My College DeVry University has made the decision to switch their online text books to MyScribe. I have spent the last week working with the system and contacting both DeVry and MyScribe support and have found the MyScribe system to be woefully lacking. MyScribe is an online book reading system provided by CafeScribe this reader is just that you can read highlight and add notes but you have to be on a computer to access it. I, like many of my online classmates, purchased an Ebook for my previous classes so I could bring my textbook with me wherever I go. As with most online students I have other daily activities such as work, commuting, and other travel that takes me away from my computer. This switch to a solely computer based system has killed my ability to read my text book when away from home. Yes, MyScribe allows you to transfer the book to a USB drive (ie. A thumb drive) for use “away from home” but, as I had to explain to DeVry University, that still requires a computer. The MyScribe system takes closed source to extremes unlike the previously used system of Adobe Digital Editions, as stated earlier reading a book on MyScribe is limited to use only through their reader that can only be accessed on a computer. Adobe Digital Editions is accessible through the computer and through Ebook readers such as my Sony PRS-505 . MyScribe and Adobe have the same DRM (digital rights management) abilities to prevent copyright infringement so that is not an issue. Both systems appear to provide free software to read and just charge for the actual books, so that is also not an issue for competition. I have been unable to find any logical, financial, or preferential reason for the switch. The actual useability of the computer software to read the books though is an issue of contention I have. The MyScribe software has an annoying strong blue default color scheme that I have yet to find a way to change, which distracts from the text. Whereas Adobe has a Black background color that helps to emphasize the text and even though I have not found a way to change this default color scheme I don’t feel a need to do so unlike with MyScribe.
Some of the lesser but still annoying issues I have found are, MyScribe defaults on my computer to a two page view that, for me, is too small to read and when I changed it to default to a single page view it automatically sets the zoom to 256% which, for me, is way too large and limits text per page to the point where I am constantly scrolling. Another issue I have with MyScribe’s software is the fact I cannot Minimize the screen by clicking on the windows taskbar. This is a habit and a function I find critical because when I jump between screens I have to click on the little task bar icon to switch to another program, and when I switch I Minimize the window I’m on to allow easier access to the desktop should I need to launch yet another program. Examples of the programs I use simultaneously are the text book reader software, Microsoft Word for the reports or related homework, FireFox for internet access, and Itunes for my background study music. All of which I toggle between through the task bar. Another issue I just found while toggling is you cannot access a right click menu through the MyScribe software in order to Minimize, Maximize, Restore, or Close. All of which are functions I regularly use especially the Close function, because the close function through right click as it is easier than clicking on the task bar icon at the bottom of the screen and then moving the mouse up to the top right of the screen to click the Close button.
With these issues of lack of portability, distracting background color scheme, missing common functions, and poor “ease of use” I ask. Why would anyone let alone a university see the MyScribe system as a good choice? Why would anyone let alone a university switch from a flexible worldwide accepted system such as Adobe Digital Editions to the very limited and poorly designed MyScribe system? Because I cannot find any logical, financial, or preferential reason myself.
Update Note: Some potential solutions have shown up since I first posted this blog. While these or any potential solutions are still not being offered by the responsible parties for this technological farce. There are a couple freeware programs that seem to work the way we wish MyScribe could and should. Check out PrimoPDF and PDFCreator For more information please read the comment section of this post for other readers opinions and suggestions. We are not alone, or helpless, thanks to the hive mind of the internet.
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216 comments:
1 – 200 of 216 Newer› Newest»I feel your pain. I have been trying to get this crap changed ever since DeVry first tested out MyScribe. Here at my rant page I go into how I spent quite a lot of time trying to get ANY change, at all. Results? Well, we still are using MyScribe, and it still sucks balls.
I am so glad I am not the only one complaining about this idiotic decision on DeVry's part. For the past few months, no one has really mentioned much of anything. Though maybe I was just an unlucky SOB who got stuck with it earlier than the rest.
I can guarantee you this, though - I am going to kick and scream the whole time until something changes. I'll probably be e-mailing DeVry here shortly, since (as stated in my rant), MyScribe's staff were polite but useless.
Thanks Spodi, I'm also glad to hear I'm not the only Myscribe hater out there. Good luck surviving it :)
Thanks, Glitch-Chaos - you too!
I noticed in your Twitter that you said, "I finally found a working solution to my "MyScribe sucks elephant ass" issue". Care to elaborate on what you did? :)
I've been debating the public posting of my bypass for their systems lacks in fear that the #*@#)$*##*$ jerks will block it as well. But I have found a cool freeware program that I like so far for PDF conversion called PrimoPDF at http://www.primopdf.com/ you might be interested in ;)
You clever, clever man. That is even better than when we had to use the Digital Editions! I don't think I would've ever thought of that little trick. I wouldn't really worry about MyScribe patching it, either, since I don't think they really can unless they explicitly disable the use of that program. But I'm not too worried since they can't even seem to get a GUI right, let alone a whole application. ;)
Thanks again! :D And I agree, might be best to wait for a little bit to see where MyScribe / DeVry goes.
It wasn't until after I replied that I realized the conversion results in all the text being images, which was a bit unfortunate since the quality is quite horrid. Though after some searching around, I found OmniPage, which is one of many optical character recognition programs that can solve this. It actually has the ability to import and export as PDF, which is very handy. So if you are as concerned about quality as I am (which is understandable when reading hundreds of pages a week), I recommend checking out OmniPage or one of the many free alternatives. Just be prepared for a very, very long conversion process.
Thanks Spodi, I'll look into that program. The one I've been using does have the option to increase the Images quality somewhere, but it doesn't bother me because it still magnifies on my Ereader properly :)
Oh and send me an @ on twitter so I know who you are. Will ya?
Sorry, I have no idea how to use Twitter and such. I'm way behind on these kinds of sites. You can find my all my contact information on this page, though. :)
Ah I see, you just read up on my twitter then :)
Twitter is fun and free so you might think about checking it out sometime. Depending on who and how many people follow you, it can be a great resource. Its also a great place to scream into the void ;)
I hear your pain as well. I am a DeVry student as well and have voiced my discontent for myscribe to my instructors, classmates and coarse evals. We are not alone. I know there are other students who feel as we do. IMHO.. We pay for the ebook, so just give me the ebook in PDF and let me choose the viewer. The ebook fee is automatically added to every coarse, so even if I did give it to a future student, they would still be charged the ebook fee. Even if a student drops and has to retake the same class, they still get charged a second ebook fee. This being said, I now have OmniPage and myscribe. How do I get my ebook to open with Omni and not myscribe?
Ham Hock thanks for commenting :) I tried in vane to get a refund for the online book so I could buy a hard copy but the school claims its part of the online bundle which includes the library and reference material so its a no go. I told them that's fine I don't use that crap either! They found it funny so I'm with ya on that front too.
As for you question on Omnipage I hope Spodi's still lurking around to answer you because I have yet to try it. With PrimoPDF I just select it as my printer from Myscribe and it does all the work :)
PrimoPDF will allow you to print to the PrimoPDF "printer", which will save it as a PDF file. But MyScribe seems to only want to to save the text as images, not as actual text. So to get the ability to search along with the visual quality of text back, you run that converted PDF through OmniPage, which will convert the images of text to real text the best it can.
Granted, it isn't perfect. Overlapped text and programming code are especially prone to being messed up. But it is still better than MyScribe.
If you just want the searching, I believe there is a way to create "invisible" text ("searchable PDF") so that you will see the images of text, but can still search.
Finally, if you want to make the long printing process even longer, you can up the resolution on the printer settings to 2400 or 4000 DPI. Though if you do that, be prepared to spend about 12-24 hours creating the PDF.
I too am not impressed. I call CafeScribe as well as DeVry every other day or two to complain and ask how to get around my issues. I have included my list of complaints that I have asked them about. They have not fixed one problem as of yet. Oh, except for not being able to log on the first day of class.
Toll-free Phone: 1-877-612-2233
I cannot use my Sony reader
crashing constantly
window sometimes follows the cursor
special string searches causes crash
no quotes with search causes crash
must be logged onto internet
on search returns you must scroll through entire book
only three computers
usb drive didn't work on Debbie's computer had to download a 2nd time
My highlights didn't transfer from one computer to the other
Someone else says they don't have to log onto the internet, why do I have to?
ANJ245
Welcome to the we hate myscribe club :) I tried calling the complaint line and after that first call decided it was a waste of time. They obviously don't care what their users think or how they could improve so I just went straight to 'how do I bypass this'. It sounds like you're having even more issues than I've had (so far). I'd say on the complaint you have about "having to be logged online to use" that for some reason your book hasn't actually downloaded. I wish I knew how to fix it or had a suggestion but I don't. I would suggest trying one of the programs mentioned above to see if they at least let you get through with a few less headaches. They are PrimoPDF(free) and Omnipage.
Again welcome to the fight against myscribe, thanks for 'speaking' out, and good luck :) We'll all need it.
I recently tried "printing" the book to a M$ XPS Writer Document. The quality was decent and I was able to view it offline using IE. I will be traveling to Phili. for the next week and not sure when I will have Inet aceess... It would be nice to at least keep up with my class readings, even though I may return a little behind next Saturday.
I am using a macbook, and all I needed to do was print to the built-in pdf printer. Piece of cake! DeVry has always made stupid decisions. The student self service app sucks, e-college is so out-dated it's almost funny. I am a CIS major and you can't even indent code in the threads! I mean, even the stupidest blog sites have the ability to have code tags. Pathetic. What did I just spend 50 grand for? Dicks.
Eric, Sure just rub in how much windows sucks to all of us poor PC users ;)(joke)
Oh, you don't want to get me started on how pathetic their website and related sites are! I can't believe how they get away with their poor layout, small font, and grade school level of functionality. The library site I find almost impossible to find anything on and if you have to link to any of it you have less than a 30% chance of anyone else being able to follow the link because it usually fails somehow.
I'm not in CIS, but I am an experienced internet user so believe me I feel your pain there. I sometimes wonder if they're trying to create the site information with the Commodore 64 I had as a kid ;)
In all fairness, the online site wasn't built by them - at least I'm almost positive about that. But it does suck. Being a programmer for many years, and at DeVry for their CIS program, I find it a bit ironic that their site is so poorly built that I can't even use "back" properly. And yes, trying to write (or read) code on the forums is horrible. Their poor excuse of a forum fails to add support for anything but hyperlinks and text. Its not like it would be hard to add, either. Even a mediocre web programmer still in school could probably do it in less than a week, if not a day.
It is unfortunately how poor DeVry's technology is. At least it seems secure. First time I went to take a quiz, I was almost expecting the timer to be client-side. Thankfully it seems to just be the presentation aspect that sucks.
Alright, a little ripping update (again). I was getting sick of seeing slight abnormalities in my PDFs that had source code in it, so I started checking around again for a way to produce better rips and found PDF Creator. It is completely free, and unlike Primo/Nitro PDF, it rips as text instead of as graphics, giving you a flawless rip. It is a much faster process, too, and allows you to avoid OmniPage (which increased the time per PDF about 10-fold).
On a side note, were you expecting your rant to become such a hit, Glitch-Chaos? ;)
Thanks for the tip Spodi :) I'm now down loading that program to check it out for myself.
As for your question of "On a side note, were you expecting your rant to become such a hit, Glitch-Chaos? ;)"
I had no idea it would become this useful/helpful, but I had hoped to find others who felt as I do and who found other solutions to this issue. Plus it just plain felt good to scream out into the internet to vent my frustrations ;)
THANK YOU for this rant!
I too am a Devry University student (online) and I too detest MyScribe; why Devry made this switch is beyond me. According to Devry there was "extensive user testing and positive feedback" - I don't recall being asked for feedback on MyScribe - it has essentially been pushed upon students. Devry should, at the very least, give students the option of using Adobe Reader.
Why I Hate MyScribe:
• Note taking is useless; page counts are off by thirty or so pages.
• Notes are out of order when reviewed.
• Electronic books can’t be read offline; as if the whole world stays constantly connected.
• One can’t copy text from the electronic text for use in referencing in say a Word document, MS OneNote or the like. In fact, one can’t even copy a single character due to ‘publisher limitations’.
Thanks for sounding out Anonymous person :) I hope you read the comments here with all the suggestions of potential bypass options.
Good luck with your study's
G-C
Brothers rejoice... PDF Creator is our savior.. This little program rocks.. Just open up myscrub and hit print. Then print with PDF Creator. Save file, then open with Adobe or your preferred PDR reader. So far, working great.
I noticed a small problem with PDF Creator - it failed after the 500th page. So be sure to check all your rips came out fine by just opening up the PDF and scrolling to the last page. You will see a blank white page with some error text at the top if it failed. If this happens, just print parts of the PDF at once (like 200 page blocks), then use another program to combine the PDFs together into one.
Ham Hock, Spodi, good to know. I've been making my PDF's separated out by Week to limit the page count and file size. I also go through the syllabus at the beginning of class and make them all up at once so I don't have to reference the site as often which is useful if I'm reading while far far away from internet access :)
Omg finally a way to get around this dumbass program. I'm also from devery never was asked any feedback about the program that constantly crashed with errors if I left the book open. Finally completly stoped working totally. Emailed crapCafe only to find out they don even support 64 bit of vista(yea as if i didn't see that coming) HTML reader pisses me off and the only other option is to use my other computer that's 7years old with a CRT for a monitor. OUCH MY EYES! I also took the liberty in sending a ear full to the help desk i doubt this will change a damn thing and MAN who was smoking the crack to approve of this crap id like to toss off a building .
I have updated my rant on MyScribe and DeVry's usage of it with a clear way on how to bypass it at the top. Those of you who have any kind of site, if you could please link to either Glitch-Chaos's or my pages, or create a page of your own stating how to bypass it, we can spread the knowledge quicker. The more pages and/or the more links we have to these pages, the easier time everyone will have finding out how to bypass MyScribe.
If you really hate MyScribe, be sure to also rate them down on download sites that host MyScribe. It likely won't help with the DeVry issue, but we sure don't want other people to be stuck with this program!
Viva la revolucion! :p
Guys, all I have to say is thank you for feeling my pain.
I was thinking I may have to drive down to Devry and kick some butt to get some changes done.
I hate myscribe!!
Good luck with that. I've been doing classes online since 2003, (yeah I know I'm slow) and I've complained about all kinds of stuff including E-books being charged to your account automatically if a class uses them instead of giving us a chance to buy a paper copy instead if we so choose. In some of the courses I took, I even bought both just because it was important to me to have the book to put on my shelf. It just don't make sense.
I am thinking of linking to this thread in one of my classes, is that a bad idea?
Jason, I'm glad you found our little, but growing, support group. Every voice screaming into the void increases the odds that someone who is able to improve things may hear.
Spodi, Good idea with the 'Rant update' on the potential bypass programs. It got me motivated enough to add an update note to the end of mine. Happy non-myscribe reading :)
G-C
Eric, if you think it will be helpful to others in the class who feel the same way, feel free. Though the less the "Powers that Be" know about us finding a way out of the dungeons the better off we may be ;)But that wont stop me from freeing everyone else in the dungeon on my way by.
Ok so I have now downloaded and installed PDFcreator. Printed the first 250 pages because of what Spodi said about the errors.
Opened it up with acrobat and freaking whalla!
It worked like a charm! I can search the document and everything. I am extremely impressed.
Now I'm just going to divide the book up as my syllabus uses it and I am back like I was last semester with digital editions.
Spodi and Glitch-Chaos, you guys don't know how much I really appreciate the info I gleaned off of you guys tonight. From the bottom of my heart...
Thank You!
Glitch and Spodi,
This is Anonymous User from the January 24, 2009 6:05 PM post.
I just wanted to thank you both for the bypass, it works perfectly!
Glitch, I took your advice on the 500 page limit and also went through the syllabus making the chapters according to the weekly reading assignments. Good idea! :)
Thanks again guys, and good luck with your studies.
My fear.. Is that the powers to be will get wind of this little bypass and somehow find a way of stopping us from printing to a PDF, no matter what the program is.
I have told fellow classmates about this and also a co-worker that just signed up with DeVry.
To be truthful, I didn't like the transition to Digital Editions either. Just give me the plain ole PDF and let use what I want.
Ham Hock The Adobe Digital Editions transition really didn't bother me. You have to see it for what it was. The reasoning behind Digital Editions was to better protect the copyrighted books with DRM (digital rights management) most publisher wont let you have access to their book unless there is some (perceived) restrictions on how and in what way the book is used. That's is, technically, what MyScribe is doing as well, but unlike Adobe, MyScribe is taking it too far. That's why I hate it, I'm a geek, I know about other devices that can use PDF files that don't have the functionality MyScribe requires due to being very short sighted. They assume that the only way anyone could ever want to read a PDF file is through a computer, and well that's just not the case in today's world. MyScribe is about Ten Years behind the technology curve and its obvious through their program. Adobe tries a lot harder to keep up and honestly just seems to want to be helpful. (that's why I like them) MyScribe is all about the CYA factor, they just don't want to get sued by one of the publishers they do business with. (that's why they're so hard to use and why I really don't like them)
Sheesh I almost need to make this into another blog entry :)
Fight the Fear and spread the word. We will win out... or we'll all tell DeVry to "blankedy blank off" and take our money to a smarter (non-MyScribe using) college ;)
Here's something I found for those who are having quality problems with Adobe after PDF conversion.
In Adobe go to:
Edit>Preferences>Page Display> In rendering, Click the drop down for Smooth text and then check "For Laptop/LCD screens. (If you have an LCD/Laptop.) Also try the display without "Use Local Fonts" checked.
Looks much better.
Just thought I would add another note to this rant. I too have also complained to MyScribe, CafeScribe, DeVry Admissions, academics, and financial aid, as well as my "success coach" about MyScribe. While I will say the I do like the note-taking functions (or rather the ability to use them), no one else shares notes so I don't even get that benefit.
However!!! Are you folks having any issues trying to rip this with the 30% print limit? (Yeah, they added that). Or is that limit just hype to discourage us?
That being said, I also have MS OneNote for free through DeVry (MSDN Alliance or on the $15 CD for Office 2007). I can do screen shots, of my screen/page, it puts it in there on a blank page, and then I can make the text searchable. I haven't personally tried it with this textbook because I would need to spend a week to get it all done and don't have the time, but have done it for a page at a time.
Also, some of the free books I have tried to download won't, so I can't delete them. re-downloading does nothing, and as everyone else has mentioned it crashes ALL the time and sucks HUGE resources. I have taken to having task manager open at all times just to have the performance indicator in my system tray - so that I know that I am not the one screwing up my computer!
Ok... enough rant for now.. I'll be back to check on the progress.
Funny that you mention the printing limitation thing. I remember running across it (being limited to print only so many times), but I have printed one book at least 10 times while trying to get that "perfect rip". Never once have I had a problem with this excessive printing.
Kenzie, the "limit" is one of the things I railed on about to DeVry. The person I spoke to, who claimed to ask her boss, said that we (DeVry People) do not have that limit. I don't know if its a deal DeVry worked out with MyScribe "just for students" or if it's, like you suggested, just a deterrent.
Anyway, welcome to all of this craziness and thanks for chiming in :)
Hmm.. That will make it worth trying though. Oh.. a note on the MS One Note idea... even though the text is searchable, if you try to copy the text only and paste in a word doc it is completely garbled... :( Duh.. shoulda known better. Also, to get the page into one note you have to zoom so low that you lose picture quality anyways.. so that idea does not seem to work so well after all. I will try one of the other methods. :)
I feel calling Devry is like calling Microsoft to get another xbox repaired WHAT ITS BROKE? REALLY? ARE YOU SURE?. Nooo im not im just looking at red lights for fun times. Best future video game EVAR titled how Best 3 lights of my life.
Told there tech support that this shitty ass program don't work for vista 64 bit after that email from cafe scribe... They seem to be totally clueless. After that i posted a compliant to my advisory to fix my issue with this shitty as program. Took them two days to call back just to ask me what was going on. UM wait how descriptive do i got to be IT DON'T SUPPORT MY OPERATING SYSTEM!. Was told i was going to get called back here it is a week later and still no call. I'm beginning to believe devry hired people from Microsoft's support........Waiting for devry to get sued for Myscribe showing three red lights and BSoD. Just glad there really is this work around or id be using the HTML reader still... from what I told them lawl!
I wonder if there is a central person or dept that we can all call and direct other people to contact to get rid of myscribe and get back digital editions.
@balls: It works on Vista x64 for me just fine... Okay, let me rephrase that. "It works on Vista x64 as poorly as it does on XP."
Not saying you shouldn't complain, though - I likely know more about computers than you, which gives me a huge advantage. Just saying that there is a way to get it to work on Vista x64 just like it does on other OSes. Though there doesn't seem to be any way to make it work "well"... :P
Spodi It worked on vista 64 bit for all of 3 weeks before it crashed on me. Uninstall /reinstall don't even stop it from immediate lock up nore does fucken with the registry. Devry now has this updated on their main page to reflect this: http://www.devry.edu/whydevry/online_options_technical_specs.jsp
If you don't want to read it here's a quick copy past of the operating requirements.
Operating System: Windows XP (32-bit, with Service Pack 2), Windows Vista (32-bit).
64-bit Operating Systems are not currently supported due to software incompatibility issues, particularly with Cafi Scribe eBooks and other required applications.
I happen to build my own computers and grew up around them to know a decent amount of work arounds. So when it comes down to it im not a technology retard like others may be. Hell I've had more problems with myscribe then i had with programs that wernt even built for vista. Uninstalling the damn thing even makes it lock up with an exe response message(though it uninstalls its funny as hell). After i emailed them again the lady told me there's a list of people all with 64bit of vista that have the same issue. Now i have xp 32bit on my old computer but ill gladly take using fucking dos and windows 3.1 as a reading program then this bullshit. They just need to go back to fucken adobe yea it wasn't great but HOLYSHIT this almost reminds me of Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing! (i think big rigs may have an upper hand here clearly its pro and big :P The only thing they stated me to though was they're looking into a patch for myscribe. I told the lady they just need to stop using the crap and go back to hard back copies at this rate.
In addition to all that has been said, MyScribe also doesn't have a text aloud reader. Plus since you can only copy 30% of the book you can not paste it into a reader. I like to turn mine into MP3's so that I can take them on the road to listen to. Isn't this an accessibility violation? I want to know why they changed in the first place. Adobe does more - you can do notes there. They just are not shared. Like I want someone else’s notes. That's why I am in school, to learn it for my self. Duh!!!! Glad to know I am not alone.
Heather, thanks for sounding out. The more people who speak up, the more likely it is DeVry will have to rethink their decision. (Bad press for a college in a bad economy = potentially lost revenue) As for your accessibility question. From my understanding, it's only a violation if they are unable to provide an alternative when asked by those who fall under ADA protection. Meanwhile, I hope one of the bypass programs listed will be of assistance to you.
Yes they were, thank you very very much. I am passing it on to a friend. Now I don't care if they do change it, because I can do what ever I want with it. This is sooooo coool. Thanks thanks thanks, you are a life saver and my exams thank you too.
Heather, Glad to hear it was helpful :) That's part of the reason for this blog so when it works out, it makes me grin like a kid on Christmas morning. Be well and thanks for spreading the cure ;)
I felt like a crazy person until reading your post, thanks guys. I've got a couple bones to pick with Devry for their ecollege site, but those inconsistencies i can deal with. However, myScribe has got to go, agreed. I'm just gonna list my reasons:
-The highlight function freezes the program for over a minute every page, so I've just stopped using it.
-Highlighted portions are listed in reverse order, with my most recent highlight first. That means the order you normally read in is totally reversed.
-There is no custom resizing option for the text, you have to work with their increments of +/- 10.. so lame.
-Why why why, can't I select text to copy or right click the document?
I have a mac and i was reading eric's post from earlier where he said he just simply selected print to PDF from the print option. I've done this before with other documents like .doc files in Word, but i don't see the option avail for myScribe. Eric you still around??
Unter09, Thanks for commenting! Sorry I didn't respond sooner, at first I waited to see if Eric would answer your question, because I can't help you myself :) and then I started my battle with MyScribe for getting my next classes text book and got so ticked off at it (again) I ran away and hid for a few days ;)
Thanks for speaking out :)
On another note, I found a new problem with MyScribe in its print function. It is a nightmare to try to print out non consecutive chapters/pages I went through clicking the check boxes to mark the pages I wanted to print and the Slider kept jumping back to the beginning of checks. This made it so I had to keep re-scrolling down in the page window to where the next consecutive box was that I needed to select. That ladies and men folk is truly incompetent programming!
This community satisfies me.
I agree, this is a big sham, we are being railed unnecessarily. Hence we are thus in many instances bitter. This drives us to engineer our creative intuition. Presented with tangles of challenges, we meticulously unweave them. Our spirit grows as we overcome the obstacles set before us.
I am just starting with DeVry online and I am annoyed as I had anticipated. I protest as a missionary of open source. This being at the core of my operative, I had expected to be in a position counter to most; mainly institutional staff, their practices, policies and for certain their software. I am steadily firm, hoping that I will discover a glimmer of compatibility.
For those of you more experienced with the DeVry structure, I ask, "What is in store for me, being the I primarily function on an open source platform?"
My first challenge has been MyScribe. Some of us in the Linux community have been trying to use MyScribe. There are a few different forum posts: WINE, Ubuntu.
I will include on them a link to this thread.
I have conceded from trying to get MyScribe operating under Linux and went with installing it on a virtual machine then printing it via PDFCreator (I also tried PrimoPDF) then viewing it in Document Viewer, a linux native PDF viewer.
PrimoPDF worked and so did PDFCreator. I have a 1400 page book and I was limited to printing 500 pages at a time.
I agree, the DeVry web interface is mega lame and out of style. Perhaps if we think it is so weak, then maybe we should build something more intuitive. If we are as awesome as hope to become (given that is within any of us who have contributed to this blog as an individual desire) then perhaps we could collaborate and build our own online educational institution. Feature rich with what we believe is an up to date interface. -- A very ambitious project proposal for an undergraduate who knows close to nothing --
I have not started class yet but I have already learned a lot. This blog is a monument to technosocial development.
BattleStarJesus, welcome to my corner of the war against stupidity from higher learning institutions. I know a few open source programmers so I can imagine, quite well, how crazed MyScribe must be making you ;) Starting with the fact that its designed to be closed source, through to the fact that the program was written so poorly it's barely capable of functioning the way its supposed to (though sometimes it can't even manage that much)
Maybe you can push for a class project to be creating an open source ebook reader program that can rip books from MyScribe and other closed source programs :)
Thanks for taking the time to comment and for linking to my little blog. I wish you well in your study's and in life :)
Wow...I just spent a good 30 minutes catching up on this. I found it as I was searching for how to get myscribe to run in wine. I tried the PDFcreater and it compiled my 600 page book in about 5 seconds. I am very pleased with the results. I'm just waiting for my eee pc to arrive and I'll be ready to go. I am surprised Devry hasn't made a capstone or final project on finding a way to improve its own site. For a technology school its downright disheartening to show off the 'shell' to experienced programmers (even midnight-mommy bloggers!) If they don't do it, the market will force someone else to. I too am working on my CIS (thanks employer!) and would love to see more lobbying.
Andre, Welcome and thanks for taking the time to read through all this and for commenting. I'm happy to hear you found it helpful.
Good luck in your studies :)
My friends, I wanted to point out that I have added a review of Sony's PRS-505 E-Reader to my blog in case you have been considering buying one yourselves. My over all opinion is that I love it. So feel free to check it out and to comment.
Thanks
G-C
http://glitch-chaos.blogspot.com/2009/03/sony-prs-505-e-reader.html
Dear Glitch-Chaos, I too have the problem of purchasing a 64-bit Vista system due to my hard drive crashing a few weeks ago. I talked to tech support at DeVry and they wwere absolutely no help. The program did install on my system, but when I try to open a book, MyScribe closes with an error message. The only thing I can do is use the HTML reader that only shows one page at a time and it truely sucks ass. There is no way I will finish an exam using this. I downloaded the PrimoReader and don't know where to go from here. If I can't even get to my book, how can I create a PDF for it? Can I create a PDF from the HTML shit? Help.
Mellymel, I'm sorry to say I don't know :( Keep Reading though I don't run Vista in any form. Spodi said in a earlier post it was working for him...
HEY, SPODI are you still around?
All I can suggest are the typical software issue checks of, make sure your anti-virus or firewall aren't interfering. Can you post the Error message? (if its a real message and not just numbers and letters)
As for printing the pages through the HTML version I don't really think that would work to well as it only displays one page at a time.
The only other option I can think of is to find a really good friend who will let you access MyScribe through their computer and install the PDF creator or primo software to convert the book, then move that PDF file back to your Vista64 computer for use.
I'm still searching for new and better ways to bypass MyScribe and I will post as I find them.
Best of luck :) Sorry I couldn't be more helpful... Yet!
That is what I would do. Install it to a friends 32-bit comp and just create the pdf out of it there. Remember it gives trouble when going over 500 pages so just do like half and half.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm not an online student--I take all of my classes on-site. One of my classes this term is a new blended class (hybrid on-site/online) and we have an eBook. The bookstore doesn't carry the hard copy anymore (which was a disappointment), so I've been struggling with MyScribe for weeks now. Horrible software.
It's now week 6, so I'm almost done with the class...but I couldn't stand using MyScribe any longer. Thank you, again, for posting this blog and thanks to everybody who has commented with solutions. It's so nice being able to read the book in Foxit Reader, which works as I'd like it to!
If I ever have to use another eBook in a future class, I'll be using PDFCreator right away!
Jacob, Thank you as well. Each person who finds this site and speaks out makes me infinitely happier that I took the time to write this Blog.
Good Luck with your studies :)
G-C
I started reading from the top, then i got bored and decided to leave my comment as support. I also hate myscribe. As a fellow Devry Student, I really cant understand why they would need to use DRM like this. The program is horrid in so many ways.
I found this site actually looking for a way to get my books on my ipod for reading on the go. As of this posting, im not a large step closer! Thank you, and keep up the rants!
Hi. I'm a current DeVry student. I have been plagued by the ability to use PDF's offline since I started this money-hungry school. It was easier to do in Adobe 7, but then they went to the Digital Editions crap. I have bought and paid for ebooks two years ago that I still cannot access for reference. They should supply a refund. I'm kinda glad they went to MyScribe so i could use this print bypass to save my books for future. There are some other ways I've found although not too practical, such as using Scribd in hopes that someone uploaded the book I needed. I understand DRM, but what about my rights to buy something and still use it under my own pretenses? Thanks for hearing out my rant...and thanks to you guys for posting this. I will be using your method. If anyone has a similar method for OSX, please let us know.
I also attend DeVry University and dislike MyScribe. I guess, I have lots of problems with how DeVry does things. I no longer use windows, but use Ubuntu Linux; I understand I can use VmWare and so on, but it is annoying how I can't just read the book with a PDF viewer.
I can't even purchase the book at the campus bookstore, which sucks for me because it is a lot harder reading a book on the screen. Instead I have to order it on-line and wait for it to arrive. Honestly I do not know if I'm even being charge for the book or not; This made me think twice about ordering a hard copy. Choices would be nice, as well as, information.
My first experience with My Scribe was that I could print one chapter at a time with Adobe Distiller. Now, I just logged in for one my last two classes at DeVry and I went to print to PDF and I get an error "This Printer is not supported".
This is the worst...
I've tried the other free-ware opitons mentioned here and get the same result. Any other suggestions on getting around this?
Update. Screw Devry and all of it's money whoring. I've finally gotten fed up with constant battles with the financial aid department and lack of student support. I am dropping DeVry as of now and applying for another University close to my home town. After looking into the other University's courses, I realize how meager the offerings are at DeVry. I am NOT learning what I should be for my career...and I have a 4.0, consecutive Dean's lists, and member of the National Scholar's Honor Society. Remember, when you graduate, your first boss is going to want you to perform a duty. Do you think that DeVry has afforded you the opportunity to learn that skill or are you going to remember how we tried to keep our books we paid for. I, for one, will be a graduate of a University that looks at students as the future of our nation and economy and values me as such. Universities and educators should put the teachings of the student first, above all. I hope all of you will take a closer look at your education. Are you getting the education you are paying for, or are you buying your degree?
...Final Rant
Thanks to all and good luck.
Matt, I just used the programs listed on Monday and they worked fine for me, I did get one error when I tried to print my hole book at once due to the programs build in page limits but my usual separation by weekly reading assignment went smoothly. The only other thing I can suggest if that doesn't work, is for you try printing a different file just to make sure it's not a glitch with your machine.
DMANSR,
Good luck to you! I wish I could change but since DeVry bought my old college that I have a degree from they had to force credit transfers that other colleges wont. Those transfers cut my Bachelors degree from 4 years to 2 so I'm just gonna tough it out. But, believe me, if that wasn't the case I sure as heck would be shopping around too ;)
The bastards.... I was able to print with PDF creator last week at home. I just tried it at work and I get a myscrub error that says the printer is not supported...
We must unite and figure out another way to beat myscrub...
Yup, I'm getting the same error as well "printer is not supported". Jerks. The program is terrible and we can barely run it on our computer.
Maybe it is the new version of myscribe that is giving the error?
I just fired it up and it asked my if i want to update to the newer version, and I said no.
Tried to print to Adobe pdf and it worked fine.
I also have said NO to the update and still don't have any issues. At some point in the near future I'll see if I can load the new version on to an old PC I have to look for a bypass on it. In the mean time I'll be looking into Online Petition sites to see about petitioning DeVry to stop using MyScribe or to at least stop charging us for the online version books so we can afford to buy "real" copy's separately.
If you happen to know of a web based Petition site please let me know!
Also I'm going to talk to a programmer friend of mine to see if she can write a script that will block MyScribe's block on Printing to other programs.
Lastly I hope some of these other programs like PDF Creator and Primo PDF will Sue MyScribe for blocking their services. (I guess that's another Email I'll have to send notifying them and making that request.)
If any of you find more information please post here or at least post a link to it. We students have to stick together.
Thanks :)
Glitch-Chaos
I also am a DeVry student. I called tech support at the school to find out what is up and they say myscribe is supposedly working on the print problem as their top priority. Also, again supposedly, they went to myscribe because adobe doesn't support textbooks as ebooks any more. They also tole me if you keep the old version of myscribe, there aren't problems printing but if you do like I did and accidentally hit enter and get the new version you are screwed until myscribe fixes it. If I wasn't so close to graduation, I would say forget this. If anyone does find a way around this PLEASE tell. Maybe it is mental but I can't do this very well without printed copy and the two classes I am in are HARD!!!
Like all of you, I found MyScribe to have serious flaws...one is how it is not as user friendly as the Adobe that was previously used. Another is how to access it, there must be an internet connection. Last but not least, it won't print to a PDF. SUCKS! Anyone has any solutions, please do share.
I am also a DeVry student with a life outside of school. I work & have a family. After spending all day staring at computer screen for work I then spend countless hours in class online. The last thing I need is more time in front of a screen with an e-book of any sort. Someone should put together a class action lawsuit. We should get a choice between a physical text book and the electronic version.
Where do you go to file a complaint with DeVry?
Dave, for complaints you can contact the school's Student Services Department. They mostly seem to just answer phones and listen though, and you'll never get to someone who "matters". They are supposedly required to forward complaints to "the correct department" but who knows if they do or if that department actually cares.
G-C
Thank god, I’m not the only mysrcibe hater. I am a devry online student and absolutely detest mysrcibe devry should drop this idiotic software. I am paying over $60,000 for my education a laugh a little when I hear them call it a free e-book viewer and would like to be able to read my books at my leisure with no internet connection.
LOL! Here i thought i was the only one hating this extremely useless program. The only good thing over the Adobe Edition was that i was able to print to PDF with cutePDF and then use Foxit to read them (Foxit is better than Acrobat since it has tabs so you can open multiple pdf's in 1 window). That is until I stupidly decided to upgrade and now the printing is broken. I am now searching for the install of the older version, which is how I found this site. Wish me luck!
-Dan
wtg with the pdfcreator. Worked like a charm with an older version of myscribe. Gave me back my book, and I can finally read my assignments like I should be able to, with bookmarks, notes and the great features in foxit. I feel I can finally study thanks to this.
I got all the myScribe related files/cache deleted from registry, and then downloaded and installed an older myScribe (3.8.x.x) from internet, now I could print it to my network printers, and also can print to PDFcreator.
Ok, I have been using Primo PDF and now I can not use it. I have dyslexia really bad and the myscribe reader sucks ass. The college and myscribe both are not helping me and I am suppose to have my books in front of me and not on the computer and on tape. What can I use since Primo is not working anymore for me.
Can someone put the older version of myscribe on here with a file or link. I can not find it. My did the update with out asking me.
I have it, but don't see anyway to upload it here.
If you know winrar, I can break it into a couple of pieces and email it to you.
Sorry I haven't responded sooner, I've been down for a few days from Pain and Percocet.
I don't have a way to attach an old version of MyScribe here, But if anyone finds a version online you should be able to post a link here without issue.
I'm currently researching free file hosting sites for another project but when I find a good/trustworthy one I'll try to get an older copy there, sadly I don't know when that will be due to the interference from my small health issue.
Thanks for the shared support and comments.
G-C
I am also looking for MyScribe 3.8 since I want to be able to create a PDF file of my e-books. Is there anybody out there who has the Installer for the previous version available? Not to be found on the Internet anymore.
Rempie
sale-bdxnw-1226411494@craigslist.org
Older MyScribe Installer:
http://www.brothersoft.com/d.php?soft_id=67533&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffiles.brothersoft.com%2Fhome_education%2Fe-books%2FMyScribeSetup-20071003.exe
That MyScribe 3.6 installation listed above me does not work for me... It requires an email address login instead of just my DSI number.
I no longer have 3.8 on my computer from the last time because I've reformatted since the last time I used an eBook. If anybody could please upload 3.8, it would be great. (Try MediaFire.com or something.) I needed to take an online class for a CIS track class and I refuse to use MyScribe. It's awful.
I still have the old version, however I get an access error when I try to open my new book. All my other books open normally. I have the new version on my work P.C. and I am able to open my new book.
Looks like the butheads made it to where you have to have the new version.. And they still haven't fixed the print to PDF option yet.
GRRRRR.. What a PITA!!!!!
Still works great for me as of last Sunday when I turned both of my books into pdf.
Try using a uninstaller such as "Revo"(google it) to completely remove the program and all associated files then fresh install the old version.
Should work great.
Sorry, I haven't been around, my sister just had her first kid :-)
As for book issues this term I won't be all that helpful as my current class uses a Real Book! needless to say I am quite happy about that. So, obviously, I haven't had to deal with any issues. My search for a better solution is ongoing though, since I assume that my next class may revert to the pathetic MyScribe.
Keep posting though, I'll help when/If I can.
Ok I tried all the above solutions even reinstalling the old version but that only crashed myscribe to the point it refused to open. I ended up calling the MOST STUPID CUSTOMER SERVICE TECH center I have ever heard of and they only made things worst (Devry stucks!)
Anyway I ended up having to download teh new version and now I can't print to any network printers only to a real printer and also i can't even copy some texts from the book to other sources nor is my read aloud function working.
so anyone know any new code or way for fixing the new version of myscribe so that can convert my book to Pdf?
Same here... Tried Revo (Pretty neat little program) reinstalled 3.8, declined upgrade request and I still can't open the most recent book.
I get an error access violation bla bla.. Program terminated.. I've tried this on two machines, one xp and the other vista. I tried it through linux and wine, but not much luck there either.
It seems as though they placed new books in a location that only the new reader can access..
That is just weird because I have never updated and I am still able to access my new books for the semester that started a week ago and print to .pdf.
Has to be something with the uninstallation and reinstallation of myscribe.
Not sure what is going.
Anyone have a .pdf of PSYC110? lol.
Is that "Motivation and Leadership"?
If so then yes I have it.
Ah, nevermind. Motivation and Leadership is Psyc305.
We weren't using myscribe when I took 110. Had digital editions then.
I believe I can convert digital editions to .pdf.
Here is the title: Psychology for Life and Work
2008 Edition
Maris Roze & Tennille Fenty
© 2008 DeVry University Press
Sorry Ham Hock, I don't have any of my digital edition books anymore. Got a new laptop right when they started using my scribe.
I do have
LAWS310
PSYC305
HUMN303
MATH190
HUMN232
in .pdf if you need any of them.
Thanks Jason..I took LAWS310 last session and have the pdf., however I may take you up on some of your other titles.
I have:
CIS206
BIS155
BUSN115
COLL148
COMP100
I transferred in a bunch of credits, but I still have to take the DeVry "required" courses.
Here is another little pet peeve.. Why do I have a team of academic advisers? I want to talk to the same person every time. One time I get one that knows what they are talking about and another time I get one who seems to just be reading from a script.. Not to mention the annoying coaching team, who finally have stopped pestering me after a year of me basically ignoring them.
Sorry... I just wanted the 100th comment with this post about how much myscribe sucks...
When will there be a linux version? It doesn't work with wine or crossover.(Not that it would be any better in linux)
Just let me know Ham Hock.
I'm doing computer engineering but only in my 3rd semester so as time goes on I will have more.
Wow, over a hundred comments! Crazy!
...and here I was hoping that after 50 DeVry or MyScribe would have gotten a clue and fixed things o_0 Instead neither have and things have only become worse on MyScribes end. Well here's hoping that they're the next victim of the economy ;)
For note I'm in the BSTM program for hospitality Management so those will be the book I may have access to if needed. Depending, of course, on if they've been updated or not from what I have.
Thanks everyone for helping to make this blog reach 100 comments and for being kind enough to share resources.
Ironically I wish I never had this reason to meet you all ;) but I am glad that you all seem like a good bunch.
Keep squeaking, someday we just may get oiled ;)
G-C
Sorry for being absent in the battle for so long. I took a little time today to try and figure out how to reinstall an older copy of MyScribe since I'll be installing Windows 7 here relatively soon, and would hate to be stuck with MyScribe.
Anyways, it seems that all you need are the data files. I have scrubbed the registry and ProgramData files extensively to remove all previous traces of MyScribe, but just having the data files seems to suffice. So here you go: MyScribe 3.8.9.
http://rapidshare.com/files/257639990/CafeScribe.zip.html
To use, simply download the link above, extract anywhere, and run. On the first run, you might need to exit the program and re-enter for your books to appear.
Once you have this version running, simply follow the instructions given for PDFCreator or any other PDF printer.
Enjoy! :)
Thanks for the rant, I agree too. In addition to the long, long fail train that everyone has described, I have a couple other problems:
A) No linux client/alternative. IT's my own fault for running linux, but just give me the damn pdf. I don't like Adobe either, but at least the whole world can read pdf.
B) I start a class. I want to read the book for that class. I install MyScribe. I have to download EVERY FUCKING BOOK, and with my luck, my new class' book is last. It doesn't help that some dumb fuck made every chapter of my management class a different "book", so I have to scroll through Chapter 9384838792 before I can find my damn HR class (Oh, I'm a NIS major too. Good thing I can manage, and manage human resources...)
Alex,
Sounds like you took BIS155.. lol.. Every chapter was loaded individually for my class.
One small thing you might try is to remove the books you are not using from your bookshelf. Just right click and hit remove, however don't delete the book completly.. It won't come back..
I also agree with he lack of support for Linux. They teach it, why not support it? I am very close to getting mysucks to work with wine. I can get all my books to load, but when I try to access a book I get errors..Grr.
I also tried cross-over, but it didn't work either..
(This post brought to you by Ubuntu)
Spodi's older copy (MyScribe 3.8.9 for Windows) worked great for me. PrimoPDF created PDFs without a glitch, so now I can read my eBooks anywhere on my PDA. Had to split up some books into separate chapters in case there were numerous illustrations.
Thanks!
Rempie
so close. I downloaded spodi version and fired it up. Got my books downloaded, but when i try to start a book I get
Error: access violation at 0x006919fA program terminated. Im running vista any help?
Spodi' your copy of MyScribe 3.8.9 worked great for me. Thx a lot! You made my life a lot easier!!!
apidshare.com only allows 10 downloads. Since I was #10, I feel obliged to create a new link so others can download MyScribe 3.8.9.
http://rapidshare.com/files/263367128/MyScribe_3.8.9.zip.html
Hi guys,
Feel your frustration.. For those of us out there that are mac users, I found an easy solution. Instead of print to PDF file (which they specifically disallow), do a "Preview" of all the pages, and then in Preview.app just hit Save As... :P Worked for me!
Ok......so Im a new student at DeVry at first look myscribe looked like a really cool program and I started to read (although class doesnt start till the 31st) the textbook so I could get a head start. HA! After spending like 5 hours reading the book adding notes and highlight.....it closed out while i was performing a search and then when i reopened it.....i had to re download the book. Which I did only to discover all my highlights were wrong. UGH!!!!!!!
I started to search why it had done that and found this site. :)
But im having a problem since apparently all you guys have a less suckish version of myscribe and the one SPODI gave a link to at rapidshare gives me a bs screen stating that the maximum of 10 downloads has been surpassed and the creator will have to upload it again. So i guess I wasnt the only one looking for an alternative eh? So Spodi if your still out there PLEASE upload it again? :D
p.s. I HATE MYSCRIBE
Ok I feel like a blond now (no offense to the blondes out there) I guess I scrolled to fast or something and missed the comment by Anonymous who was nice enough to upload it again since they were the 10th person.
YAY!
Okay I have one question for you guys.....which pdf reader would you recommend? One in which I can add notes and highlight (since i really liked that feature in myscribe)
Thanks :D
its me....again lol
so i uploaded the old myscribe and it opens up....downloads the book (each time i reopen it, it reloads it) and then i click the book to open it and the whole myscribe shitty as crap program closes. F****
PLEASE HELP....
Hey this is Perfectly Flawed from the previous comments....
Just wanted to say that I have tried various ways to make the conversion to a pdf file (read my blog) and have failed at each attempt.
my eyes hurt...my head hurts...and im annoyed as heck....
please any tips or anything else u think might work...or might be the cause of my problem...feel free to comment my blog with that.
thanks :)
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who hates MyScribe! Misery loves company and it looks like I've got a lot of company!
I started DeVry last session with an online Pre-Calculus class and an electronics class at the Fremont, California campus. The Pre-Calculus class used a MyScribe textbook.
One thing that bugs me about the electronic textbook is that no one told me there was a fee for it! There's no mention in the syllabus or anywhere else I could find describing the fee for MyScribe. why does this bother me? It bothers me because I bought a hardcopy of the textbook before I found out about the fee! DeVry didn't send me a bill, they just added the charge to my account. I didn't find out about it until I added a class for the second session!
When I saw MyScribe described in the syllabus I thought DeVry was giving the textbook away for free (boy, was I a sucker!). I tried using it, but I have a problem with eyestrain and printed material is generally easier on my eyes. Studying the text on a computer gave me blurry vision and headaches. Since I didn't realize I'd payed for the electronic textbook, i purchased a hardcopy.
My main problem with MyScribe is that it appears to be just a way for DeVry to "enhance" their revenue! With MyScribe, DeVry has basically found a way to force students to buy the textbook from them and to pay full price. There's no option to get a discounted or used book from another source; and DeVry makes more profit from electronic books because there's no printing or distribution costs! DeVry already makes more money from online classes. They charge the same fees as for on-site classes, but they don't have the overhead of on-site costs. They can also save on salaries by hiring Professors from areas with lower costs of living.
The bugs in MyScribe are pretty bad. I had problems with the bookmarks, searching and highlighting. In other words, all the main features have bugs. On one computer I got an Access Violation when I tried to run it.
I've worked in software development for more than twenty years (I'm older than the typical DeVry student), so I have some sympathy for the MyScribe programmers. Every program of any complexity has bugs, but the major bugs are usually eliminated before the program is released. In this case this obviously didn't happen.
There are lots of reasons why buggy software is released. It could be that the development schedule took longer than anticipated, which happens in the majority of software projects. DeVry may have insisted that it be implemented by a certain date whether it was ready or not.
Well, now that I've got that rant off my chest I feel much better; but I'm not going to stop complaining to the DeVry staff about MyScribe!
Good informative post, Anonymous.
I am having trouble being able to print anything from my myscribe. I was told that I am able to print 100percent of my text and I can't even print one page. Anyone got any solutions?
Hi Folks,
I am grateful for having found you all, as I too, have started Devry for 8/31. My sentiments are reflected among all of the posts here regarding this hidious myscribe. I have downloaded everything and installed successfully but when I try to access the program I get an "error violation" message and Technical support has no clue x 3 days now.The reference to the 3.8.9 version toward the end of this thread has been maxed. Any clue regarding the error and/or how to download the above version? This sucks! Thank you all in advance for your thoughts!
Does anybody have another link to download a version of MyScribe in which I can utilize the 'print to file' option? As stated before, the magic number 10 has been reached.
THANKS!
//C
I have Linux and handheld (basic PDF) versions of the books for BUSN115 and COLL148. Not sure where to host them, but a place where we can share them would be nice.
Also, if someone has a copy of the 3.8.9 program, it would certainly speed things up since I have the 40 page limit. I would convert other peoples books as well if I had that program since 40 pages at a time is way too slow.
To request the books and/or send a copy of the 3.8.9 program, email me.
auto734825@hushmail.com
***
To do it yourself, just change the PDF port to COM4, print in myscribe, let the error popup, then select the PDF port again.
auto734825@hushmail.com, thank you so much for the idea to change port to com4. that worked for me!!
i HATE myscribe. this will be the last class i take from devry.
All: I don't go to DeVry, but I found this rant while searching for a solution to my MyScribe issue (yes, I hate MyScribe!).
I can't run it on my poor old mac laptop (os 10.3.9), and I don't want to have to spring for a new os or laptop. I'm going to try the print preview trick mentioned above, but I'm also trying to find another link to MyScribe 3.9.... Any info?
Glad I'm not alone. ;-)
Hey everyone,
I am so sorry that the download link I gave had a limit on it. I would have never used it if I knew that would happen. Thanks to "Res" for pointing this out to me. :)
Here is a new link to a copy of MyScribe that will allow you to print:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?w3zzz2ziytg
Please let me know ASAP if this link goes down, and I'll get a new one up. :)
Thank you, Thank you all.
I'm at Keller and wondering exactly what WAS the point of MyScribe? For my last 2 classes I ended up buying used books, even though the texts were on scribe. After being tethered to my computer for 8 hrs at work, the last thing I want to do is be restricted to my laptop when I get home.
I have printed (in 40 page increments, grrr) to the Office Image Writer and used Adobe to combine them, but the quality is not so great. I'll look into some of these other free options. Thank you all so so much.
based on all your rants about this, should I really invest in Devry? I am set to start next week and the more I read the less I like the place and I have not even been to class yet.
I have only completed one session and have started my second at DeVry. (DeVry has two 8 week sessions per normal semester).
The education is average, however the time involved is greater than expected. When I signed up, I wasn't aware that you need to follow two "discussions" (aka forums) per class and need to post "quality" replies three times a week on separate days. Long story short; I spend far more time involved with online classes compared to traveling to a college that is a 2 hour round trip away. At least at a normal college, it is one day. I can spend the rest of the week working on the assignment.
Both online and on-site colleges have weekly assignments due, quizzes, mid-term, and finals.
Of course with DeVry you also get endure the pain of using MyScribe.
I have to share in everyone's pain. MyScribe is the most horrid excuse for an eBook reader I've ever used, and it's absolutely insulting to be paying $80 a book when I can't even use it how I wish. This would work perfectly on an iPod Touch, Kindle, or other similar device, but unless I want to print it out (not very green) or sit with a laptop everytime I want to read, I am out of luck. Absolutely ridiculous.
I am taking a Financial Management MBA class right now and this was the first time they told us we were going to be charged for something nobody wants (MyScribe).
At the very least Devry should allow us to choose E-Books as a OPTION, but not mandatory. This decision they made reeks of a "Money Grab" and I am offended as a student that they would go this route.
I think the only way this could get reversed is if we can make enough noise and have the money hungry DeVry execs take notice.
I've written an e-mail to Daniel Hamburger, CEO of Devry, Inc. I'm hoping that there's something that can be done with this situation, as there is NO reason not to offer the option of declining the MyScribe system, which is ridiculous since these books are available "in the flesh" for often cheaper than what you pay for the horribly crippled, DRM'd MyScribe "book". For example, for my current class I could have gotten a "like new" used physical copy of the book for $40 from Amazon.
Thank you for the rant, solutions and links. I am new to Devry this semester and use Linux instead of Win or Mac. I have had to view the MyScribe ebooks on a friends PC. I will try and run PDFCreater in Wine (a Windows layer) and let you know how that goes.
Wow, sorry I haven't been around lately everyone. (Life's been crazy for me) I want to thank each of you new people for sounding out here about MyScribe and its uselessness.
Note: I will never tell anyone if they should or should not attend DeVry over this MyScribe issue. It is only one factor and it is silly to think that there may be a "perfect" school out there. All learning institutions have issues, they always will. The real question is if the issues with DeVry are ones you can live with or not? and that is a question only you can answer!
I assure you that if you research any college you will find complaints and praise for them all. It as personal a question as if you prefer Boxers or Briefs/boy shorts or thongs, only you know!
All we can do is try to point out issues and request change. Vent all want here and good luck to you all in your educational pursuits!
I was unable to get the fonts to display when running in Linux. I could see my books but had no access. Tried the mediafire version posted by Spodi but could not figure out how to get my books to display. Removed the listed account and modified settings to work with mine. Oh well, I just 'printed' 40 pages at a time on my friends PC. I got everything that I needed then put them together with PDF Editor in Linux.
Mother f'er but I hate MyScribe with a passion, and its only my third week!
Yeah this BS of only printing out 40 pages at a time is ridiculous, especially when you have a book with over 500 pages, like my current text.
If you use the link to the older version of MyScribe that I gave earlier (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?w3zzz2ziytg), you should be able to use PDFcreator to print about 400 pages at a time (it will fail after about 500 pages), then merge it very quickly and easily with pdfmerge. Both PDFcreator and pdfmerge can be easily found through a quick Google search. :)
I study at DeVry and I also hate MyScribe.
Hello, does anyone know if and how I could view my textbooks on my blackberry. They are already in pdf format but I have had no luck opening them on my blackberry...I even downloaded beamberry and nothing.
Would the myscribe portable thing work???
I was able to get beam berry to work :D The chapters look exactly as they do on my pc...this program is awesome!!! Any blackberry users check it out @ http://www.slgmobile.com/beamreader.html
Its a free ten day trial. After that you have to purchase it for 17.99 but its so worth it.
Wow, I am so very happy to see that I am not alone. Thank you all for the detailed information and potential work arounds. I'm downloading the previous mentioned version of mycrap now so I can try to print more than 40 pages at a time. Hoping it works out. I'm on my third year with DeVry - started out with Adobe and can't beleive this garbage they transitioned to.
P.S. CutePDF is another PDF printer that works very well. I'm not sure if the 400-500 page limit is something specific to the applications recommended by others or not, I've been using cutepdf for years in other applications. i'll let you know if I find a similar threshold with that program - always good to have options. Cutepdf is free ware - you can google it :)
I am a student with DeVry and also have vented my frustration with CafeScribe. For a while there, the search function didn't work and I did work with CafeScribe to get it working just to find out that the newest version of CafeScribe resolved the search issue. The find updates in CafeScribe doesn't actually look for updates, what a waste. In the newest version of CafeScribe, printing to any form of a PDF printer has been disabled but like always, there is the work around of printing to your normal printer but "save as file" and then exporting it that way to the PDF printer. For the linux users, check the DeVry forum for your class and you will probably see a HTML version of your book online. It's not the best solution but it is a partial solution.
There is only one reason for this trash and it's called being cheap.
I am tired of the rip offs and cheapness. They are out to make as much money as they can and we pay the proce unless someone creates a problem and they get negative publicity.
Half the library software does not work correctly and is very slow. The latest is that the library is just turned "off" for the holidays to save money.
These jokers are going too get in credentialing trouble.
MyScribe is a worthless product that is used because of some special interest at a high level.
New Keller student for 2010 and also hate the myscribe. Thank you so much for the tips here. Being connected to a computer is simply unacceptable as the only source to the books. Had I not found these tips, i was second guessing my choice of schools.
I am running Windows 7, 64-bit, using MyScribe 3.9.8.17. Print to PDF no longer works in this version, but I have found a solution with the current limitations so I wanted to share here since I got a lot of ideas and info from this post.
1) You have to install a PostScript printer (have you ever seen the Print To File option? you'll be making use of that). Briefly, the print to file prints a file that the printer can later use to print a document without having to open the application it was designed in (basically has the print data in printer language). Anyway, it is possible to "Add a Printer" that does not exist physically, you go through Add a Printer, tell Windows it is attached, tell it that it is on a "Print to File" port, and it will try to search for a printer. You want to skip this if you can, you can use the "Have Disk.." or other option to let you choose the printer. Find a printer on there that has "PS" in the name, or "PostScript" I chose the HP LaserJet 2300L PS, any of the printers with PS will work. This installs the printer, and it is set to print to file. When you use this printer to print, a dialog will pop up and ask you for an Output File Name, you should use a .prn extension for this file (not required, but makes identifying the file much easier and will help in later steps). So I named mine for example, chapter1.prn.
2) Find the printed postscript file, mine was located in C:\Users\[Windows User Name]\AppData\Local\Temp, but you should use the search feature to find it so its easy.
3) Story getting to long here, so anyway, find the file, then use a "PostScript to PDF" program, google for one. I just used Acrobat because I had it, but there are free ones out there. In Acrobat, I just printed the file to PDF and it came out perfectly. Now, I noticed in this version that the footer had a "Made for DXXXX on [Date]" so it has your student ID in there. So, what I did is use Acrobat and trim the bottom 0.3" of the book, this got rid of the footer and left everything in place (page numbers and all) so I can share the file and not fear there being any thing that can lead back to me.
Also, I used this on a Sony Reader Touch Edition from the PDF and it was great to get the book on the go!
Hope this helps! Good luck with the battle!
@ Anonymous
Followed the directions for using the print to file, but cannot find my file. Not sure what I am missing here. I named the file as suggested and did a search to find it. It always comes up "no matches found". Any ideas? I DO get the notice that myscribe will print only 40 pages to this printer, so I am pretty sure everything up to that point is working.
Thanks!
My god thank you, I'm enrolled at Keller, they charge you for an eBook and then unless you do something like this, you don't get to keep a copy? Man is that dumb.
To the above poster, if you want to find the file, when you save it type a path name instead of just a file name, thats how i did it. I have a partition on my main drive that's F: so i save as like F:\ch1.ps or whatever format you want it in and it saves right to the root of F. Then I used PDFcreator to make it a PDF.
Thanks for your site - I too have had a great deal of trouble with MyCrud. When I told my adviser and the dean of my campus that MyScribe will not allow you to save the books, they didn't believe me, they pointed to the FAQ section that tells you how to copy MyScribe to a USB device. This FAQ is retarded and even goes so far as to say that their procedure will copy the "textbooks" to your USB device. Immediately after that it says that you will need a computer with internet access to read your book. They are so non-tech that they could not accept that this is not the book copied to the device, only a reader program.
I have been in the computer field for over 35 years, and maybe can see this kind of crap better than non-techs, but come on....
BTW, I have downloaded the older version and it appears to have worked.
Also, to the Anonymous poster from December 31, 2009 2:11 PM, was that the Adobe Editor, or is there a way to trim the bottom 0.3" from each page in the Reader?
Thanks,
Art
older version worked for me in windows xp.
The new iPad may be a great platform for the eBooks, once they're converted to PDF.
I posted on Devry's Facebook page about it, and they were completely uninterested, and were almost flippant about it.
Yeah, I unfortunately don't doubt that. They won't do anything that makes them spend more money.
I am glad I found this blog, myscribe has been driving me crazy. I don't like sitting in front of my laptop reading a book when I have a perfectly good ebook that doesnt kill my eyes when I am reading.
I absolutely HATE this software.
1.) The default is set so that it shows 2 pages at a time and the words are not legible at that size.
2.) Like most all school books each chapter has review questions so that you are able to answer them to have a thorough understanding of that chapter. So it would be beneficial to us to be able to copy and paste those questions into word so that we can have myscribe and word open side by side and be able to answer those questions as we go! Of course though copy and paste has been disabled!! So everything from the book that we may like to discuss or quote now needs to be typed wasting a huge amount of time and pulling our focus away from what were doing!
3.) The software is ugly and bright and makes it hard to focus on the content.
4.) Our books can’t be transferred to mobile readers!
5.) The limitations of this software are obviously to deter piracy, which insinuates that you have a preconceived notion that we will be pirating which is not a fair assumption at all.
6.) You cannot pan in this software it jumps around like a freaking jumping bean it's impossible to keep your place. Instead of just easily gliding down the page it rockets a half a page at a time! I hate it.
DEVRY SHOULD KNOW WE AREN'T PAYING 60,000+ FOR A BACHELORS DEGREE TO GET THIS KIND OF CRAPPY SOFTWARE.
If there are any hackers out there that have hacked this software PLEASE share the love. Lets spread it virally and show DeVry we aren't going to stand for this crap. A hack that allows us to pull our book off of myscribe entirely and transfer it into adobe or something would be phenomenal!
E-mail me!!!
I d/l the older version from Spodi (Thanks), but I keep getting an authentication error. I had my password reset and still getting this error. Using window$ 7..
I took two sessions off and was hoping they have dumped this utterly useless software.. oh well...
This information needs disseminated as much as possible. I'm going to use the https://vtunnel.com and create dummy social networking accounts on facebook/twitter/whatever Devry is trying to sell themselves through today. I will then upload the older version of CafeScribe wherever I can (storage.to, megaupload, whatever) and post instructions on how to print to pdf. MyScribe's form of DRM is ridiculous and needs to be stopped. If you buy content, it is yours to do WHATEVER you want with.
Our voices can be heard.
DeVry Inc.
Attn: Daniel Hamburger
3005 Highland Parkway
Downers Grove, IL 60515-5799
feedback@devry.edu is also an option.
Also
I agree. Students need to have the freedom to have a physical ebook offline. $80 is alot of money for an ebook.
Mr. Hamburger has been known to be very responsive in the past to students concern. I've met him several times and really does care about issues like this and how they impact the students. I'm sure if he hears from the masses, something will change.
Daniel Hamburger doesn't give a crap about the students as long as the checks keep coming in. I've already written a letter to him, and he can't even manage to have a secretary reply to me out of courtesy.
Yup, MyScribe is crap. It crashes frequently, uses tons of cpu to render each page, only lets you resize windows from the bottom right corner, etc. Blah blah blah. I hate DRM :-).
Just found out today that there's some problem with Devry's License for CafeScribe, so no one can download the software right now. We're stuck with only the html viewer for books.
http://tech.bifano.me/2010/01/01/myscribe-bites/ I have the file for the older myscribe here for windows XP to use with pdf creator to print the whole book pdf
Thanks Nic, that worked great. I extracted it to a system that didn't already have MyScribe installed and was able to print the complete books to pdf. As a side note, I had to wait for it to finish downloading all my books, then close it and reopen it to avoid it crashing and loosing all the books :-P. Quality stuff!
The PDF looks great, has all the text, is search-able, and I can highlight text and copy from it. Way cool. I'm looking forward to being able to pull the book up on my ebook reader, etc and not having to deal with MyScribe crashing all the time.
So reformatted and that file no longer works for me with clean install of XP SP2. seriously the thing crashes everytime I try to open this sessions book. oh my goodness. so now i can't print it. if someone wants to provide me with the file again, I would be willing to put up a link on my server that anyone can download at their will. let me know, thanks.
Glad to have found I am not the only person who hates this stuff. On mine, it defaults to a huge font, and does not save my preferred setting upon exit. The interface is just awful for me. I despise not being able to have a pointer- only a highlighter.
Also, I have to use a screen reader due to a disability. MyScribe is only compatible with MS's sapi text to speech engines / voices, and none of them are that good. I'm using a barely acceptable one now, but it repeats pages, and text throughout the document, as well as page numbers, visual aid citation information, table labels etc., which is counterproductive to say the least. I have yet to find a way to "tell" it where to re-start itself reading, since there is no pointer. I just scroll up and down a few times, and it seems to get the message.
I'm using version 3.9.8.17, is there anyone out there with information on this version?
Ok... I'm back. :) Let's see, I found a way to print my books to pdf WITHOUT having to export to postscript, etc. ANY pdf printer will work. I am hesitant about posting it because they might tell us we can't print period? However, I will post this thought...
When you print to a 'hard' printer, what port is it hooked to? And what port does your 'soft' printer use? Hmm, makes ya wonder doesn't it? Paid $13 for Acro 9 Pro. I can highlight, take notes, search, and everything. :) Been working for over four months.
Glitch, I sent you a FB friend request to get the email addy to you. I'll give ya the specifics that way if you need help sorting it out. :)
First, I'm sorry I keep being away for so long. I've been either unemployed or underemployed since before I posted this Rant and now I have my own website for my Photography set up (somewhat) Its at JohnMSperry.com if anyone is interested.
Next for the issue of trying to open a book and it closes the program. That is caused by myscribe having changed some of their coding to prevent us from using the older version that we can "bypass" the faults of. I've had one book so far with that issue and basically myscribe has recalled our "favorite" version and declared it EVIL! LOL only the new version works on those auto-closing books. :-(
Kenzie! Thank you for finding another potential solution for us all. I'll add you on FB and any info you can give me to help everyone else and myself ;) would be greatly appreciated!
It's too bad the.adbook zip file has split and encrypted PDFs. Although I wonder if they are using the cryptix code for that.
No sooner do I prep for finals, the HTML version of the books crap out and refuse to load any faster than five minutes per page, and I'm forced to use Myscribe. It works fine enough on the first exam, but when I go into my second exam the search feature craps out. Joyous day.
I'm a new student at DeVry as of July 2010. Is there any way through some kind of "hack" or some kind of alternative method I can convert these protected PDF files to something I can read on an iPad?
People on here have mentioned there is a way to convert the PDF or print it and then convert it. I look forward to your reply.
Please hit me back on email @ disruptor2010@gmail.com :-)
Thanks all,
Sven
Unfortunately, MyScribe detects PDF printers now, and prevents them from working. Even on physical printers, MyScribe has taken to limiting prints to 20 pages at a time...
MyScribe has actually gotten WORSE rather than better in the last year *sigh*
I would just like to take the time to thank you all. I was preparing to start my first class using Mysribe. After downloading and installing I ran the program and immediately know I would be unable to use this horrible program. To make matters worse in my eagerness to be prepared I bought myself an iPad both for PDF viewing and internet on the go. Needless to say I was more than upset that I would be unable to use this! After I gave Myscribe a test run I immediately hopped on Google and your blog was the very first thing to pop up. I read it in its entirety and applied what I leaned and I couldnt be happier!
Thanks again!
Matt
D.Bentley, Try messing with some of the print settings There is a bypass still (last I heard, anyway) if you jigger them a bit.
Matt, I'm glad we were able to help you out. Good luck with your studies. :-)
Guys the workarounds still work with no problems. Tested as of today.
Make sure you uninstall myscribe with a uninstaller such as Revo. Then reinstall the older version of myscribe that is posted in this blog. If the link doesn't work, then email me and I will send you a zipped copy of the older version.
jkrause1975@yahoo.com
Okay, big update time.
Its been there for awhile but this is the first chance I've had to post about it. On DeVry's login to online classwork they had posted that they were working on a solution for the "MyScribe Problems people have been having." So there is hope... However at the time I'm typing this that post isn't showing, so... we'll see.
In the mean time keep letting me know about issues and solutions you all find and I'll do the same.
Oh, and at this point I have taken a stance of telling people to not go to Devry and I am also recommending they ask any other college(s) they are thinking of attending if they use MyScribe before signing up. This way they can chose to go somewhere else for education if that school is also as misguided and lacking in forethought as DeVry.
Remember you are not alone in this!
:-D
If you need the old version like the guy that just emailed me. I uploaded it for him on hotfile.com. Get it if you need it!
http://hotfile.com/dl/55860469/a4a4407/CafeScribe.zip.html
There are other pdf print drivers that work with the latest version of MyScribe (3.10.5.19). Just google "pdf print driver". MyScribe still limits to 40 pages per print so you'll have to put in a little work if you want to do the whole book.
(sorry double posted)
Ok new updated link for people who need the older version of myscribe.
http://hotfile.com/dl/59946162/f5c19c6/CafeScribe.zip.html
Hi everyone,
I'm having difficulty opening the books that I need. Can someone else check to see if they can open the following books using MyScribe 3.89?
[url=http://www.cafescribe.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&category_id=&product_id=10252&Itemid=55]Essential Calculus[/url]
[url=http://www.cafescribe.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&category_id=&product_id=18424&Itemid=55]Financial & Managerial Accounting[/url]
I've successfully extracted PDFs from other books, just not these ones. Would like someone else to confirm. Thanx!
They removed CafeScribe from hotfile.com :(
CutePDF Writer works with MyScribe as a PDF printer and it's free. The limit of 40 pages per print is there so you will need to put in a little effort.
The result will be a searchable and editable PDF file, you will have freedom to copy & paste, highlight ... etc and even delete or add to the original text of the book.
@G-C:
Thanks for starting this extremely informative blog post. I am damn near at wits end trying to get around a program that seems to purposely not work correctly.
@Everyone who has posted workarounds:
Thank you for your help! You have provided a service to the community, well, at least me, which is greatly appreciated.
@CafeScribe
Did you hire me to make this program? I can spells good, but dunt know much abouts coumputers. Honestly, what a poorly executed program. I feel the need to quote Sean Connery: "Suck it trebeck, suck it long, suck it hard"
I'm actually transferring to a different school, an actual state university with real classrooms and real teachers, and *gasp* real books.
The MyScribe thing isn't the main deciding factor, but it did contribute to it. The online education provided by Devry/Keller is pretty lackluster, and I feel as though I haven't learned shit. This coming from someone who's yet to receive less than an "A".
It is unfortunate for all of us that we are forced to use myscribe. I equally hate it as much as the rest of you and am disgraced that Keller uses this poor excuse for a reader. Its functionality is terrible and I hate it. If it do decide to switch schools it will solely be based on this MyScribe application making my life so difficult.
Kill time and Rate a Mustache
Incase anyone is curious, Devry is switching to another ebook reader. I am demoing it now.
It is called Vitalsource Bookshelf.
I will post after I check it out for a couple of days.
Well I am done with Devry/Keller. I've dropped my class, and have withdrawn from the school. It's more than just MyScribe. The education I'm receiving is subpar. Actually, it's quite a joke. I'll be attending a real school, with a real teacher, and real books in the fall. The online school, at least as how implemented by Keller, has left a very sour taste in my mouth.
This coming from a straight A student.
I am demoing vitalsource as well. Iphone app. need I say more?
How are you demoing vitalsource? Did you have to contact devry to request that?
I am almost positive the only reason i got to demo it is because of the very blunt and lengthy and nasty comments i gave in my evaluation of the courses and work.
Help. I have been working with MyScribe printing all of my books to PDF but now it simply shuts down when I try to do it. I DL'd the new version and when i try to print to PDF it says Printer Not supported.
Can someone help me?
I'm really disappoint Devry univ still don't care for Myscribe's poorest program using for cutting edge technology era. Facebook's Devy university page explain every post with " we are working closely, noticed to, working hardly," etc.. long years already and nothing seen improve to print, to download, to copy, to use as like others programs such as PDF, to use apps in amy mobile devices. I consider to change to the other school rather than Devry.
This is just an update
I got contacted from my Devry advising team about the problems Ive been having with myscribe, well, my complaints about myscibe that i have been posting in all my surveys since myscribe was introduced. Although I was offered no alternative in terms of mobile device app, I was told that something was being worked on as well as the myscribe team would be getting my input directly...
I simply and bluntly said...bring back PDFs, at least with PDFs we wernt forced to use buggy software and could use use a device of our choosing to some extent.
Noone on my advising team had a clue as to why we had dropped PDF support in favor of myscribe, as they felt the PDFs were working well and had not heard anything to contradict that.
I will continue to tell people to stray away from devry, as they have let me down in the way Im able to learn...they may as well hand me a book that was written in disappearing ink for all that myscribe is worth...
I just completed my coursework at DeVry and will hold onto my account information for my myfail software. When my student number gets recycled and I'm no longer able to access books that I paid for... I'll let you know how that goes as well.
Thanks for everyones help and advice in using this crap software.
Two years later we are still bitching about this and DeVry is still clueless. If anyone, anywhere knows of a college that offers a good networking degree and has their heads at least partially out of their asses let me know.
DeVry isn't the only school using it. My community college is using it now too, and I can't even find where the books are downloaded to to try to do anything with them. From my understanding through this blog, just select the 'print' option in myscribe and select one of the pdf creators as the printer? If anyone's still around, I'd appreciate an answer. Thanks.
Unfortunately you can't print to PDF anymore, they've disabled that in the software. So not only does the software suck, but they've locked out the ability do anything useful with it as well.
There are still some pdf printers out therethat work w/ the current software, but you're still limited to 30 pgs at a time.
Look in the posts above for a link where you can download an old version of the software that works better. The old SW will work with most books, but crashes on a few, so you might still have to get the newer version working for some. Ooks.
For anyone still reading this, if you use primoPDF and get the 40page limit, if you make a bunch of 40 page pdf's of your books and are looking for a merger instead of appending the previous file (for fear of messing up, like I did) there's a wonderful site that has a bunch of useful FREE pdf editing tools. I found it on a wikihow. I used it an it's nice and simple and works well.
The site is codesforus.blogspot.com, then you can link through to the download page on the left hand side, or you can go directly to it at this address. http://messiahpsychoanalyst.org/Documents/Downloads.html
Hope this helps everyone who has the issues we all did. Good luck!
Also- @dan and @jeff
I used the PrimoPDF and it worked just fine, but limited it to 40 pages. Then I merged the pdf's with the software found on the site I linked above.
:)
Cynanide, is this the most recent version of MyScribe? I don't mine encoding in Windows, then combining everything in OS X in Preview. That's not too bad.
Jeff- I assume it's the most recent as I just downloaded it last week for the start of the semester.
well this is awesome then, thanks Cyanide!!
Hey all, I am still around and keeping an eye out for bypasses to Myscribe.
One newer theory that some say works (though I've yet to try it) is to set your printer port to a COM port instead of an LPT or USB port. I've heard it will bypass some of the restrictions.
If you try it let me know how/if it works. I'm still using an old version so I can do my homework.
Cyanide If you don't mind will you tell us the name of your college? It will help people who hate MyScribe know where NOT to attend.
Thank you all
G-C
Cyanide is totally right; PrimoPDF works fantastically! While it's still limited to 40 pages at a time, it works just fine. Another thing is that the PDF files are relatively small per print, which is quite nice.
Thanks so much, Cyanide. I really appreciate it!
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