eBook Reader for PPC 2000

[Mike Temporale]

I'm looking for an ebook reader that will run on the PocketPC 2000. It needs to work with .lit files.

The MS Reader will only work for PPC 2002. Does anyone know of another app that will do this?

[yvilla]

MS Reader 2 works only on PPC 2002, but I believe all PPC 2000 units shipped with the original--MS Reader 1--it should either be in ROM on your device, or on the CD that came with it.

[taxus]

The problem is that most commerical eBooks require at least version 1.5.

I don't think there are any other eBook readers that can read the Microsoft Reader format (lit).

The Palm Reader format is becoming more and more popular, but sometimes ebooks are only available in the MS Reader format.

[Mike Temporale]

Thanks. I'll check the original CD and let you know how things go.

[Mike Temporale]

The CD is a no go. It only links to the Microsoft Site, which only has Reader 2.0 for download. :evil:

Does anyone have a copy of the MS Reader 1.0? Or something that would run on a PPC2000 and read .lit files???

[yvilla]

Sorry, Blue Rocket. Its been long enough ago that I did not remember that Reader was a download--I truly thought it was pre-installed on my PPC 2000 device.

I find it hard to believe that you would be left in the lurch like that. Have you tried contacting Microsoft and asking how to get Reader 1?

If that doesn't work--well I don't have the installer, so I can't send you that, but I do have ebook.exe, ebook.htm. ebook.lnk, and ebookfx.dll, which are all in the windows directory on my old PPC. They are the Reader 1 program file, help file, shortcut, and I'm not sure about the last but probably a necessay dll file. I could send them to you--only problem is I don't know if there are any other needed files, or if it will simply work for you if you copy them into your windows directory rather than installing properly (to be registered in registry, etc.) If you want to give it a try, let me know here.

[Mike Temporale]

I haven't contacted MS, but it looks like I'll have to do that.

All this effort is for my Boos, who has a basic monochrome iPaq. So the upgrade to PPC2002 is pretty much out of the question.

I don't really want to start messing around with DLL's and crap just so my boss can read this book. It's not worth that much effort. (my boss that is. ;) )

Thanks. I'll let you know if MS can offer any help.

[Jason Dunn]

This was a big-ugly-nasty issue last year. Bottom line: MS Reader 1.5 was never released as a RAM install due to the lack of hardware keys on 1st generation Pocket PC 2000 devices. It was deemed too much of a security risk, so the 2002 upgrade was the only way to get DRM-protected eBooks onto your device. Contacting Microsoft will not help I'm afraid...you're hooped. :cry:

[Mike Temporale]

Sucks.

I'm surprised that there are no other readers that can handle this format. There is a need for a .lit reader that will run on Pre PPC 2002 devices. A fair number of these devices counld not be upgraded. :?

Thanks for all the info.

[Jason Dunn]

But that's just the issue - no one can/will release a LIT reader for Pocket PC 2000 devices that will reader DRM 5 eBooks because it would be inherantly insecure without the hardware key. Needless to say, a hardware key is a mandatory part of the Pocket PC 2002 spec. His eBook is a DRM5 eBook? They were so rare last year this ended up not being a huge issue...