[Lady Fitzgerald]

I read through this thread for the first time today. Unbelieveable! If you don't like it don't use it.

I saw the reference about Booktome and checked it out. It supports ebooks now. I tried it and was underwhelmed. Calibre is easier to use. For now, calibre remains way out in first place but I'll keep looking (while continuing to use calibre). I have six complaints but also have found easy ways around them.

1. The proprietary file folder system.

I keep my original file folder and stay the heck out of caibre's. I have plenty of disk space and will have room for more before too much longer. Keeping the original folder acts as just another form of back up (yes, I'm paranoid). I understand the reason for the proprietary folder system (and like the benefits) but would prefer if it didn't have multiple layers. But it doesn't so I keep my original folder (keeping the orginal folder also serves as a check to make sure a file hasn't been lost; I just compare the number of files in my folder and in calibre). No big deal.

Post edit: After using calibre for a while now, I've become confident in the way it organizes my books and just don't give the north end of a southbound furry rodent how it does it. I still keep my orignal books but only out of habit. Since calibre can save my books to disk in any filename format I want, I don't really need to keep the originals. Should all development of calibre cease (I'll probably die of old age before that happens), and it's in danger of becoming obsolete due to OS upgrades, I can just save my books to a folder and use it to "feed" a new e-book management program.

2. When searching authors in the tag pane (the one to the left of the main list), authors are filed alphabetically by first name.

When editing the meta data after entering a book, I just copy and paste the last name first author field to the other author field. Takes 2 seconds. No big deal.

Post edit: this has been fixed.

3. Never could make sense of how to get calibre to read my original filename system.

Since I'm still building my library from paper books I'm cutting apart and scanning, I don't need calibre to be able to read my filenames. I just edit the meta data as I add the book (if I was starting with a library of 1000 books, I would just pester someone here to spell out how to do it). No big deal.

4. There is no searchable field on the main page to list books as being read or unread.

I could could add a tag showing unread and remove it once I've read it but I've found it easier to use the Rating field and have one star to show read and no stars to show unread. No big deal.

Post edit: Calibre now has custom columns. I made a custom column for Unread. Since the star rating sytem worked so wel before, I continued to use it in the new column.

5. Documentation for calibre sucks.

This forum is outstanding and pretty much compensates for the paucity of documentation. Even Kovid has popped in with fast answers. Again, no big deal.

Post edit: Documentation has improved somewhat. I still depend heavily on this forum to walk me through the occasional problems I run into. Thanks for that, you all!

6. Doesn't ignore "The" when sorting.

Edit: Actually, I've found it does so scratch this one

These are minor complaints not worth worrying about since they are so easy to deal with. Being the greedy bitch I am, I'm always going to want something better and will keep looking but, given the number programs I tried and was underwhelmed by, I don't really expect to find anything soon, if at all.