Freda - ebook reader program for Windows Mobile

[Jim Chapman]

JayLaFunk,
Just now, it only installs properly if you put it in main memory. When I build the release version (i.e. not the beta 0.9) I will fix that.
[note: addressed in release 1.0: see page 6 of this thread]
Thanks for downloading.
Jim

[Sweetpea]

If I make up a book with a certain format in mind, I expect that book to follow that format. I made up those books with my PDA in mind so I didn't make it for a big screen.

And I'd like to point one thing out to you: align and so forth are absolutely NOT a regular XHTML attribute. Format and content are strictly devided after the HTML 4.0 standard. The use of CSS has been "mandatory" with the XHTML standard (either as style attribute inline, as <style> in the header or as <link> with a CSS file)

[Jim Chapman]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

If I make up a book with a certain format in mind, I expect that book to follow that format. I made up those books with my PDA in mind so I didn't make it for a big screen.

Fair enough - though that's not the case with most ebooks on the market, which is why my general expectation that I'd want to simplify/ignore some formatting, in the interest of readability on PDAs/phones. Obviously the right thing is to let the device user make the decision between "how faithfully do I want to see the author's intended text" and "how much do I want the book to look like a block of flowing text, filling my PDA screen". As I refine the program, I'd expect to introduce options of that kind.

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

And I'd like to point one thing out to you: align and so forth are absolutely NOT a regular XHTML attribute. Format and content are strictly devided after the HTML 4.0 standard. The use of CSS has been "mandatory" with the XHTML standard (either as style attribute inline, as <style> in the header or as <link> with a CSS file)

Not arguing with you there. My aim was not to implement a fully-capable and standards-compliant renderer (at least, not in version 0.9 of the program). Rather, I was aiming to produce something simple and robust that would at a minimum put the author's words on the page, and have a reasonable stab at some kind of formatting. And for my initial release, I've focussed mainly on producing intelligible rendering of a reasonable number of ePubs that are actually out there and being published by the Gutenberg project, Feedbooks, and suchlike.

Thanks for your interest, and please do continue to share your ideas.

Jim

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Jim Chapman

Fair enough - though that's not the case with most ebooks on the market, which is why my general expectation that I'd want to simplify/ignore some formatting, in the interest of readability on PDAs/phones. Obviously the right thing is to let the device user make the decision between "how faithfully do I want to see the author's intended text" and "how much do I want the book to look like a block of flowing text, filling my PDA screen". As I refine the program, I'd expect to introduce options of that kind.

Hmm, an advanced option would be a good idea, maybe. Just like the sub-folder thingie. I know I wouldn't want those empty lines on my 2.4" HTC phone, but I do want them on my 3.4" PDA.

Originally Posted by Jim Chapman

Not arguing with you there. My aim was not to implement a fully-capable and standards-compliant renderer (at least, not in version 0.9 of the program). Rather, I was aiming to produce something simple and robust that would at a minimum put the author's words on the page, and have a reasonable stab at some kind of formatting. And for my initial release, I've focussed mainly on producing intelligible rendering of a reasonable number of ePubs that are actually out there and being published by the Gutenberg project, Feedbooks, and suchlike.

Thanks for your interest, and please do continue to share your ideas.

Jim

Oh, you succeeded in make it simple and robust! It's light and easy to use. Just implement the CSS support and it'll be installed on my HTC before you can say "go"...

But I'm a web developer myself and I always shudder when I see inline formatting code that isn't styles based... Can't help it when somebody mentions XHTML and align in the same sentence

[JayLaFunk]

Originally Posted by Jim Chapman

JayLaFunk,
Just now, it only installs properly if you put it in main memory. When I build the release version (i.e. not the beta 0.9) I will fix that.
Thanks for downloading.
Jim

Hi,

I was wanting to use your app on my HTC Blue Angel, bigger screen (3.5") but I don't have much memory space, deleted it and installed on to HTC Tytn II, more memory (main) but smaller screen (2.8"), installed no problem and I am impressed, changed my library to my storage card just to try and keep stuff from my main memory, loaded 2 epubs, Dan Brown - The Lost Symbol & Cormac McCarthy - The Road and both look pleasant to read on the screen, good page turns, like to see the covers in my library but could you have option to make book covers (icons) smaller...

Will delete some apps from my BA that I am not using and reinstall it on to that device for the bigger screen...

Good work and many thanks

[Jim Chapman]

Originally Posted by JayLaFunk

... but could you have option to make book covers (icons) smaller...

Working on it already. Should have a new version posted in a few days, with cover images reduced in size, for devices with less screen real estate.

Jim

[Jim Chapman]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

But I'm a web developer myself and I always shudder when I see inline formatting code that isn't styles based... Can't help it when somebody mentions XHTML and align in the same sentence

Sorry I didn't mean to pique your ire. I freely confess that the use of formatting code within content is deprecated in XHTML. CSS implementation is most definitely on my TO DO list, so do watch for future releases.

Jim

[jimnutt]

Ok, a couple of quick questions. I've just installed Freda and so far am very happy with the speed, the formatting issues and such don't bother me as I'm reading straight text without a bunch of formatting anyway. I have noticed a couple of issues though, the detail list in the library doesn't appear to be sorted (or if it is, I can't figure out the order!), that would be a helpful options as I've 530+ books on the device. The other question is in line with the first, in the icon view I'm not seeing cover images. Do I need to wait for it to pull them all in or is it just not working right? I know all my books have the covers set correctly (I went through and fixed the meta data on all 500 some odd books), so it's not a lack of information that's the problem.

In any case, I'm pretty happy with it so far, I'll read a couple of books and see how it goes. Oh, and Jim, the email address on your web page is bouncing.

jim nutt

[Jim Chapman]

Originally Posted by jimnutt

... the detail list in the library doesn't appear to be sorted (or if it is, I can't figure out the order!), that would be a helpful options as I've 530+ books on the device.

Actually you can sort them into whatever order you need by clicking the heading on the column (click on title to sort by title, author to sort by author, etc.). When it loads the detail list, it just puts them in the same order as the files are in the physical directory, which is pretty lame. I will fix this in the forthcoming release.

Originally Posted by jimnutt

... The other question is in line with the first, in the icon view I'm not seeing cover images. Do I need to wait for it to pull them all in or is it just not working right? I know all my books have the covers set correctly (I went through and fixed the meta data on all 500 some odd books), so it's not a lack of information that's the problem.

The program only displays cover images for books that it has opened previously. And it just tries to guess which is the right cover image. For the 'beta' version I implemented it that way, because there are too many different 'metadata' schemes in use for specifying the cover image, and I didn't fancy trying to implement all of them. I'm working on doing it properly for the 1.0 release. If you tell me which metadata scheme you're using, I'll fix that one first.

Originally Posted by jimnutt

... Oh, and Jim, the email address on your web page is bouncing.

Thanks for the heads-up. I just realised this! Typical really ... these things work 364 days of the year and then pack up just when you actually need them
I have updated the web page to include an address that should work fine (see under 'Bug Reports and Support Requests').

Thanks for trying the program.

Jim

[DDHarriman]

Hi Jim

First of all, congrats for an outstanding piece of software that you are willing to share it with us.

I like it a lot, specially the speed and the looks.

3 things would be of a great use to me:

1 - already referred - and you have already answered to it - the option to install in other media then the main windows mobile memory - need this as I almost do not have that one left anymore in my machine;

2 - option to set justify of the text. All the examples I tested where converted with Calibre and I just can see them left justified. Or am I missing a menu option to do this?

3 - I have changed the location of the eBook folders and the temporary folder form the main memory to the mini SD card. Then, after going out of the program and opening it again, it tries to find those folders in the main memory and not the ones in the card, and thus it does not find any book.

Best regards, and once more, great software!

[Jack Tingle]

Jim:

Very well done.

When I look at the speed, small footprint, and clear viewing of Freda, and then I look at the list of things people here would like:

Hard page breaks
Control over justification
CSS support
Options for complex vs. simple rendering
Initial sort order

I'm sort of leaning towards "none of the list", just keep the speed and small footprint. Sometimes more isn't better.

Good luck, and good work,
Jack Tingle

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

Jim:

Very well done.

When I look at the speed, small footprint, and clear viewing of Freda, and then I look at the list of things people here would like:

Hard page breaks
Control over justification
CSS support
Options for complex vs. simple rendering
Initial sort order

I'm sort of leaning towards "none of the list", just keep the speed and small footprint. Sometimes more isn't better.

Good luck, and good work,
Jack Tingle

I agree, at least in part. Some things are mandatory (for me) to make it usable. CSS support is one of them. And I dislike left justification with a passion. Which is why I changed my CSS once I got a reader that read epub. Without the ability to use my own CSS and justification (which is specified in my CSS btw), a reading application is useless to me.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

I've given it a try on my iPaq (running WM 6 Classic). It works well. Only noticed one nit so far: Italic text is displayed as bold, not italic. And if you ever provide margin control, and extra spacing between paragraphs, I'd consider it pretty much perfect.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

I'm sort of leaning towards "none of the list", just keep the speed and small footprint. Sometimes more isn't better.

Good point.

[Jim Chapman]

Originally Posted by DDHarriman

1 - already referred - and you have already answered to it - the option to install in other media then the main windows mobile memory - need this as I almost do not have that one left anymore in my machine;

Yes indeed, I am working on this now.

Originally Posted by DDHarriman

2 - option to set justify of the text. All the examples I tested where converted with Calibre and I just can see them left justified. Or am I missing a menu option to do this?

I think there are two things I need to do here (and I am working on both): (1) I need to ensure I respect CSS-style directives around alignment (2) I need to add an 'advanced' option whereby you can over-ride the formatting specified in the book, and say, in effect, 'I want to have my paragraph text justified, regardless of what the book's XHTML/CSS code says'. It will be done for version 1.0.

Originally Posted by DDHarriman

3 - I have changed the location of the eBook folders and the temporary folder form the main memory to the mini SD card. Then, after going out of the program and opening it again, it tries to find those folders in the main memory and not the ones in the card, and thus it does not find any book.

That's kinda weird; if you change the location to SD card, the program should remember that. Could you possibly do the following for me: (1) make the change in the settings (2) exit the program by using the main menu Close Book/Exit option (3) find the file \Program Files\Freda\settings.dat (4) email it to me at jim(at)turnip.demon.co.uk so I can investigate.
Thanks,

Jim