There’s been a lot of criticism towards the new (not so) unified e-book solution launched in Norway this week. I’m going to have a closer look at one of the solutions, Bokskya. The controversy starts at the name, Bokskya, which sounds strange to a lot of Norwegian speakers, and really takes off from there. Apparently, you need to sign in loads of different stores to read books from different publishers, there’s two competing and incompatible e-book solutions, some of the books are more expensive as an e-book than in paperback, etc.
Now, I’ve used e-books since Project Gutenberg took off in the late nineties and read a lot of free books thanks to the dedicated work of volunteers in the project. With the iPhone, it became easy to navigate and read free books with help from programs like Eucalyptus. Let’s see how the Norwegian e-book store fares. Note; this is written from the angle of a guy who just wants to get started reading an e-book.
First; I’ve read in Aftenposten that the name of the solution is Bokskya. I assume that the site is Bokskya.no, and navigate there.
Ok, where do I sign up? Where’s the “new user” sign in? It doesn’t really look like a professional web site, more like placeholder text. The first thing that caught my eye was the “Get started with Bokskya” on the right hand side. I click the link. (note to self, this is where you took the wrong turn, dumbass!)
Uh, Ok. I get this page where I’m supposed to log in with an existing account. No option to start an account or to otherwise get started. I click the “Forgotten password” option to see if the “Get started” page is there.
Nope, not there. But the interface suddenly turned into English. Peculiar. I navigate back, using the browser back button. Reading the block of text at the Bokskya front page, I get to understand that you don’t start with the Bokskya account at Bokskya. First you have to buy the book, and then apparently magic happens. I pick a vendor out of the six or so different vendors. I think you have to have a separate account at each vendor in order to buy books, but it’s not entirely clear. Bokkilden is my choice.
Ok, so where is the Bokskya sign up? Where is the link to the Bokskya for complete idiots, since I’m starting to feel like one? Let’s click the E-book button.
There’s a large banner saying “Buy Norwegian e-books!” But it’s unclickable.
I click the “How to purchase and E-book” and get this informative page. It is the first hint of how this process works, at least the first I’ve seen. Maybe it’s because it isn’t hidden in a block of text. Ok, first you purchase the book, all the way through the check-out then you can tie it to an account. Fine.
I choose a free book and put it in the “Shopping cart”. Please note that since I’m not spending money on books, this tutorial will be a lot shorter as it doesn’t cover paying with Visa, spending time with BankID and encryption key fobs etc. Ok, the book is in the “Shopping cart”. I click Check out, since it’s the most logical.
Uh, an offer to get some kind if mug if I spend more than 299 NOK at the store, no thanks.
Ok, so here’s the point where I start the new account. Or is it? There’s no mention of Bokskya anywhere. I start a new account anyway.
Somehow, they have gotten my address from an old entry in their database, gotten it from the Government birth registry or a phone book. Not too shabby since it saves me some typing. The security aspect on the other hand, is a nightmare. Onwards!
Phone number, email etc. entered.
Now I’m at the payment screen, but as there’s noting to pay I check “Send bill” and then complete the order.
Another spam screen, NO I don’t want your free news letter! It’s a waste of good electrons.
Now we’re getting somewhere! “How to read an e-book”. With something that resembles a button on the right. It says “Connect with Bokskya”; I click it.
Ok, so now I’m taken to another page outside the book store and to the Bokskya web property. For some reason, now is the time for me to start the Bokskya account, since the “register your account” link is present. I click it.
…but it’s not the same username and password as in the other store. Should have known that they are not connected. Even though it says that they are.
Another registration window with new password and everything. I dutifully fill it out and click “Make account”.
Yes! “You have successfully connected…” The e-book is now in my Bokskya account. But where to read it? I click the “Read more” button and get…
…a page on what Bokskya is. At this moment, I’m truly baffled as to what store is what web property and where everything intersects.
Ok, I give up looking for the book at the store site and manually type in the Bokskyen Bokskya address in the browser URL field. I remember there was a log in option here somewhere…
That’s right, under the “Getting started” field. You remember, the one I thought was the “Getting started” entry point into the system. Well, now I have not only one, but two accounts to read this one book I’ve ordered. I enter the Bokskya user name and password.
Uh… I have no idea what this means. The password was entered correctly (copy + pasted), I try again.
Using the same copied in password, I get in on the second try. Not much to see here, just one book and a “Download” button. I click it.
Ok, it’s downloaded. I think. There was no file download or anything. I presume everything is done “in the cloud”, hence the name Bokskya. I click “Read”
And… This is it. This is the front page of the book! Unfortunately, it it’s the only page that is displayed. Huh. Where’s the rest of the book? There is no interface, no hints on what you have to do in order to change pages, get information or anything really. I suspect that the Bokskya web site does not support web standards properly and not my browser of choice. The whole interface looks like it’s optimized for mobile web browsing, so I break out my trusty iPhone and use that browser in an attempt to read the book. Crazy, I know!
Switching over to the phone, I enter the address to Bokskya.no. Let’s see what happens.
Same page as on the desktop. Funny, because on the desktop it was difficult to read due to the mobile design, on the mobile it’s difficult to read since it’s optimized for desktop. The web site switches back and forth. I zoom in and click the “Getting started” link, that now feels like a second home.
Uh, what’s this? 50 MB of my phone’s storage to be used by Bokskya? Project Gutenberg books are super-small, I guess that the Bokskya books are super-dooper advanced books with tons of graphics and stuff. Oh, what the hell, have the 50 MB.
“Install me”. Ok. WTF is this? I’ve never seen a program, or whatever this is, do this. I assume that it’s a home page link or something.
My iPhone is in English, but I get the message and add the whatever-this-is to the Home Screen.
Nothing to see here, just yet another entry screen. Those following the process from home can make a note of the thumbnail used for the bookmark, It’s not correctly configured on the server so it just uses a screen grab of the install screen from the previous install step.
The app is now on the Home screen of the iPhone. I click it.
Do not adjust your set! This is the startup screen after you click the link. No logo, nothing for a few seconds. Just a white screen.
I now get the honor of downloading the book. Again.
Fiiiiinnally!! I click the “Read” button.
Front page… Now what? Where is the “next page” button?
Here? No. This is the index. I try clicking all over the page, it just leads me to a menu. I try swiping the screen, like most other e-book readers are constructed, no dice.
Another loading screen…
Oh shit! Some text from the book! Finally! But what’s that up in the corner? Is it a “Turn page” symbol? Or perhaps a bookmark symbol? I have no idea, and there isn’t a help page in sight. Yes, I’m that desperate.
“You’ve reached the end of the book”. Huh. A shame I didn’t get to read anything between what I think was the first page and this page.