Not again! - MS Reader activation

[terrypin]

Here we go again. This is the sort of problem that I suspect has now killed my use of MS Reader completely. Or maybe it's a Fictionwise issue?

I just visited Fictionwise (first time for months, prompted by a 15% promotional discount) and bought a book. I hesitated briefly over my choice of encrypted format (as I have many types available to me), before making the fatal choice of MS Reader.

This was done in the confident knowledge that I have the latest versions on PC and PPC, properly activated. I have only recently checked I can read previously-purchased protected LIT books. When I open one on my PC right now, I see 'Activated for Terry Pinnell'.

But (I'm sure you're ahead of me!), after completing the purchase and attempting the download, I get the dreaded message:

"You cannot yet download because the system could not find an Activated Microsoft Reader on your computer:" (etc)

Can one of the ebook/MS Reader/Fictionwise experts here kindly tell me what is the likely cause here please? I'll curb my impatience and not rush into cycles of re-installation and re-activation, as I suspect I could make matters worse.

TIA.

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK

[Jorgen]

I just answered this for you at Brighthand :)
Are you using FireFox or similar? You have to use Internet Explorer.

Hope that helps.

Jorgen

[terrypin]

Yes, thank you Jorgen, I just discovered that I cannot buy ebooks in the popular MS Reader format when using Mozilla FireFox as my internet browser. (That's been my default for a week now, after previously using MSIE for many years.)

I eventually discovered the root cause. Nowhere did I find any advance warning of this at Fictionwise, but as you must be using MSIE to download books in MS Reader format.
"We're sorry, but the Activation process requires you to use one of the following browsers:

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 and higher
Netscape Navigator 4.08
Netscape Communicator 4.5x
Netscape Communicator 4.6x
Netscape Communicator 4.7x

I'm an end user, not a programmer. But I gather that this major restriction is due to the need for ActiveX, which FireFox does not support.

I finally downloaded my purchase using MSIE6.

I've emailed Fictionwise, suggesting they make this restriction clear before payment is made.

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK
Using iPAQ 2210 with WM2003.

[Jorgen]

Glad to hear you got your books!

The one to curse is really Microsoft or rather their DRM. I guess they need some code from IE in order to check your version of MS Reader.

Jorgen

[szamot]

I honestly, to this day, can't think of a one good reason why I should active this darn thing. If activation means getting some free leftovers form the masters table twice a year in a form of some obscure ebook then I will gladly pass.

[Jorgen]

There is absolutely no reason to activate unless you want to buy/get DRM protected .LIT ebooks. This said, the activation scheme works something like 99.99% of the time (so-called "educated" guess :)), so if any of the "spoils" from the masters table one day do look tempting (or you get a .LIT ebook as present), why not activate?

Jorgen