Why put out an eBook you don't know what to do with?

JSWolf · 08-19-2012, 08:48 PM

I recently bought the new Millennium Edition of So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane. I've had a look at the code. It's a Calibre conversion of some source and then run through Sigil. She (or whoever is her eBook maker) has no clue how to make a good eBook.

The code is a mess on top of a mess. And it has all of those nice SGC styles all over the place. And then there are the filenames for the XML files that have not been fixed. For a professional author, she should be ashamed of releasing an eBook like this.

poohbear_nc · 08-19-2012, 08:52 PM

Probably the usual sad reason - money - from a "new" edition of a known title.

theducks · 08-19-2012, 08:59 PM

Most people don't ever see the (messy) code.

The big questions:
Did the book work on a Reader device?
Did the book have DISPLAY errors (typos, gross text format issues)?

What is outrageous is some people, without the skills, charge the author $$ to code these e-books

JSWolf · 08-19-2012, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Most people don't ever see the (messy) code.

The big questions:
Did the book work on a Reader device?
Did the book have DISPLAY errors (typos, gross text format issues)?

What is outrageous is some people, without the skills, charge the author $$ to code these e-books

I've not looked close enough (yet) to see if there are any errors. But there are formatting issues that should be fixed. The book is formatted left justified instead if justified and the cover is not aspect ratio correct and it shows. So to fix these issues, I do have to see the code and how bad it is.

Given how simple these books would be formatted, I'd be happy to do it for just $.

fjtorres · 08-19-2012, 09:38 PM

These particular books are *not* a money grab.
They are updatings for accessibility of a Young Adult series that goes back to the 80's and where computer tech is integral to the story. Ms Duane thought that a universe-saving computer magically built out of a "state-of-the -art" Apple II wouldn't fly these days. (Even among Apple's stockholders.)

JSWolf · 08-19-2012, 09:49 PM

I've also noticed because an old version of Calibre (0.7.45), the fixes to the smarten punctuation are not there and I have noticed in a few places where the ending quote is incorrect.

Keep Calibre updated as it gets fixed and some of the fixes are rather important.

Fluribus · 08-19-2012, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

For a professional author, she should be ashamed of releasing an eBook like this.

There are vast legions who should be ashamed. Sadly, we live in an era that knows no shame.

DiapDealer · 08-19-2012, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I recently bought the new Millennium Edition of So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane. I've had a look at the code. It's a Calibre conversion of some source and then run through Sigil. She (or whoever is her eBook maker) has no clue how to make a good eBook.

The code is a mess on top of a mess. And it has all of those nice SGC styles all over the place. And then there are the filenames for the XML files that have not been fixed. For a professional author, she should be ashamed of releasing an eBook like this.

How'd the book read?

jgaiser · 08-19-2012, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

How'd the book read?

Haven't moved to my Kindle, but under calibre it looks just fine. But then I'm not anal about underlying ugly code. I just want to read the book.

JSWolf · 08-19-2012, 10:50 PM

Well,I've cleaned up the code. It did not actually take long. I loaded it into Sigil, fixed the ToC, fixed the cover XML, renamed the files and then cleaned up the CSS/XML. Didn't take too long to do so.

It wasn't bad looking on the outside except for the cover and not being justified. The indents were larger then I prefer. Also, I fixed the first paragraph of every chapter and after each section break to have no indent. With an eBook, if you don't have no-indent, you can miss a section break when it hits on the end of the screen.

DiapDealer · 08-19-2012, 11:51 PM

Thank God that's taken care of.

pholy · 08-21-2012, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Thank God that's taken care of.

Ah, but you'll have to buy your own copy and fix it yourself, because Jon can't distriubute his fixed up copy.

I wonder if they found the bits that were 18px? On a 72 or 90 dpi screen, it's not such a big deal. On a 167 dpi e-ink screen it's kind of tiny. That was in my International Edition. I haven't decided whether or not to buy this new edition.

08-19-2012, 08:48 PM	#1
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,018 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Why put out an eBook you don't know what to do with? I recently bought the new Millennium Edition of So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane. I've had a look at the code. It's a Calibre conversion of some source and then run through Sigil. She (or whoever is her eBook maker) has no clue how to make a good eBook. The code is a mess on top of a mess. And it has all of those nice SGC styles all over the place. And then there are the filenames for the XML files that have not been fixed. For a professional author, she should be ashamed of releasing an eBook like this.

08-19-2012, 09:38 PM	#5
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	These particular books are not a money grab. They are updatings for accessibility of a Young Adult series that goes back to the 80's and where computer tech is integral to the story. Ms Duane thought that a universe-saving computer magically built out of a "state-of-the -art" Apple II wouldn't fly these days. (Even among Apple's stockholders.) Last edited by fjtorres; 08-19-2012 at 09:40 PM.

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08-19-2012, 08:52 PM	#2
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 62,720 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	Probably the usual sad reason - money - from a "new" edition of a known title.

08-19-2012, 08:59 PM	#3
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,891 Karma: 59840954 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Most people don't ever see the (messy) code. The big questions: Did the book work on a Reader device? Did the book have DISPLAY errors (typos, gross text format issues)? What is outrageous is some people, without the skills, charge the author $$ to code these e-books

08-19-2012, 09:49 PM	#6
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,018 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I've also noticed because an old version of Calibre (0.7.45), the fixes to the smarten punctuation are not there and I have noticed in a few places where the ending quote is incorrect. Keep Calibre updated as it gets fixed and some of the fixes are rather important.

08-19-2012, 10:50 PM	#10
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,018 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Well,I've cleaned up the code. It did not actually take long. I loaded it into Sigil, fixed the ToC, fixed the cover XML, renamed the files and then cleaned up the CSS/XML. Didn't take too long to do so. It wasn't bad looking on the outside except for the cover and not being justified. The indents were larger then I prefer. Also, I fixed the first paragraph of every chapter and after each section break to have no indent. With an eBook, if you don't have no-indent, you can miss a section break when it hits on the end of the screen.

08-19-2012, 11:51 PM	#11
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,351 Karma: 203720150 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Thank God that's taken care of.

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