I work with a lot of people who are not comfortable with computers. I know the younger folk have had access to computers in schools since the were kids, but I work with a lot of avid readers who’d still rather stick a piece of paper in a typewriter than use a computer.

I’ve helped my mother learn to use her various software programs. Tried to help my father learn his (god help me, I’ve about given up on that, though!) Tried to help them be patient when they didn’t just “get it” the first time.

These are the people who will try once and, if the service isn’t flawless, “give up on ebooks” because it’s just too complicated, too messy, too time-consuming, whatever.

I think it’s the same concept as “you can never remake a first impression”. The difficulties with the ebooks may not be an issue for you. It really wasn’t an issue for me – but I’ve been buying HQN books since 1973 and so I have a lot of history of good memories to counter one less that good experience.

But it surprises me that these links weren’t simply tested before they were released to the public. And for the paperback readers who maybe tried those links for a first-change shot at ebooks, I only hope they either didn’t do it until the links were fixed, or that they’ll be patient enough to try again.

@Miki – I think you’re a little harsh on Harlequin maybe? It must have been some job to do the free ones in all the formats. And now they are cropping up everywhere. Fictionwise will probably have them in the other formats as they work out the kinks.

Looks like the missing link is Mobipocket – can’t find those versions anywhere.
I don’t need it, but I’m taking it to mean that they must be working on the Kindle versions of the free books, since Kindle and Mobipocket are so similar.

Diva1

@ Miki: That was my thought too. If I hadn’t already had decent experiences with HQN I’m pretty sure this would be my one and only. Clearly this is NOT their goal. I just don’t see any reason for the roll out of such an important event to have been so problematic.

Do see them at Booksonboard.com though….

D1

That was all waaaay too much work for one book.

And really bad PR, too. How many people out there will try once, get garbage, and decide to “never buy a HQN ebook” because of it?

Or, if you don’t want to deal with that Flash animation, you can use the link in this comment over at MobileRead and adjust it as suggested there.

Stanza has them all up – downloading wireless like a dream….

Thanks XandraG for the tip on bookworm!

Bookworm also has an “epub checker” thing that lets you see your converted-to-epub files to make sure they translate properly. Apparently converting from Adobe Digital Editions leaves out important metadata, which might be what happened here.