MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Libra KOReader merits compared to stock reader

Quoth · 05-20-2022, 06:14 AM

I used KOReader first on the Boyue Likebook Mars because the stock epub reader is terrible.
I found KOreader for epubs on Mars OK, but pointless for PDF as the Mars PDF reader does crop, brighten, contrast and more very well. I'd been using stock & Kobo readers for years.

I installed it on my Elipsa purely so as to crop PDFs. Tempted to install it on the Sage for that too.

I saw no need to install it on my Kobo original H2O or Kobo original Libra.

It's good at reading "bad" epubs as you can override, but I ALWAYS fix bad epubs in Calibre. Been doing HTML & CSS over 20 years and sometimes as part of paid job.

Issues with KOReader
I find the default touch/gesture annoying, but you can change it.
I find it hard to select system menu bar on Android.
Because it's so powerful and configurable there are huge number of menu items. I find the menu UX/GUI poor and non-intuitive.
The navigation for books is chunky like a 1980 DOS file commander.
I wish I could set it to only show folders/directories with PDFs on Elipsa and only epubs on the Mars.
It can use the Calibre Metadata for search, but not for a library view, unless I don't understand it. I forget how to get it to use Calibre Metadata.
It's OK to read epub or PDF on but I find it dreadful for finding a book or browsing books as the default is a file system view. No nice Library views based on meta-data of Titles, Authors, Collections, Series and option for Reading, Unread, Finished and sort options such as recent or name.

But I have ALL my ebooks on some ereaders and over 1000 on most.

On Kobo it's worth installing for PDFs, almost essential, and simple to install. It seems pointless on Kobo for epubs. The Sony PRS-350 native navigation is also better than KOreader and also does "Collections" from same custom column as the Kobo Driver uses once you edit driver defaults.

It's possible I simply haven't used KOReader enough, or not learned the manual as I don't read many PDFs on Kobo and the Mars is mostly for BorrowBox library books which has its own Android app, so I hardly use KOReader on the Mars.

05-20-2022, 06:14 AM	#9
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,485 Karma: 107078855 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	I used KOReader first on the Boyue Likebook Mars because the stock epub reader is terrible. I found KOreader for epubs on Mars OK, but pointless for PDF as the Mars PDF reader does crop, brighten, contrast and more very well. I'd been using stock & Kobo readers for years. I installed it on my Elipsa purely so as to crop PDFs. Tempted to install it on the Sage for that too. I saw no need to install it on my Kobo original H2O or Kobo original Libra. It's good at reading "bad" epubs as you can override, but I ALWAYS fix bad epubs in Calibre. Been doing HTML & CSS over 20 years and sometimes as part of paid job. Issues with KOReader I find the default touch/gesture annoying, but you can change it. I find it hard to select system menu bar on Android. Because it's so powerful and configurable there are huge number of menu items. I find the menu UX/GUI poor and non-intuitive. The navigation for books is chunky like a 1980 DOS file commander. I wish I could set it to only show folders/directories with PDFs on Elipsa and only epubs on the Mars. It can use the Calibre Metadata for search, but not for a library view, unless I don't understand it. I forget how to get it to use Calibre Metadata. It's OK to read epub or PDF on but I find it dreadful for finding a book or browsing books as the default is a file system view. No nice Library views based on meta-data of Titles, Authors, Collections, Series and option for Reading, Unread, Finished and sort options such as recent or name. But I have ALL my ebooks on some ereaders and over 1000 on most. On Kobo it's worth installing for PDFs, almost essential, and simple to install. It seems pointless on Kobo for epubs. The Sony PRS-350 native navigation is also better than KOreader and also does "Collections" from same custom column as the Kobo Driver uses once you edit driver defaults. It's possible I simply haven't used KOReader enough, or not learned the manual as I don't read many PDFs on Kobo and the Mars is mostly for BorrowBox library books which has its own Android app, so I hardly use KOReader on the Mars.