How to get the Kindle 3 to display page #'s?

[ivanjt]

There are two problems here.
First is the equating a screen full of text as a page - it may be, e.g. DX, or most probably isn't on a smaller screen size.
Second, if there are no consistent page numbers how can you go to page 'x' as referred to in the index in manuals etc.

All the manuals I use are divided into pages but I have to take pot luck in finding a particular reference which is damned annoying to say the least especially when I handed over a large amount of money just to get the screen size of the DX.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ivanjt

Second, if there are no consistent page numbers how can you go to page 'x' as referred to in the index in manuals etc.

You'd use hyperlinks for that. Page numbers for internal cross-references within a book are totally redundant in an eBook.

[FF2]

Originally Posted by Krad

Id like to atleast see how many pages I have until the next chapter. example of the display would be like P.144/185. Meaning I have 41 pages to go until the next chapter.

The reason would be if I have to stop reading to do something else, I can atleast stop at the beginning of a new chapter instead of laying the K3 down in the middle of one.

Ive never edited a book for a Kindle, so im not sure if this is possible, I just know the epub books for Stanza had chapter breaks, which let the app know when the next chapter began.

I guess you could estimate how far the next chapter is by checking its location against your current location. If you did not know (although I guess this depends on the book's compilation), you can get to the next chapter by pressing the 5-way thingie to the right. The books moves to the next chapter. Pressing BACK button will move you back to where you were in the book. Either percentage read or location info for those two positions could be compared. Or you could just page ahead to find the next chapter and then use the back button as many times to go back to your prior position (or set a bookmark). They do all involve the mechanical pressing of buttons (as opposed to leafing through real paper in a book to find the chapter end)

[s1mp13m4n]

Originally Posted by twowheels

I'm curious... what do you intend to use the page numbers for? As a software engineer we often have to ask the question, "what problem are you trying to solve?" when somebody asks for a specific solution. The answer to that question often leads to a better solution. I suspect that page numbers are often requested because people want what they're used to, but, consider:

1) Page numbers (screen number) on an ebook reader would be relative to font & margin sizes, so they can't be used to refer to a location in the book when talking to somebody else about a location in the book. Your mom's nook color has different fonts, screen size, etc, so if she told you about something on page 72 it'd be of no meaning to you on your Kindle.
2) Percentage complete is just as useful as "page 50 of 782" for letting you know how much is left (once you get used to the change)
3) The kindle location value will take you directly to the exact spot if you need to refer to a specific piece of text in a class or other similar setting.

I'm not really sure how page numbers would help other than comfort for those of us who grew up with paper books.

Yep you do think like a programmer. I tried basic programming in college but I could not wrap my head aropund it. LOL Now, to you questions. Being human I am simply use to page numbers from books and the Kindle 3 I have is my first ereader. I know page numbers so having them gives me a reference that I am familiar with and know. I now understand that a page number reference would not be accurate and therefor would be meaning less. However I "think" I have a solution. The system that is being used by the Kindle is based on math, so the page number count could be the same way. Here is my idea (yes it is in the alpha stage). Now I realize that this would still not be accurate but it would help with the warm fuzzies that we humans need.

Take the original book and get a total page count
once you have that then adjustments can be made by the Kindle to keep the page count relevant no matter the font size
I want to know how many "Kindle page turns per chapter so I know how far I am from the end of a chapter and can gauge a stopping point in my reading

All of this can be done with the current system that the Kindle is using, so I do not have to have page numbers, just better use of their current system would be nice.

[PitterPat]

I have read on another site that there is a group called IDPF that sets standards about ebooks. They have or plan to set up a standard for page numbering. From what I understand the publisher would specify the ISBN of the paper book they are using the page numbers from.

Even in paperbooks, the page numbers from one edition to another may not match. The paperback version isn't going to match the hardback version.

[s1mp13m4n]

I will just have to learn how to use and reference the Kindle system so if my wife and I are reading the same book on our K3 then we can "go to" a certain spot, etc. It is not that big a deal and now I know what the system of use is for the Kindle so now I can understand it. I do like the % read being shown so you know how far you are in the book.

[DMSmillie]

Originally Posted by PitterPat

I have read on another site that there is a group called IDPF that sets standards about ebooks. They have or plan to set up a standard for page numbering. From what I understand the publisher would specify the ISBN of the paper book they are using the page numbers from.

What if the content and/or arrangement of the electronic version is different in any way from the paper version?
What if the book was never published in paper form?

It seems silly, to me, to try and tie ebooks to print editions. No-one expects or requires a paperback version to match the page numbering of a hard cover version of a book. Why demand that an electronic version must be an exact match with some other format? They're all different.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by DMSmillie

It seems silly, to me, to try and tie ebooks to print editions. No-one expects or requires a paperback version to match the page numbering of a hard cover version of a book. Why demand that an electronic version must be an exact match with some other format? They're all different.

I wish I could insert a really loud angelic trumpet fanfare here, because this makes perfect sense!

[Pushka]

Originally Posted by Starko

I find current system "too precise"! While being mathematically correct it is ideal for "nerds" (no negative connotation here - am i one of them) but it is too anal retentive for "normal humans". It is seems that the Kindle paging system was created by software designers and not by good human interaction designers.

On the contrary; my 85 year old mother says the % read is far more helpful to her than page numbers.

[silasgreenback]

Originally Posted by Pushka

On the contrary; my 85 year old mother says the % read is far more helpful to her than page numbers.

When I'm reading paper books, I'll get out the calculator from time to time and determine the percentage.

If I'm on page 163 of a 356 page book, I'd rather know that I'm 45.7% done with it.

[FF2]

Originally Posted by silasgreenback

When I'm reading paper books, I'll get out the calculator from time to time and determine the percentage.

If I'm on page 163 of a 356 page book, I'd rather know that I'm 45.7% done with it.

It does take all kinds!

[DiapDealer]

I'm more of a - "when I keep clicking the 'Next' button and nothing seems to be happening... I must be done with that book" - kind of guy.

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by silasgreenback

When I'm reading paper books, I'll get out the calculator from time to time and determine the percentage.

If I'm on page 163 of a 356 page book, I'd rather know that I'm 45.7% done with it.

I've never done that for a paper book, though I do with that the Kindle would give at least one more digit of precision on the % complete... on a long book you can sit at 99% for a LONG time... :-)

[Pushka]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm more of a - "when I keep clicking the 'Next' button and nothing seems to be happening... I must be done with that book" - kind of guy.

Actually, I was reading a novel in a series and the ending was left very much up in the air (very frustrating as it was an 22732 locations (page) book and the author takes two years to write sequels) and I thought my kindle was screwed because it would not go to the next page. I realised I had finished.

[Witchbaby]

Originally Posted by silasgreenback

When I'm reading paper books, I'll get out the calculator from time to time and determine the percentage.

If I'm on page 163 of a 356 page book, I'd rather know that I'm 45.7% done with it.

I don't take it quite this far but I do tend to refer to pbooks by percentages instead of page numbers.

If someone asks where I'm at in a book I'll rough estimate it - "About halfway done" or "I've got about a quarter to go". I wouldn't say I'm on page 142, 'cause that's meaningless to the person who asked. It doesn't give a clear picture of how much of the book I've read.

*shrugs*