epub or kepub?

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by ps67

It doesn't exist the perfect ereader: Pocketbook has a good renderer but, unlike Kepub renderer in Kobo, it has no pop up notes nor the ability of sharpening fonts. And You have limited choices about line spacing and margins (only 3, like Kindle).

The renderer of Koreader IMHO is the best and You have pop up notes and great choices about font sharpening and line spacing and many other things. Of course Koreader is not so well integrated with the rest of the Kobo or Pocketbook system (statistics ecc.)

I agree. But margins and line spacing (even if you only have 3 visible options) you can modify them to the millimetre and set them to your liking (with KOReader's own text editor you can do it from the e-reader itself).

[Asawi]

I find much of this thread very confusing. Are we talking EPUB vs KEPUB (or even Kobo) or has it turned into a completely differnt topic about a different brand reader (that does have its own forum section)?
Sorry to be a bit grumpy but I am genuinely interested in and am trying to understand the actual differences between EPUB/KEPUB and I get lost here!

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by Asawi

I find much of this thread very confusing. Are we talking EPUB vs KEPUB (or even Kobo) or has it turned into a completely differnt topic about a different brand reader (that does have its own forum section)?
Sorry to be a bit grumpy but I am genuinely interested in and am trying to understand the actual differences between EPUB/KEPUB and I get lost here!

You are absolutely right. For my part I was only trying to respond or qualify previous posts. But I agree that this is not the right forum. I am sorry for that.

As for the original dilemma, years ago I preferred to use kepub format on Kobo devices. Right now I prefer epub format, mainly because of typographical issues. Personally I don't like the way fonts look in kepub format (which has other advantages in other respects).

Anyway, I prefer using KOReader to Kobo's native reader.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Standard eBooks publishes three different ePubs for each book — Compatible ePub, KePub and Advanced ePub — maybe this would be a good source for a book testing.

The PockeBooks have two readers built in. One for ePub 2 and one for ePub 3. You can specifically choose one by long pressing on the book and tapping Open With PB Reader (EPUB 3) or PB Reader (EPUB 2).

So far I haven't noticed much difference.

No eBooks from Standard eBooks is a valid test. They make crappy eBooks.The code is overly complicated and ADE 2.0.1 does not like them. There is no reading to use some really complicated CSS. That's the reason the "compatible" ePub is not compatible. That's also why I won't ever read anything they release. I'm not wanting to basically rewrite the CSS.

Using their eBooks as a test is no test at all. And they lie. You cannot call an ePub compatible when it's not. They don't need a compatible ePub and an advanced ePub. They just need one single ePub with simple code that actually works.

[Asawi]

Originally Posted by cellaris

As for the original dilemma, years ago I preferred to use kepub format on Kobo devices. Right now I prefer epub format, mainly because of typographical issues. Personally I don't like the way fonts look in kepub format (which has other advantages in other respects).

I have a mix of kepub and epub on my Kobo and I'm struggling to figure out the difference. I see others have mentioned the typography, but I don't quite get it. Doesn't kepub offer the same options regarding size, line space, margins, weight as epub? Or do they "just" render things differently (I guess rendering is what opened the Pocketbook discussion...)
I'm sorry if I'm really stupid now, but I seem to be able to do what I want with the kepub I tried just now. I actually (surprisingly!) do most of my reading on the Tolino at the moment so maybe I just haven't paid enough attention to what things look like at the Kobo, and until recently I only had epubs on it.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

No eBooks from Standard eBooks is a valid test. They make crappy eBooks.The code is overly complicated and ADE 2.0.1 does not like them. There is no reading to use some really complicated CSS. That's the reason the "compatible" ePub is not compatible. That's also why I won't ever read anything they release. I'm not wanting to basically rewrite the CSS.

Using their eBooks as a test is no test at all. And they lie. You cannot call an ePub compatible when it's not. They don't need a compatible ePub and an advanced ePub. They just need one single ePub with simple code that actually works.

Okay. I was just going by what they wrote. I have no experience with them.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Asawi

I have a mix of kepub and epub on my Kobo and I'm struggling to figure out the difference. I see others have mentioned the typography, but I don't quite get it. Doesn't kepub offer the same options regarding size, line space, margins, weight as epub? Or do they "just" render things differently (I guess rendering is what opened the Pocketbook discussion...)
I'm sorry if I'm really stupid now, but I seem to be able to do what I want with the kepub I tried just now. I actually (surprisingly!) do most of my reading on the Tolino at the moment so maybe I just haven't paid enough attention to what things look like at the Kobo, and until recently I only had epubs on it.

The difference in layout and typography is that kepub doesn't do kerning and ligatures (unless you enable it in the configuration file) and word spacing is much worse than with epubs (the smaller the screen, the worse it is; there is a patch to improve it, but on anything smaller than 8" epub does word spacing better even with the patch).

Personally I couldn't care less about kerning and ligatures. I do care about word spacing, but I can live with the kepub word spacing on a 8" Sage. On a 7" Libra I prefer epub.

[Asawi]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The difference in layout and typography is that kepub doesn't do kerning and ligatures (unless you enable it in the configuration file) and word spacing is much worse than with epubs (the smaller the screen, the worse it is; there is a patch to improve it, but on anything smaller than 8" epub does word spacing better even with the patch).

Personally I couldn't care less about kerning and ligatures. I do care about word spacing, but I can live with the kepub word spacing on a 8" Sage. On a 7" Libra I prefer epub.

Just what I was after!
I'm usually not too fussy about spacing. As long as I can get the font size/weight, line spacing and margins comfortable I'm happy.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Asawi

I find much of this thread very confusing. Are we talking EPUB vs KEPUB (or even Kobo) or has it turned into a completely differnt topic about a different brand reader (that does have its own forum section)?

You should expect the drift, especially when this topic has been done to death:
Epub vs kepub
New Kobo, ePub vs Kepub
Font size difference between ePub & kepub
kepub or plain old epub?
kepub vs epub render engines
Do you prefer EPUB or KEPUB?
Kepub or epub for battery life?
kepub vs. epub

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Okay. I was just going by what they wrote. I have no experience with them.

I know it may be hard to believe, but Jon might have been the tiniest bit hyperbolic. I have downloaded and read several StandardEbooks and would recommend them to others.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by ps67

It doesn't exist the perfect ereader: Pocketbook has a good renderer but, unlike Kepub renderer in Kobo, it has no pop up notes nor the ability of sharpening fonts. And You have limited choices about line spacing and margins (only 3, like Kindle).

I agree, the perfect anything doesn't exist. Someone out there will always find reason to complain about some aspect of something. In the end, it is just: do the makers defaults jibe with your preferences?

Both Nook and Kindle only allow three options for spacing and margine. But while I don't like the Kindle ones at all, I do like the Nook ones. I'm sure others hate them.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The difference in layout and typography is that kepub doesn't do kerning and ligatures (unless you enable it in the configuration file) and word spacing is much worse than with epubs (the smaller the screen, the worse it is; there is a patch to improve it, but on anything smaller than 8" epub does word spacing better even with the patch).

I do have kepub looking pretty good on my 6" Clara screen, using the webkitTextRendering=geometricPrecision hack, the Set KePub hyphenation patch and Jon's hyphenation dictionary. I just wish you didn't have to go through that much work to make it look better. My old Nook Simple Touch has better layout out of the box.

But I do like other kepub features, which is why I use them.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I do have kepub looking pretty good on my 6" Clara screen, using the webkitTextRendering=geometricPrecision hack, the Set KePub hyphenation patch and Jon's hyphenation dictionary. I just wish you didn't have to go through that much work to make it look better. My old Nook Simple Touch has better layout out of the box.

But I do like other kepub features, which is why I use them.

I don't use hyphenation. I hate it even more than uneven word spacing.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The difference in layout and typography is that kepub doesn't do kerning and ligatures (unless you enable it in the configuration file) and word spacing is much worse than with epubs (the smaller the screen, the worse it is; there is a patch to improve it, but on anything smaller than 8" epub does word spacing better even with the patch).

Personally I couldn't care less about kerning and ligatures. I do care about word spacing, but I can live with the kepub word spacing on a 8" Sage. On a 7" Libra I prefer epub.

I disagree with anything smaller then 8". 7" works OK. 6" not so.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I don't use hyphenation. I hate it even more than uneven word spacing.

That's why you say under 8" is not good with KePub. Hyphenation will make a difference.