Re: Tried to download a book at bookshare.org

Re: Tried to download a book at bookshare.org

[Cheryl Homiak]

Oh?
And where do you have this obscure detail listed on your website for us to find?
First, you said that i needed ssl or http-refer; now you are changing your
statement to say that ssl isn't enough; I must apparently also have
http-refer. I have the newest possible version of lynx as far as I know, and I
just put it in emacs and search for http=refer and http_refer in both upper and
lower case. I didn't find it. Maybe i am missing it and somebody on the lists
will find it, but I see nothing by this name.
 On Sun, 14 Apr 2002, Peter Scialli
wrote:

>   You must have HTTP-Refer enabled.  This is a specific function
> which is available in Lynx.  It may be set in the Lynx Config
> file.  We have several Lynx users who are downloading, but
> natively, the Lynx browser cannot gain access to the secure
> gateway to the download server which is isoloated from the net
> itself.  It must have page referral information.
>
> Peter M. Scialli, Ph.D.
> Associate, Technical Projects, Bookshare.org
> www.bookshare.org
> A Project of The Benetech Initiative-Technology Serving Humanity
> peter @benetech.org
> www.benetech.org
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cheryl Homiak" <chomiak@chartermi.net>
> To: "Peter Scialli" <Peter@benetech.org>
> Sent: Sunday, April 14, 2002 11:59 AM
> Subject: Re: Tried to download a book at bookshare.org
>
>
> > I do have ssl enabled; that isn't the problem. I navigate plenty
> of ssl sites
> > with no problem.
> >
>
>

Re: Tried to download a book at bookshare.org

[Cheryl Homiak]

Additionally, Peter, your explanation, even if it proves to be correct, does not
address the fact that people using linux apparently can not use the "unpack
tool". so is there an alternate method by which we are supposed to de-encrypt
the copyrighted books?

Re: Tried to download a book at bookshare.org

[Cheryl Homiak]

Hi Peter and lists!
In reality, Peter, your statement may be technically correct as to HTTP-Refer; I
don't know. I do know that what you are talking about is referred to in the
lynx.cfg as two options:
NO_REFErER_HEADER:FALSE

NO_FILE_REFERER:TRUE

I am at this point trying to clarify what the settings should be in order to
make your site work, and then I will test them. However, many users of lynx
would not have figured this out from the information you gave; I only found out
because I have friends on email lists who will tell me things I don't know.
I will let you know whether this works once i have determined the correct
settings, but I suggest that you use the lines i have just given you if you want
to tell someboy what lines to look for in the lynx.cfg.
by this way, we still have the issue of whether the "packing tool" is necessary
for downloading copyrighted books, and whether lynx/linux users can use this if
it is necessary.

Re: the final scoop on downloading from bookshare with lynx

[Cheryl Homiak]

Ok, here's what works; three lines involved, though I'm not sure the
NO_REFEReR_fILE line matters; didn't hurt anyway.
Peter, you might consider placing this somewhere prominent on the website!
also, you still haven't dealt with my question about the necessity of the
"unpack tool" yet; if you don't know, that's ok. But I'd appreciate an answer or
a message saying that somebody will get back to me with the answer soon.
Here are the important lines in the lynx.cfg file; I tried this and it worked
with searching-and-downloading, not just the demo page.
NO_REFERER_HEADER:FALSE

NO_FILE_REFERER:FALSE

REFERER_WITH_QUERY:PARTIAL

I do appreciate that you tried to give some information, Peter, but most people
are going to need exact information, so please put this where it can be found
EASILY!
Thanks.

Re: the final scoop on downloading from bookshare with lynx

[Cheryl Homiak]

Hello, Peter and lists.
Thank you for responding to my questions, Peter.
Whether these file settings work or not for all lynx users, to have them
prominently placed as suggestions of something to try would certainly be an
improvement on what you have on the site right now for lynx users--nothing! I
really strongly suggest that you post them prominently, with a link that says
something like "suggestions for lynx users".
I also strongly suggest that you post something prominently on your website
saying that copyrighted files are not yet accessible to anybody but windows
users. A great deal of my time has been wasted today and in days past because
you have nothing posted about lynx and no explanation of the inaccessibility of
your copyrighted files. I'm sure you like to make good use of your time; so do
I.
Without these suggestions and disclaimers your website is misleading, as it is
possible to download at least the first demo "little lord Fauntleroy" with no
modifications to one's setup. Based on this success, had i not tried actual
searching and downloading, I might have signed up and payed $75. Even had this
money been refundable, it would have been a tremendous waste of my time, a
possible clerical snarl for you and just plain bad public relations.
I'm glad we can at least access public domain books but, frankly, there are
other places where I can get public domain books and some of those websites are
friendlier than yours. the copyrighted books are the major draw for people, as
i'm sure you know.
Re: the unavailability of the unpacking tool in anything but windows, I find it
puzzling that you designed your website, not so that as many people as possible
could use it as soon as possible, but only for one particular OS. You say that
those of us using mac and linux are important, but I feel that we are really an
afterthought.
While I appreciate your replying to my posts, I find the attitude of bookshare's
creators and maintainers toward accessibility issues to be sadly narrow and
uninformed, and i find your failure to post whatever information you have for
those not using windows unacceptable. Also, at the point where you did not
really understand that other than windows users could not access the copyrighted
books, silence on the issue was understandable. but if indeed you know and are
telling me that it is presently of no benefit to me to pay for the use of
bookshare, as copyrighted files are inaccessible, not to post this on your site
is at the very least negligence. I and others on the blinux and speakup lists
will be watching for such a clear disclaimer to appear.
I don't know you personally and have nothing against you personally, but the
tone of this letter is definitely meant to be harsh. I am extremely disappointed
in and angry about bookshare's poor handling of important accessibility issues
and
failure to diseminate vital information to non-windows users.

Cheryl Homiak