ePub with external font

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Valloric

Excuse me if I don't agree with your or Sony's view on how I should use my device.

You are certainly entitled to that. But, also you can't complain if you try to do something outside of the designed and built in firmware. I doubt Sony cares if you hack it... but don't come crying to them for support and fix if that causes you trouble.

BOb

[Valloric]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

You are certainly entitled to that. But, also you can't complain if you try to do something outside of the designed and built in firmware. I doubt Sony cares if you hack it... but don't come crying to them for support and fix if that causes you trouble.

There seems to be some sort of a misunderstanding here. I never said I thought LRF was slower than EPUB. To me, LRF is perfectly fine.

With regards to hacking, I never said I expected Sony to support my or anyone else's modifications to the Reader, or other possible undocumented uses. Anyone using the Reader outside of it's prescribed parameters is on their own, and I'm fairly sure everyone knows that. Let's not be naive.

All I wanted to say--and I agree I should have been more specific--is that what I do with my own device is my own decision. Sony or anyone else can't tell me what I can or can not do with it. I payed for it, it's mine. If I want to completely rewrite its firmware, I have the complete right to do so.

Having said all that, I never intended to use Sony's Library software. I have it installed to check the edits to books I convert to LRF with Book Designer, because it is the only app that has faithful reproduction of what the LRF file will look like on the Reader. I use calibre for ebook transfers, have changed my default fonts, use a wide variety of firmware hacks etc... if something breaks because of any of my modifications, I won't be "crying to Sony".

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by astra

re: 2
Just because someone doesn't use Windows, it doesn't make LRF any slower/faster. It is a personal choice.

It is not windows that causes the difference but the Sony library software. In LRF files there is some metadata that contains the page boundaries and number of pages to the document. This permits jumping reliably to a particular page and knowing the full page count. If the book is download via the Sony library software it presets all the possible font sizes with the appropriate data. Othewise this is done by the reader itself the first time it opens the file or the user changes the font size. This is a one time hit for the document and really slows down the opening of the file but not any subsequent reading of the file. This one time hit is what people are complaining about.

Dale

[astra]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

It is not windows that causes the difference but the Sony library software. In LRF files there is some metadata that contains the page boundaries and number of pages to the document. This permits jumping reliably to a particular page and knowing the full page count. If the book is download via the Sony library software it presets all the possible font sizes with the appropriate data. Othewise this is done by the reader itself the first time it opens the file or the user changes the font size. This is a one time hit for the document and really slows down the opening of the file but not any subsequent reading of the file. This one time hit is what people are complaining about.

Dale

I know. Well in general. Didn't know the exact details of what it does and why it helps. Thanks for clarification/

[murraypaul]

I seem to have inadvertently stirred up a storm here.

Perhaps I could say that for people using Calibre to upload books to the 505, rather than the Sony Library software, they might want to consider switching to ePub to see increased speed of opening books and changing font sizes.

[Valloric]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

I seem to have inadvertently stirred up a storm here.

Don't worry about it, this happens all the time.

[Hadrien]

Originally Posted by astra

re: 1
We are not talking about customizing ebook to every whim of any user out there. We are talking about a given gadget with given specifications and features. As long as you use one as you should, it has no speed issues.

I wouldn't call a font size selection with more than 3 sizes "every whim of any user".

Part of the reason why Sony decided to use 3 different font sizes in the first place (and extended this limit to ePub, which is absurd) is based on the way LRF works.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Valloric

Don't worry about it, this happens all the time.

True.
And we learn something new as well


Hadrien
Well, when I used to read hard back editions of printed books I had zero choice. Now I have 3 different sizes and 3 different fonts (although I use only 2 fonts). I believe it is more than enough (at least for me on ebook reader). Then again, if someone disagrees with it they just should not buy Sony Reader and opt to something else. Thanks industrial progress, we have quite a few out there

Does prs-700 has more fonts/sizes? I think it has a bit more, hasn't it?

[Hadrien]

Originally Posted by astra

Does prs-700 has more fonts/sizes? I think it has a bit more, hasn't it?

It has five, guess that Sony realized that 3 is not enough.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Hadrien

It has five, guess that Sony realized that 3 is not enough.

5 fonts or sizes?

[Hadrien]

Originally Posted by astra

5 fonts or sizes?

Sizes.

[Valloric]

Originally Posted by astra

Now I have 3 different sizes and 3 different fonts (although I use only 2 fonts). I believe it is more than enough (at least for me on ebook reader).

"No one will need more than 637 kb of memory for a personal computer." -- Bill Gates, early 1970s.

We want more.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Valloric

"No one will need more than 637 kb of memory for a personal computer." -- Bill Gates, early 1970s.

We want more.

He never said that. It is a myth.

BOb

[Valloric]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

He never said that. It is a myth.

Really? Huh...

But that's not the point. The point is we shouldn't stop at a certain level just because it's "OK". "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" does not hold. Three font sizes is OK, five font sizes is better. The PRS-505 the way it is suits my reading habits perfectly, but the PRS-700 will suit them even better with the front light, annotation, and most of all, search functions (I'm guessing and hoping; it has an on-screen keyboard).

Point being, some of us want more. And yes, sometimes it's just because we can, not because we desperately need it.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Perhaps I could say that for people using Calibre to upload books to the 505, rather than the Sony Library software, they might want to consider switching to ePub to see increased speed of opening books and changing font sizes.

And actually, having played with it further, it isn't as positive as this after all.
Basically, when you take an action (open, change font) on an LRF file, the Reader calculates page numbers for the entire file, and caches the result. So it takes a long, constant (for a file) time the first time you do it, but is quick after that.

It seems that with an ePub file, when you take an action, it recalculates pages only up to the page you are currently on, and does not cache the result. So opening to page 1 is very quick, as is changing fonts on page 1. However, jumping to the middle of the book takes time, and it takes that time each time you reopen the book and continue reading at that point. Similarly, changing font sizes gets progressively slower as you go through the book.

If you are going to read a book straight through without switching to something else, epub will probably be faster, but if you are switching back and forth, or syncing to the PC often, it may end up slower overall.