Which format is best for long-term storage?

[Nova5]

A master format is one used to create others from. LIT is the best to start from and consequently to keep around. Not all masters have or even need the added functions of other formats. Also going from. Lit - epub - kindle - new format - new format.. you introduce errors each time, they may be small and unnoticed at first, after a few conversions they may become apparent and a problem. Why not keep the best format to convert FROM? Don't use it as your operational format, but as your master format.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Nova5

LIT is the best to start from.

Why? If you're basing that premise on that list in the Calibre doc, then what makes it preferred, how close are the next items in the list (maybe it's a three way tie for first place) and why, and what would you be giving up for the sake of that preference?

[Nova5]

Originally Posted by ApK

Why? If you're basing that premise on that list in the Calibre doc, then what makes it preferred, how close are the next items in the list (maybe it's a three way tie for first place) and why, and what would you be giving up for the sake of that preference?

You would give up a minor amount of space to the lit book for storage. The developer would have reasons for stating the best format to convert from based on how the software was designed and works with formats.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Nova5

You would give up a minor amount of space to the lit book for storage. The developer would have reasons for stating the best format to convert from based on how the software was designed and works with formats.

He's here, we could ask.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Nova5

LIT is Calibre's preferred master format.

Where did you get that? ePub is Calibre's preferred master format.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Nova5

A master format is one used to create others from. LIT is the best to start from and consequently to keep around. Not all masters have or even need the added functions of other formats. Also going from. Lit - epub - kindle - new format - new format.. you introduce errors each time, they may be small and unnoticed at first, after a few conversions they may become apparent and a problem. Why not keep the best format to convert FROM? Don't use it as your operational format, but as your master format.

LIT is the precursor to ePub 2. LIT is in it's own container which it may not be possible to open sometime in the future. ZIP should always be able to be opened and that makes ePub best for a master format. Even is Calibre was to stop working because it's Python 2 and no OS runs Python 2, you'd be able to unzip and extract the contents to do with as you want/need.

LIT used to be the source format before ePub. Calibre was created before ePub when LIT was king. Now LIT is dead. Microsoft has end-of-lifed LIT. You cannot even authorize MS Reader to read DRMed LIT. LIT is not supported. It's dead Jim!

There is nothing LIT can do that ePub cannot do and then some.

[eschwartz]

I really don't get why people keep thinking python2/calibre will stop working. It's even worse than the XP paranoia.

It will continue to work, even if it doesn't get updated. There are self-contained binaries for both, and what used to work won't magically break just because they aren't supported ang further. OSes are backwards-compatible with old code, and linux distros will still do the work in compiling packages for our pleasure.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I really don't get why people keep thinking python2/calibre will stop working. It's even worse than the XP paranoia.

It will continue to work, even if it doesn't get updated. There are self-contained binaries for both, and what used to work won't magically break just because they aren't supported ang further. OSes are backwards-compatible with old code, and linux distros will still do the work in compiling packages for our pleasure.

This is a worst case scenario so we are picking ePub because it will still be able to be opened if all others are now unable to be opened/converted.

You probably are correct that Python 2 will continue to run for a long time and so will Calibre.

[kovidgoyal]

LIT is the best input format because most output format's features are a superset of LIT features, therefore any LIT file you convert will have everything from the original file preserved. This is also true for (old) MOBI, however MOBI is a very poorly designed format internally and there exist many more badly made MOBI files than LIT files.

This characteristic of LIT however, does not mean you should every be converting to LIT, since converting to LIT is likely to lose features from the input file.

As for long term storage, simply store the original file. It is never a good idea to lose the originals.

And if you have no faith in the longevity of calibre, convert to EPUB in addition to keeping the originals.

[ApK]

Thanks, Kovid!

[HYPE]

This is one awesome dev.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

As for long term storage, simply store the original file. It is never a good idea to lose the originals.

And if you have no faith in the longevity of calibre, convert to EPUB in addition to keeping the originals.

^^ This. Mainly the first part. But definitely the second part too.

(FWIW, I don't bother storing EPUB if it isn't the source, because I Have Faith In You.)

[jersysman]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

LIT is the best input format because most output format's features are a superset of LIT features, therefore any LIT file you convert will have everything from the original file preserved. This is also true for (old) MOBI, however MOBI is a very poorly designed format internally and there exist many more badly made MOBI files than LIT files.

This characteristic of LIT however, does not mean you should every be converting to LIT, since converting to LIT is likely to lose features from the input file.

As for long term storage, simply store the original file. It is never a good idea to lose the originals.

And if you have no faith in the longevity of calibre, convert to EPUB in addition to keeping the originals.

With this, I have learned my something new for today.

[Nova5]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

LIT is the best input format because most output format's features are a superset of LIT features, therefore any LIT file you convert will have everything from the original file preserved. This is also true for (old) MOBI, however MOBI is a very poorly designed format internally and there exist many more badly made MOBI files than LIT files.

This characteristic of LIT however, does not mean you should every be converting to LIT, since converting to LIT is likely to lose features from the input file.

As for long term storage, simply store the original file. It is never a good idea to lose the originals.

And if you have no faith in the longevity of calibre, convert to EPUB in addition to keeping the originals.

This is more what I was intending to say. Don't convert to LIT from epub/lrf/etc. But if you have a LIT file, keep it around for conversion from as the master file for any new file type that may be created.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Nova5

This is more what I was intending to say. Don't convert to LIT from epub/lrf/etc. But if you have a LIT file, keep it around for conversion from as the master file for any new file type that may be created.

So "store the original file" is what you meant?