From e8c75dbf7cf47772aa15293cb90ab21d35dc181e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Kovid Goyal Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 17:19:28 +0530 Subject: [PATCH] Expand on the FAQ entry about Amazon's nefariousness --- manual/faq.rst | 15 +++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+) diff --git a/manual/faq.rst b/manual/faq.rst index 4d9476a017..715609d1f2 100644 --- a/manual/faq.rst +++ b/manual/faq.rst @@ -91,6 +91,21 @@ will not work, but the covers will. It's your choice which functionality is more important to you. I encourage you to contact Amazon and ask them to fix this bug. +The bug in Amazon's software is that when you put a MOBI file on a Kindle, +unless the file is marked as a Personal document, Amazon assumes you bought the +book from it and tries to download the cover thumbnail for it from its servers. When the +download fails, it refuses to fallback to the cover defined in the MOBI file. +This is likely deliberate on Amazon's part to try to force authors to sell only +through them. In other words, Kindle's only display covers for books marked as +Personal Documents or books bought directly from Amazon. + +If you send a MOBI file to a Kindle with calibre using a USB connection, +calibre works around this Amazon bug by uploading a cover thumbnail itself. +However, that workaround is only possible when using a USB connection and +sending with calibre. Note that if you send using email, Amazon will +automatically mark the MOBI file as a Personal Document and the cover will +work, but the book will show up in Personal Documents. + How do I convert a collection of HTML files in a specific order? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In order to convert a collection of HTML files in a specific order, you have to