Question about Sony Connect

Stonecoldcrb · 05-18-2007, 09:24 PM

First, I am new to the site, and it's is wonderful.

Second, I am about to purchase a Sony Reader and cant wait. But I connected to the Sony Connect software and looked for some books and while doing so I noticed that those books that listed had what seemed to be numbers and % listed near them. IE: John Doe 76%.

What does that % mean? is it a rating by readers or popularity etc.

Just thought someone could tell me.

Thanks

igorsk · 05-19-2007, 05:29 AM

Relevance to the search terms, I think.

dhbailey · 05-19-2007, 08:15 AM

Yes, it's relevance to the search terms.

Stonecoldcrb · 05-19-2007, 11:27 PM

Thanks guys.

dhbailey · 05-20-2007, 07:50 AM

What's funny about it (and points up Connect's shortcomings) is when you enter an author's name and a book with that author's name comes up with anything other than 100%.

The other totally ludicrous thing is when you enter a name, such as "Deborah Crombie" which is a complete name and would indicate to most people that I want to see ONLY books by her, that books by other authors whose names start with Deborah also come up, and then they show anything other than 0%.

I know, they may just be hoping that something in those other entries might catch my eye and get me to buy the book, I think they should have a selectable "Show me other books which might be similar" or "Only show me books which match the search term comletely" option so as to not waste my time.

HarryT · 05-20-2007, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhbailey

The other totally ludicrous thing is when you enter a name, such as "Deborah Crombie" which is a complete name and would indicate to most people that I want to see ONLY books by her, that books by other authors whose names start with Deborah also come up, and then they show anything other than 0%.

Perhaps it's to cater for the situation where you know her as "Deborah Crombie", but her full name is "Deborah Crombie Smith", or something like that?

I would guess that the search engine is putting an "OR" condition between the multiple words - ie returning matches for either "Deborah" or "Crombie".

NatCh · 05-20-2007, 08:53 AM

Considering the way the search worked before (which is to say ... not very well -- putting it mildly), the fact that it will find the authors' names at all is a big deal. That it also finds other 'similar' names doesn't really bother me much since it puts the full matches first. I will admit to a brief flare of annoyance when I find I've wandered into listings for authors that have the same first or last name.

KlondikeGeoff · 05-20-2007, 12:34 PM

Everything about the site is so annoying, I try to use it as little as possible.

Anyhow, has anybody tried putting the two names of an author in quotes to see if that eliminates other names? Works for Google.

Come to think of it, if only Sony would hire Google as a consultant.

JSWolf · 05-20-2007, 01:51 PM

But the thing is, if you say type in the first name of the author correctly and make a typo on the last name, you have a chance of still finding the author you want. And it does show the author you want first and once you get past those books, you can go stop looking. I don't see what the issue is at all.

NatCh · 05-20-2007, 02:30 PM

Excellent point, JSWolf. And yet another reason I only find it mildly annoying.

JSWolf · 05-20-2007, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Excellent point, JSWolf. And yet another reason I only find it mildly annoying.

I'd rather have too many books shown then not enough. And it does it in a way that is not too annoying at all. And it means if I don't fully know the name of the book or the author, I still have a chance to find it if it is there. But seeing as once my $50 credit is gone, I'll probably just stick with LIT format books since I won't then be stuck with LRF books which I cannot do anything with outside the Sony. So if someday I was to decide to get a different reader, then I would be well and truly screwed.

NickMilner · 05-20-2007, 03:48 PM

It's great if you like vampires. In fact it's unintentionally funny sometimes. I was searching in the horror section and the results listing was book after book of Buffy-clone material categorised as "Vampire", and smack in the middle of it was "Salem's Lot" by Stephen King (a book about vampires for those who do not know), marked as "Other horror". Priceless.

Not so funny if you're looking for anything other than yet another Buffy-clone. :/

NatCh · 05-20-2007, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'd rather have too many books shown then not enough. And it does it in a way that is not too annoying at all.

Oh, I agree -- it's just that I'm always mildly annoyed when a search, any search, doesn't bring up exactly what I want, and nothing more (whether what I'm searching for doesn't exist). Of course that particular thing is a problem with my expectations, not the function of whatever search engine I'm using.

Stonecoldcrb · 05-26-2007, 11:08 AM

Well, apparently being so new to this, and still waiting for my Sony to be delivered, here is yet another noob alert question:

Certainly being less experienced pushes me in the direction of the Connect store. Heck I can search a book, buy it, download it and off I go. Easy for me. BUT... where else can I go to buy books (I alread know of the Gug. site, and I would like other than classic titles), download them and have it be as easy (relatively speaking) as the Connect exchange.

Basically, while I understand the ereader supports diff. formats, what "stores" out there have a wider selection that are compatible? Certainly in the lines of what's on the bookshelves now etc.

I am not opposed to "converting" formats to get them to work (although I would rather not just starting out here) but I am in search of seemless integration.

Any direction folks would be appreciated.
Cheers

Jeez, did any of that ^ make sense.

NatCh · 05-26-2007, 11:19 AM

Sure, Stonecoldcrb, you're asking where else you can find e-books, preferably recent releases. Right?

If you like SciFi, you should check out Baen's ebook store, it's called Webscriptions, they sell their stuff in several formats, including RTF, with no DRM on the files. And they have a fair sized free library section to see if you like their offerings.

www.Fictionwise.com is another source, as is www.ebooks.com -- the Microsoft .LIT format is an easy one to convert, and removing the DRM is usually technically legal since said DRM disables the read aloud function, and it's legal to remove DRM that interferes with a 'Disabilities' related feature. (The best app to do that is apparently the unfortunately named 'convert lit' better known as 'clit' -- careful how you search for that one, especially at work

).

Those are just of the top of my head, I'm sure others will have more suggestions.

05-18-2007, 09:24 PM	#1
Stonecoldcrb Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2007 Device: Kindle	Question about Sony Connect First, I am new to the site, and it's is wonderful. Second, I am about to purchase a Sony Reader and cant wait. But I connected to the Sony Connect software and looked for some books and while doing so I noticed that those books that listed had what seemed to be numbers and % listed near them. IE: John Doe 76%. What does that % mean? is it a rating by readers or popularity etc. Just thought someone could tell me. Thanks

05-20-2007, 01:51 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,448 Karma: 145491800 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	But the thing is, if you say type in the first name of the author correctly and make a typo on the last name, you have a chance of still finding the author you want. And it does show the author you want first and once you get past those books, you can go stop looking. I don't see what the issue is at all. Last edited by JSWolf; 05-20-2007 at 03:41 PM.

05-20-2007, 03:48 PM	#12
NickMilner Member Posts: 15 Karma: 11 Join Date: Jan 2007	It's great if you like vampires. In fact it's unintentionally funny sometimes. I was searching in the horror section and the results listing was book after book of Buffy-clone material categorised as "Vampire", and smack in the middle of it was "Salem's Lot" by Stephen King (a book about vampires for those who do not know), marked as "Other horror". Priceless. Not so funny if you're looking for anything other than yet another Buffy-clone. :/ Last edited by NickMilner; 05-20-2007 at 03:51 PM.

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05-19-2007, 05:29 AM	#2
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Relevance to the search terms, I think.

05-19-2007, 08:15 AM	#3
dhbailey Guru Posts: 604 Karma: 733 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: HP iPAQ211 / PRS 500, 700 and 505	Yes, it's relevance to the search terms.

05-19-2007, 11:27 PM	#4
Stonecoldcrb Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2007 Device: Kindle	Thanks guys.

05-20-2007, 07:50 AM	#5
dhbailey Guru Posts: 604 Karma: 733 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: HP iPAQ211 / PRS 500, 700 and 505	What's funny about it (and points up Connect's shortcomings) is when you enter an author's name and a book with that author's name comes up with anything other than 100%. The other totally ludicrous thing is when you enter a name, such as "Deborah Crombie" which is a complete name and would indicate to most people that I want to see ONLY books by her, that books by other authors whose names start with Deborah also come up, and then they show anything other than 0%. I know, they may just be hoping that something in those other entries might catch my eye and get me to buy the book, I think they should have a selectable "Show me other books which might be similar" or "Only show me books which match the search term comletely" option so as to not waste my time.

05-20-2007, 08:53 AM	#7
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Considering the way the search worked before (which is to say ... not very well -- putting it mildly), the fact that it will find the authors' names at all is a big deal. That it also finds other 'similar' names doesn't really bother me much since it puts the full matches first. I will admit to a brief flare of annoyance when I find I've wandered into listings for authors that have the same first or last name.

05-20-2007, 12:34 PM	#8
KlondikeGeoff Wombat Aficionado Posts: 481 Karma: 733 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Arizona Device: Fire, Kindle1, Sony PRS-500 Reader, Rocket 1100 eBook	Everything about the site is so annoying, I try to use it as little as possible. Anyhow, has anybody tried putting the two names of an author in quotes to see if that eliminates other names? Works for Google. Come to think of it, if only Sony would hire Google as a consultant.

05-20-2007, 02:30 PM	#10
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Excellent point, JSWolf. And yet another reason I only find it mildly annoying.

05-26-2007, 11:08 AM	#14
Stonecoldcrb Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2007 Device: Kindle	Well, apparently being so new to this, and still waiting for my Sony to be delivered, here is yet another noob alert question: Certainly being less experienced pushes me in the direction of the Connect store. Heck I can search a book, buy it, download it and off I go. Easy for me. BUT... where else can I go to buy books (I alread know of the Gug. site, and I would like other than classic titles), download them and have it be as easy (relatively speaking) as the Connect exchange. Basically, while I understand the ereader supports diff. formats, what "stores" out there have a wider selection that are compatible? Certainly in the lines of what's on the bookshelves now etc. I am not opposed to "converting" formats to get them to work (although I would rather not just starting out here) but I am in search of seemless integration. Any direction folks would be appreciated. Cheers Jeez, did any of that ^ make sense.

05-26-2007, 11:19 AM	#15
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Sure, Stonecoldcrb, you're asking where else you can find e-books, preferably recent releases. Right? If you like SciFi, you should check out Baen's ebook store, it's called Webscriptions, they sell their stuff in several formats, including RTF, with no DRM on the files. And they have a fair sized free library section to see if you like their offerings. www.Fictionwise.com is another source, as is www.ebooks.com -- the Microsoft .LIT format is an easy one to convert, and removing the DRM is usually technically legal since said DRM disables the read aloud function, and it's legal to remove DRM that interferes with a 'Disabilities' related feature. (The best app to do that is apparently the unfortunately named 'convert lit' better known as 'clit' -- careful how you search for that one, especially at work ). Those are just of the top of my head, I'm sure others will have more suggestions.

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