It really is a shame that my e-reader doesn't have an SD slot

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Begone thou demon bearer of PDFs!

I wouldn't put my PDF's in the same pile as those PDF's you can find from publishers... Simply because I made them, for my specific needs (using HTML and LaTeX). They would look horrible on my 8" Windows and Android tablet...

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by rcentros

That's definitely my biggest complaint with my Kindle 4. One size is too small, the next is too big. I don't understand why there is such an extreme range, when the settings should start a bit bigger and end up quite a bit smaller with more reasonably sized "gaps" in between.

I've gotten around the problem in my Kindle Touch by using the font hack and picking a font (Constantia) that has a smaller face in the bigger size. So it's size is in between the two "normal" sizes. It's also got a darker face than the built-in fonts in the Touch. (I thank whoever built and uploaded this font and whoever posted instructions for the fonts hack -- it's made my Touch enjoyable to use.)

I used to just edit the configuration file on my K3 until I was stupid enough to update it and that no longer worked. I didn't much care for reading on it anyway because the page turn buttons sucked - every time I picked it up the page would turn. So I just quit using it.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

In terms of changing the program, trivial. In terms of changing the user interface, problematic. Many vendors are trying to make their software easy to use. In many cases this means reducing the number of options available or presenting them in a more accessible way. In many cases, the latter also has a direct impact on the former.

Contrast Kindle and Kobo: Kobo presents the font size as a trio of user interface elements: a slider, a + button (to increase the font size), and a - button (to decrease the font size). The Kindle uses preset font sizes that are presented as individual buttons. While Kobo's approach offers more options with less complexity, Kindle's approach is more accessible since the buttons provide a visual cue for the expected outcome. Technically speaking, it would be very easy for Kindle to add an extra button for an extra font size. The problem though is finding the space to add the extra button. Well, not "a" extra button. Several extra buttons. The thing is, you may be happy with that one extra step between small and smaller. Someone else his going to want an extra step between huge and huger. Then there are the people who must have microscopes for eyes, because they want an extra tiniest option, and the people who have very poor vision who want a hugest option. At this point, the user interface is a mess.

The screenprint was from Kindle for Android which does use a + and a - button. On an eink Kindle instead of showing different sized A's all they would need to do is change it to show A+ and A- and you would have an infinite number of sizes available and it would clean up the UI.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I'd be fine with the fontsize of the first, but those margins! That's why I really don't like the Kindle (nor the Kindle App). The margins are simply too large. I already have a border around my screen, why include a huge border inside my screen as well?

And to be honest, I don't even remember how the fontsizes look on my BeBook Mini and Sony PRS650. I never used the epub implementations, as I transform my books to PDF, specifically made up for a 6" screen, with a margin that I like and a fontsize that I like. It's only since I started reading on my tablet that I read epubs.

Another reason, btw, why my e-readers all should have a SD card slot. Those PDF books are larger than the original epub

Yeah, I don't like the margins either - I actually have it set to the smallest margin and it's still too big.

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

The screenprint was from Kindle for Android which does use a + and a - button. On an eink Kindle instead of showing different sized A's all they would need to do is change it to show A+ and A- and you would have an infinite number of sizes available and it would clean up the UI.

I don't know why Amazon decided to go that route with their eink readers, but I can suggest a reason based upon my experience with Kobo. It takes time to perform a refresh. If you're quickly pressing the button to make a significant change in the font size, the outcome can be unpredictable.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

It's been a big complaint of mine because the difference in sizes is insane. These two screenprints show the difference between two adjacent Kindle font sizes.

I have a solution for you that will work.

Using Calibre, edit your AZW3 eBooks using Edit Book. Then if there is no body style, add in...

body
font-size: 130%
}

You might have to experiment with font size. I just chose 130% at random. That makes the font size 30% larger. If there is a body style, just add in the font-size line and go from there. It will work to give you a larger font size when set to the font size setting that's too small.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I'd be fine with the fontsize of the first, but those margins! That's why I really don't like the Kindle (nor the Kindle App). The margins are simply too large. I already have a border around my screen, why include a huge border inside my screen as well?

I agree 100%. Also the line height is too large as well.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have a solution for you that will work.

Using Calibre, edit your AZW3 eBooks using Edit Book. Then if there is no body style, add in...

body
font-size: 130%
}

You might have to experiment with font size. I just chose 130% at random. That makes the font size 30% larger. If there is a body style, just add in the font-size line and go from there. It will work to give you a larger font size when set to the font size setting that's too small.

One thing I love about reading on Moon+ is that I don't have to edit anything anymore. I used to have to edit everything when I read on my Sony. And font size isn't the only thing I would have to edit. Margins are too large and line height is too much as well. When I used to edit for my Sony, just adding font-size and margin parameters wasn't enough - it would work in some spots or some books but not others. I used to have to edit css in multiple places to get it to work. I'd rather spend the time reading.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I wouldn't put my PDF's in the same pile as those PDF's you can find from publishers... Simply because I made them, for my specific needs (using HTML and LaTeX). They would look horrible on my 8" Windows and Android tablet...

It is the principle of the thing.

LaTeX

[Chi Cygni]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

*The problem though is finding the space to add the extra button. Well, not "a" extra button. Several extra buttons. The thing is, you may be happy with that one extra step between small and smaller. Someone else his going to want an extra step between huge and huger. Then there are the people who must have microscopes for eyes, because they want an extra tiniest option, and the people who have very poor vision who want a hugest option. At this point, the user interface is a mess.

Drop down Aa slider +/- like with the lightbulb? Just wondering.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Chi Cygni

Drop down Aa slider +/- like with the lightbulb? Just wondering.

Yes. There are a lot of ways it could easily be done, but Amazon just doesn't want to.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

One thing I love about reading on Moon+ is that I don't have to edit anything anymore. I used to have to edit everything when I read on my Sony. And font size isn't the only thing I would have to edit. Margins are too large and line height is too much as well. When I used to edit for my Sony, just adding font-size and margin parameters wasn't enough - it would work in some spots or some books but not others. I used to have to edit css in multiple places to get it to work. I'd rather spend the time reading.

I'm in the same position using Alreader. I can set the margins and fonts to what I want within the UI. Though I do it on e-ink device rather than a tablet.

It really is poor that some e-readers don't allow that level of customization. On my Sony, I also had to compile epubs with custom css in Calibre . I got used to it, but it was a primitive way of going about it.

I'm surprised Amazon continues not to offer more customization. Weird. It's not like it would cost them anything. Some people have suggested more features would make the device less stable, but I can't see why.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Oh? When did the two become different?

They are quite different things. One exists, the other doesn't.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If it ever makes financial sense, it will be BECAUSE our feelings align, and we are still willing to buy Kindles.

Side-loaders (like USB-card users) are a fringe minority of users. If Amazon can find a cheap alternative to charge, it will make no sense to retain the port.

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by Rizla

I'm surprised Amazon continues not to offer more customization. Weird. It's not like it would cost them anything. Some people have suggested more features would make the device less stable, but I can't see why.

I'm one of those who made that statement.

As a software engineer for 20+ years (professionally, and 30+ as a hobby) I have a lot of experience with such things and it is my experience that whenever you have to make a decission, that's a potential bug -- every decision point is a potential point of error. Now, a lot of bugs can be avoided by good design, but it's also my experience that many (most) software developers write horribly complex code with a lot of special cases and extremely convoluted logic, which grows exponentially more complex with more options. There are very few who can see through the immediately obvious collection of flags, switches, and branches, and come up with an elegant solution that avoids special cases and can treat them all as the same -- especially when adding options to existing implementations that they didn't write.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by twowheels

Maybe Kobo took out a patent on a font size slider on eInk displays. :-)

I think kindle was around before Kobo and I doubt you could get a patent on sliders