Quote:
Originally Posted by Hitch
You can't know jack about how files work on devices, without the devices themselves. That's why so many of us in the business own a plethora of devices.
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Yes. Absolutely. It's also why on Android and the Mars Eink I have the Kindle and Kobo Apps as well as KOReader.
I did give my Nook Simple Touch to my grandson, but if I do something new I can check it on that. If I don't edit any of my existing tested LO Writer styles and don't create new ones then I don't need to retest a new ebook made by docx-> Calibre import -> Convert to epub2 with default settings.
I think about 1/2 of readers use an App (including Amazon Fire which is an App on an Amazon version of an Android Tablet) . After that Kindle eink could be nearly 90%, Kobo next, then B&N Nook. Not sure of proportion of Tolino (Android versions of Kobo, similar HW & same owner). Sony and Binatone are now only old ereaders, they've not made one for years; the Sony electronic paper doesn't count. Do iRiver still make a reader?
After that you have the niche Boyue, Oynx, Pocketbook etc most of which are customised Android using third party Android Apps.
Amazon has about 90% of the English ebook sales, though more than 1/2 of our sales are via Smashwords. I guess many publishers and self Publishers only use Amazon? Amazon has about 80% of online paper book sales in USA and dominates English language audio-books, but they are mostly listened to on phones.
Android has about 82% of world wide phone/tablets, but USA has very much higher percentage of iOS. But Google's ebook sales are tiny; it's not what people use the Playstore for. I don't know relative proportion of Amazon Kindle App vs Apple Books use on iOS. We've sold a similar number to Apple, Kobo and Barnes & Noble (Nook) via Smashwords. Hardly any to Tolino or Scribd via Smashwords.
Unless you are doing textbooks, manuals or comics the ebooks should be as simple as possible. Test WP styles on real devices (Old Kindle with KF7 AND KF8 on 2016 or later Kindles) and Kobo Touch or later as a minimum.
Test on Android on 4.3", 6", 7" and 10" screens. At least Android 4.x and 8.x with sensible Apps.
When I did have Amazon PC tools and preview on Windows I found them pointless. The Calibre Viewer allows a quick check that all page breaks, headings, links and system index is correct (NCX) and styles seem OK.
Two models of Kindle seems enough, though I have three and access to four other Kindles. One model of Kobo seems enough, though I have two. The screen failed on the Kobo Touch.
The 5" Sony PRS-350, a 4.3" LCD Android 4.x, 6" Android phone, 7" and 10" Android tablet, Amazon KK3, PW3 and Kobo Libra check image formats & sizes make sense. I only check basic layout and readability on the DXG with its horrid tiny selection of stock fonts. Amazon trimmed costs too much on DX and DXG by having too little RAM.
If I'm fixing downloaded PD or bought books I usually only check on the Calibre viewer and mostly delete stuff in the CSS after a Calibre conversion. i don't test like I do when a new or edited wordprocessor style is used.
I don't like embedded marginalia original page numbers in fiction. Some downloaded PD. I use regex search & replace on the HTML to delete them in Calibre Editor. If the formatting and OCR proofing is REALLY bad I'll convert to RTF, properly style in LO Writer, using odt native editing and a final Save As in docx for Calibre. Some of the old PD texts in Amazon Megapacks seem to be badly done from Internet Archive scans with OCR. Like all the Gothic novels Jane Austin mentions in Northanger Abbey. Yes, those are all real and some quite fun. I suspect while JA was poking fun she might have also been a fan!