Universal ebook reader for the PC?

[Dullahir]

Good day everyone, I was wondering if there was an ebook reader for the PC that could read most, if not all types of ebook formats, or at least the ones that Calibre uses.

I am tempted, SO very tempted to actually use the ebook reader that Calibre has built in, but is this possible to do without having to launch Calibre itself? I have about 100k ebooks in total, and I'm not anxious for the sluggishness of the program with that many books loaded, hehe.

Thanks in advance!

[BetterRed]

No need to launch calibre to use its viewer

Just associate it (ebook-viewer.exe) via your operating system, with the file types you want it to read - then you can use it from anywhere you can see one of those files.

The file types must be those that calibre can convert from

BR

[Dullahir]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

No need to launch calibre to use its viewer

Just associate it (ebook-viewer.exe) via your operating system, with the file types you want it to read - then you can use it from anywhere you can see one of those files.

The file types must be those that calibre can convert from

BR

Oh wow!! So very simple, haha! Thank you so very much, mate! =) Mmmmmm.. I'm also tempted to remove my other ebook readers, especially the ones who think that the 3rd book in a series comes before the first. >.>

Will Calibre 'Store' books indefinitely if I so choose to keep them saved within the program? Is it recommended to do this when using the Ebook Viewer as default? (I enjoy the library feature a few other ebook readers have, such as ComicRack, ADE and Mobiread.)

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Dullahir

Oh wow!! So very simple, haha! Thank you so very much, mate! =) Mmmmmm.. I'm also tempted to remove my other ebook readers, especially the ones who think that the 3rd book in a series comes before the first. >.>

Will Calibre 'Store' books indefinitely if I so choose to keep them saved within the program? Is it recommended to do this when using the Ebook Viewer as default? (I enjoy the library feature a few other ebook readers have, such as ComicRack, ADE and Mobiread.)

The books (and the matching metadata.opf) remain (in the Library folder), even if you uninstall Calibre.
Calibre is a Manager, not a Jailer

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Dullahir

Will Calibre 'Store' books indefinitely if I so choose to keep them saved within the program? Is it recommended to do this when using the Ebook Viewer as default? (I enjoy the library feature a few other ebook readers have, such as ComicRack, ADE and Mobiread.)

Not sure I fully understand the question but...

echoing theducks reply Calibre will store the books as long as the disk is working and you don't delete the books.

I would have thought ComicRack, ADE and Mobiread would have separate libraries from Calibre's - by that I mean the folders where they keep things.

Assuming that's true then using the calibre ebook-reader in the context of say ComicRack will not effect the Calibre library - and whatever you save in ComicRack's library will be in its library even though you use the Calibre viewer to read the comics.

I have a Calibre Library folder and another one called MobiRead Books. I have some MOBI's in Mobiread Books that I read with the calibre viewer.

BR

[Dullahir]

Ah, thanks for the info, guys!!

But basically what I meant was being able to have *One* library in which to store my complete ebook collection, and not just a folder, but a program so that I can 'View' the files, the metadata, etc. Since a lot of ebook readers are incompatible with each other.


But Ducks, you say that the library will store the metadata indefinitely? That only happens when you keep the books within Calibre, right? Because when I remove the book formats, it deletes the .opf as well, or am I mistaken?

[Dullahir]

Actually, better yet: After adding books to the Calibre library (Via sending them to Calibre itself) would it be wise to delete the original books? To save space, I mean. I could use the 40GB for other things. :/

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Dullahir

Actually, better yet: After adding books to the Calibre library (Via sending them to Calibre itself) would it be wise to delete the original books? To save space, I mean. I could use the 40GB for other things. :/

Maybe, especially if you're wise enough to back up your calibre library to another disk, a server or the cloud.

[Dullahir]

Hmm. Thanks for that! Let's see.. I've never figured out the Calibre Library server, but what is this Cloud that you speak of?

Also, is it capable of handling 40gb worth of files?

[cybmole]

the cloud is basically "storage space on the internet" as sold by Amazon, Dropbox and others - you can have unlimited Gb but there are limits on how much you can get for free.

note that if your internet connection dies, so does your access to the cloud

[Dullahir]

Originally Posted by cybmole

the cloud is basically "storage space on the internet" as sold by Amazon, Dropbox and others - you can have unlimited Gb but there are limits on how much you can get for free.

note that if your internet connection dies, so does your access to the cloud

Oh wow. Okay! Server it is then! Lmao. I'm able to bring up the server, but is it possible to have the books remain there even after you remove them from Calibre? (Not that I would, but my hard drive crashed once already, and I lost damn-near everything, and I'd like to back them up somewhere online.)

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Dullahir

but what is this Cloud that you speak of?

Also, is it capable of handling 40gb worth of files?

I have been using Copy.com cloud storage for calibre (see my signature below). Since it is a relatively new service for every person that signs up using my referral link (they supply this link) we both get an extra 5GB of storage. My free copy.com account is currently past 40GB of free storage and it works well. If you get family or friends to sign up using your link you can easily pass the 40GB of free space too. Feel free to use my link below and we both get an extra 5GB.

Originally Posted by cybmole

note that if your internet connection dies, so does your access to the cloud

I have not used any cloud storage yet for my computer (Dropbox, Copy.com, Skydrive, Sugarsync, Box.com etc...) where the files are exclusively in the cloud and require the internet to access the files.

The same is not true for mobile devices, for the most part you do need an internet connection to access the cloud from your mobile device. Which is a good thing since my mobile device has less space than most of my cloud accounts.

[Adoby]

The calibre reader is "only" an epub reader. In order to display all other formats calibre convert other ebook formats to epub, on the fly, and then display the resulting temporary epub.

I keep the original ebooks outside calibre. In calibre I only have epub and pdf. And I use an ebook reader that handles both epub and pdf.

[Dullahir]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

I have been using Copy.com cloud storage for calibre (see my signature below). Since it is a relatively new service for every person that signs up using my referral link (they supply this link) we both get an extra 5GB of storage. My free copy.com account is currently past 40GB of free storage and it works well. If you get family or friends to sign up using your link you can easily pass the 40GB of free space too. Feel free to use my link below and we both get an extra 5GB.



I have not used any cloud storage yet for my computer (Dropbox, Copy.com, Skydrive, Sugarsync, Box.com etc...) where the files are exclusively in the cloud and require the internet to access the files.

The same is not true for mobile devices, for the most part you do need an internet connection to access the cloud from your mobile device. Which is a good thing since my mobile device has less space than most of my cloud accounts.

Oh wow, thanks Doc!! I'll def. be checking that out! =)

Also, Adoby, lol. xDD yes, I am aware of this, but I have discovered that if you launch a PDF file via the Calibre Library, it will launch the file with Adobe, regardless if it is on your system or not. (The ebook in question was deleted, and stored on a separate network, yet it was stlll launched.)

[BetterRed]

@Dullahir - My reference to the cloud was in the context of backing up your library. I wasn't suggesting you should store and use your library from the cloud. You can of course, and many do, but cybmole's caveat kicks in - if the 'net's down then so is your library.

Oh, and my reference to a server - was likewise, as a backup medium, any bog standard file server will do - I use an old Sun box running Solaris.

BR