some books for it if they will work out.

ungluud · 04-04-06, 05:02 PM

I don't know about the activation issue, but I usually get books FREE.
Do a search on this site and you'll find a list of places where you can get public domain e-books.
Also go to different e-book sellers sites, (like Fictionwise.com, e-reader, mobipocket, digital paperback) and register to get newsletters. From time to time some sellers will give promotions in which they give away e-books you would normally have to buy.
If you like Science Fiction, check out Baen's free library. http://www.baen.com/

Of course, if you want a specific book, then you'll probably have to buy it, but there is no reason to spend a lot of money to get a good library started.

ungluud · 04-04-06, 05:06 PM

Here's a link to the thread I mentioned.
http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...hlight=e-books

AKAJohnDoe · 04-04-06, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by cybyte

I was reading at mobipocket.com that you have to activate or register your ebooks that you use. If this is true, can I use my ebooks on like my next 5 pda's that I will own?

I thought ebooks were a great idea, but am now reconcidering this. If I just purchase the paper book I will always be able to use it, but then some people said after 4 different activations they no longer will work. I'm confused can someone please clarify this for me?

Thanks very much. I don't even have my axim here yet, but I would like to order some books for it if they will work out.

Licensing issues aside, I would expect that over 10 years the hardware and software may change enough to make this impractical.

While some folks still have Atari, the orginal NES, VHS, and so forth, the world marches on.

That said, Although I now get music on CD and DVD, I still have and play vinyl records. Often. And there is something tactile, familiar, and pleasant about turning pages in a book, too.

mad0865 · 04-04-06, 09:21 PM

I would imagine that the only format to live for 10 years might be something like the adobe pdf.

cybyte · 04-05-06, 12:25 AM

I was wondering more for if I purchase a new pocket pc in the future if I can still use all my ebooks or if the website i purchased them from will no longer be there so I can't register them and they won't work anymore.

dav5 · 04-05-06, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by cybyte

I was wondering more for if I purchase a new pocket pc in the future if I can still use all my ebooks or if the website i purchased them from will no longer be there so I can't register them and they won't work anymore.

cybyte,

I bought Bible software from GM soft and my brother bought his from Laridian. Both he and I have since changed PDA's and both firms have made available the software; in fact the software will always belong to the one who bought it. We even changed from Palm OS to Microsoft OS and both these firms provided the same software but adapted to the new system; no extra charge, no wheelin' an' dealin'. Once bought you can download time after time after time. I have a website belonging to GM soft which has my original order and details of all my purchases as does my brother with Laridian; we can go to this site anytime we re-format our puters or lose the files somehow; we just download them again. We paid for 'em, so they stay with us to do with them what we like.

I don't for sure know if it's the same with e.book firms, but I'd say it has to be universal so long as the firm lasts; that is the reason you have to choose well established firms and not fly by night or horse an' buggy outfits!

Dave

dav5 · 04-05-06, 01:04 AM

cybyte,

I'm no part connected to mobipocket.com and couldn't care less whether people buy from them or not, but for your sake I went on their support forum etc, and below are extracts taken from their site that will give you some idea of their policy:

Quote:

The payment carried out, you will be allowed to download the product or the service. It will be available on your personal account "My Library" created according to the general terms of use. Your account "My Library" enables to consult permanently the whole products and services you bought on the Site. By the way according to the general terms of use, Mobbipocket is allowed permanently to remove a product or a service from your account especially in case of diffusion rights loss. By the way you are advised to preserve the files bought on your computer hard disk.

How do I retrieve the items I purchased?

Once the transaction has completed successfully, you are redirected to a confirmation page: click on the download links for the items that you purchased. Your purchased items are automatically registered into your Mobipocket account. You can therefore access them at any time, and download them again any number of times at no charge.

I purchased ebooks or software sometime ago, how can I redownload them ?

You can redownload the ebooks and software you have purchased at any time from your user account at:

http://www.mobipocket.com/en/MyMobi/myMobipocket.asp

The problem you were worried about is the following incident which I think is explained by mobipocket.com, and is understandable in the circumstances:

Quote:

My online account shows a message 'Your subscription will expire on ........... . You can renew your subscription to this title, at the subscription renewal special price.'. What do I need to do?

Cause:

One of your eBooks is a limited subscription. Those correspond to regular updates (generally one year) of a given title. After the subscription expiry, you will not be able to download your eBook anymore.

Resolution:

If you wish to get the new versions of the eBooks, you need to purchase the subscription at the renewal price displayed near the "Upgrade Now" button.

Dave

Joe Howard · 04-05-06, 09:55 AM

I buy books from e-reader. I have transferred them from PDA to PDA when I upgraded (I went from Palm to Dell). The unlock code is your credit card that you bought the book with. They also have a "Bookshelf" on the website that contains all of the books that you have purchased in the past. You can re-download them if you lose them for some reason.
I guess it comes down to being a book reader vs a book collector. I don't like to hang on to books forever. I read them and move on. I understand that not all people are like that so e-books may not be for you if you are concerned about 10 years down the road.
I love e-books because it makes them so portable. I keep by pocket pc with me always and I have at least 10 books on my card. You just can beat it. I have lots of classic books that I got free and I buy some for $5 to $8 each (not brand new ones). Give it a try. I would not even consider paperback again.

Fsman · 04-05-06, 06:35 PM

The answer probably rests on how well you trust technology. I believe that as time goes on there will be a way to convert most of the common ebook formats to the ones of the future. We found a way to convert vinyl records to tape and tapes to CD and CDs to MP3. You can listen to Roscoe Coltrane on any of these formats.
If you like the physical properties of a paper book, and many do, ebooks may not be your cup of tea.