Seeking portable ebook reader software

Elfwreck · 12-06-2010, 04:04 PM

I'm putting together a high-school library of ebooks (public domain, creative commons, etc.), and want to be able to put it on a flash drive or disc, preferably with ebook reading software. I'd like "portable"--no installer necessary--software, for as many ebook formats as I can arrange to support.

I intend to provide HTML, epub, mobi, and two sizes of PDF (letter sized for printing; about half that for screen reading, or whatever paperback size is provided by the publisher if that's my starting doc.). I might provide RTF as well. I'd also like to give them the tools to read other formats, if that's possible.

I can use Portable Firefox with the EpubReader add-on; that works for HTML and epub files.
I can include Sumatra and/or Foxit PDF reader.
I can use AbiWord for RTF/Doc/txt files. (Could use OpenOffice, but that's huge; AbiWord is less than 10mb.)
ComicsViewer is a portable cbr/cbz program.

Want: Not sure what I could use for .mobi files; it may not have a portable reader. May not even have installation software I can legally distribute, as opposed to giving a link to the download site.

Unsupported: I don't think I can use anything for .lit, but could include litconvert. Can't think of anything that'll work for .pdb, either doc or ereader type, either. But I don't think either of those are crucial.

Is there a stand-alone epub reader? Or a nice multi-format reader? (Stanza's only for iThings, right?)

kovidgoyal · 12-06-2010, 04:10 PM

calibre will view all those formats (except doc) and then some. As for a portable installer, see: http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual/portable.html

Elfwreck · 12-06-2010, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

calibre will view all those formats (except doc) and then some. As for a portable installer, see: http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual/portable.html

Ooh, thank you! I'd wanted to include Calibre, and that makes it possible (I knew it was able to be made portable, but without instructions I'd be pretty lost). I might even be able to manage the whole library in Calibre. (Not sure how it deals with multiple PDF files of the same title, or how to import & combine multiple versions of the same file instead of converting them. Not sure how to set it up separately from my personal Calibre, but that's probably simpler.)

I'd still like to find portable reader programs for all the common filetypes; I'd like the kids to get used to the idea that "ebook" is a package, and what they use to open it makes a difference.

jgray · 12-06-2010, 09:37 PM

Someone made a portable version of FBReader:
http://portableapps.com/node/20511

For PDF, Sumatra is small and portable.

Joe

LGN · 12-08-2010, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

calibre will view all those formats (except doc) and then some. As for a portable installer, see: http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual/portable.html

When using it portable, will it not use ANY part of the local PC, for example registry, other folders on the host PC? IE. it doesn't leave any trace?

Elfwreck · 12-08-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LGN

When using it portable, will it not use ANY part of the local PC, for example registry, other folders on the host PC? IE. it doesn't leave any trace?

For this project, I don't care whether or not it leaves any traces; my concern is getting it to work on a computer where it's not installed.

I've worked with an older portable version of Calibre (4.something); I don't know if it leaves any traces.

kovidgoyal · 12-08-2010, 11:16 AM

calibre doesn't use the registry.

LGN · 12-08-2010, 12:45 PM

@Elfwreck, I was asking for my own interest due to not have files left behind on the host PC.

I did a search and it turned out that Calibre seems to leave many files and folders behind in Documents and settings folder. (Python files and lots of temp files).

kovidgoyal · 12-08-2010, 12:55 PM

no calibre doesn't leave behind temp files unless it crashes and it does not leave behind files in documents and settings, it leaves them in the calibre config directory, whose location you can control.

DaleDe · 12-08-2010, 01:13 PM

There is a portable Apps page in the wiki.

12-06-2010, 04:04 PM	#1
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,187 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	Seeking portable ebook reader software I'm putting together a high-school library of ebooks (public domain, creative commons, etc.), and want to be able to put it on a flash drive or disc, preferably with ebook reading software. I'd like "portable"--no installer necessary--software, for as many ebook formats as I can arrange to support. I intend to provide HTML, epub, mobi, and two sizes of PDF (letter sized for printing; about half that for screen reading, or whatever paperback size is provided by the publisher if that's my starting doc.). I might provide RTF as well. I'd also like to give them the tools to read other formats, if that's possible. I can use Portable Firefox with the EpubReader add-on; that works for HTML and epub files. I can include Sumatra and/or Foxit PDF reader. I can use AbiWord for RTF/Doc/txt files. (Could use OpenOffice, but that's huge; AbiWord is less than 10mb.) ComicsViewer is a portable cbr/cbz program. Want: Not sure what I could use for .mobi files; it may not have a portable reader. May not even have installation software I can legally distribute, as opposed to giving a link to the download site. Unsupported: I don't think I can use anything for .lit, but could include litconvert. Can't think of anything that'll work for .pdb, either doc or ereader type, either. But I don't think either of those are crucial. Is there a stand-alone epub reader? Or a nice multi-format reader? (Stanza's only for iThings, right?)

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12-06-2010, 04:10 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,279 Karma: 27111060 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	calibre will view all those formats (except doc) and then some. As for a portable installer, see: http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual/portable.html

12-06-2010, 09:37 PM	#4
jgray Fanatic Posts: 554 Karma: 2928497 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Clara 2E & Sage	Someone made a portable version of FBReader: http://portableapps.com/node/20511 For PDF, Sumatra is small and portable. Joe

12-08-2010, 11:16 AM	#7
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,279 Karma: 27111060 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	calibre doesn't use the registry.

12-08-2010, 12:45 PM	#8
LGN Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 60 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: ProMedia eReader, Sony PRS-600	@Elfwreck, I was asking for my own interest due to not have files left behind on the host PC. I did a search and it turned out that Calibre seems to leave many files and folders behind in Documents and settings folder. (Python files and lots of temp files).

12-08-2010, 12:55 PM	#9
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,279 Karma: 27111060 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	no calibre doesn't leave behind temp files unless it crashes and it does not leave behind files in documents and settings, it leaves them in the calibre config directory, whose location you can control.

12-08-2010, 01:13 PM	#10
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	There is a portable Apps page in the wiki.

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