Downloads seem to be broken today. I'm getting this new error message, even though I'm well under the 100 downloads/day you allow for your paid Premier members. Please fix.
"You've reached the maximum concurrent downloads allowed. You must wait for one of your current downloads to finish before you start a new one or wait one hour for the counter to reset automatically."
You haven't hit a limit on the number of downloads per day, you've hit a limit on the number of downloads you can have going at any given time.
How many stories are you trying to download at once?
You've reached the maximum concurrent downloads allowed.
This is not about the daily limit. This is about how many files get downloaded 'at the same time'.
If it's an error and the counter is somehow stuck, it gets cleared after 59 minutes after the start of the first download.
I'm using DTA, and I think it does 4 concurrently. This has worked with SOL properly for years. Now, with no change on my end, it is failing repeatedly, and locking me out from downloading anything. Why is this happening? This is most aggravating, and not what I expect from a Premier membership. It really diminishes the value and usefulness of the site, especially for a paid membership. If it is something you changed, please fix it back to the way it was working.
We haven't changed anything in the download software in at least 5 months.
Just in case, I reloaded the the two pieces of software that could affect this. If that doesn't fix it, then something has changed on your end and it's causing this problem.
If your download software (DTA?) is not properly closing the download connection after every file, then you'll have this problem.
I'm using DTA, and I think it does 4 concurrently.
Why on earth would you need something like DTA (DownThemAll) on SOL? Do you have a super slow connection to where you can actually download slower than you can click? Or are you trying to queue every story with DTA to download every story unattended?
At any rate, the problems you are encountering may be due to an update to FireFox.
DownThemAll! is a download manager/accelerator extension for the Mozilla Firefox web browser, licensed under the GNU General Public License. Wikipedia
I use DTA when I want to get the most recent corrections and updates for an author or series so I can merge them into a larger EPUB. Today's frustration was trying to assemble the various corrected versions of A Well-Lived Life 2 by Michael Loucks. I put them into Calibre so I can assemble an anthology of this excellent series. Another example could be some of the swarm cycle story arcs.
I have no interest in shadowing the entire SOL site, certainly not in an unattended manner. Lazeez does a fine job of indexing the stories. And some of the stories are not to my taste. But I do like to have copies of the ones I like. I sometimes correct the various grammar and spelling errors on my copy if I think I'll read the story more than once.
The issue was a change in behavior. Lazeez kindly reloaded some of the site software. I'll test again once I've manually hand downloaded one by one a few more recent stories and see if the issue is resolved. His comment about Firefox not properly closing the file is worth exploring as well, as recently I've had files lingering after download that I cannot delete. I thought Calibre still had them open, but it could be Firefox.
But I do like to have copies of the ones I like. I sometimes correct the various grammar and spelling errors on my copy if I think I'll read the story more than once.
In the unlikely event that any of those stories are mine, I'm always glad to receive corrections. Even if I don't agree or regard them as a matter of style, I like to know what others are thinking.
AJ
I put them into Calibre so I can assemble an anthology of this excellent series. Another example could be some of the swarm cycle story arcs.
anthology - a published collection of poems or other pieces of writing.
You can always download one or more of the SOL stories for your reading pleasure.
If you plan to do something other than read the stories, then you need the AUTHOR's permission; otherwise, it is called PLAGIARISM.
I personally cannot see why a person feels they NEED an anthology of stories on their own computer when they are available on the site.
I personally cannot see why a person feels they NEED an anthology of stories on their own computer when they are available on the site.
Certain authors take down their stories pretty quickly to try to boost their Amazon sales.
AJ
If you plan to do something other than read the stories, then you need the AUTHOR's permission; otherwise, it is called PLAGIARISM.
Pendantic note: Plagiarism is when you take an author's work and pass it as your own.
What he's doing is copyright infringement. He's creating unauthorized copies.
You are right about having the copies on his disk not being Plagiarism.
His possession of the copies is not copyright infringement for he has permission to download a personal copy for his use.
His actions only become copyright infringement when he transfers his copy to someone else who is not authorized to receive a copy. I don't believe modifying his copy without transferring it to someone else is copyright violation, but I might be wrong.
I don't believe modifying his copy without transferring it to someone else is copyright violation, but I might be wrong.
That could depend on the laws applicable to where he's living. Here in Australia it's legal to cross-media anything you have a legal copy of, as long as it's for your own use within the terms of the original legal copy use.
But I do like to have copies of the ones I like.
As do I, but it only takes me a second to click one of the download links and usually the download is completed even before I move on to the next story. That is why it confuses me about your need for a download manager.
I sometimes correct the various grammar and spelling errors on my copy if I think I'll read the story more than once.
Again, I do the same thing, usually during my initial read through.
@awnlee jawking
In the unlikely event that any of those stories are mine, I'm always glad to receive corrections.
If I find a lot of errors or ones that really throw me out of the story, I usually send a comment quoting the original and my suggested corrections. Occasionally, I find a passage I can't make sense of and will question the author. As far as I remember, I haven't had any issues with your stories.
As far as I remember, I haven't had any issues with your stories.
Thank you.
My original text was ambiguous. What I meant was that it's unlikely that @m_ink has actually read my stories since I'm a niche author.
Mistakes do get through in my stories on SOL. A huge thank you to those who have reported them - please keep up the eagle-eyed work.
AJ
...since I'm a niche author.
Are you sure about that? I read your stories and never thought of myself as a niche reader.
Are you sure about that?
Good point. Niche implies consistency so readers know what they'll be getting. I'll try to come up with a better word when my PC finishes what it's currently crunching.
AJ
Niche
"Synonyms for niche
(noun: place all one's own)
alcove, slot, calling, compartment, corner, cranny, cubbyhole, hole, hollow, indentation, nook, opening, pigeonhole, position, recess, vocation, byplace"
I kind of like the idea of being a recess reader. Maybe for another meaning of recess. Maybe because it's alliterative.