SF for the Sony?

[AUWG]

Originally Posted by slayda

Another place to look is Abintrapress.com. It is Ed Howdershelt's web page where he self publishes. Some unusual SF (most with some erotica included, but Ansen has no erotica. He uses himself as his own main character. I found the 3rd World series quite interesting. You will have to do a format change for the Sony but his books do not have DRM and if you buy the bundle, they are very reasonably priced. You can also buy his work at Fictionwise but not his bundle. To quickly change the format, buy the HTML - open in MS Word - save as .RTF. Sony can read the .RTF. If you don't have MS Word, you can DL Open Office free & do the same with it.

Thanks for the info regarding Sony & .RTF.
My HTML files are tabled. If you get them, just remove the tabling (3 lines at the top and bottom of the file).

Are there enough Sony customers to justify creating .RTF versions of all (currently) 31 titles and placing them in a sales group?

Thanks,
Ed
Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
http://www.AbintraPress.com
My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
T-Shirts: http://abintrapress.netfirms.com/4boxes.htm

[AUWG]

Originally Posted by ficbot

So, no comments on the HTML files from Abintra press? Someone rec'd them upthread and I had a question about how readable the HTML is on the Sony. I tried converting a sample one from his site once for the eBookwise and it required a lot of manual formatting. Before I shell out for his whole package, I would want to make sure it is good as is and I won't need to do extra work for it.

Hi, ficbot.
See my reply on page 3 here about converting my HTML files.
Thanks for your interest,
Ed
Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
http://www.AbintraPress.com
My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
T-Shirts: http://abintrapress.netfirms.com/4boxes.htm

[gwynevans]

Originally Posted by AUWG

Are there enough Sony customers to justify creating .RTF versions of all (currently) 31 titles and placing them in a sales group?

Hi Ed, welcome aboard & nice to see you here!

I'm not sure about numbers, Sony's expanding in Europe these days, so might well be worth considering. As an alternative to the RTF option, you can easily create Sony .LRF format versions by converting one of your other versions with Calibre, as I mention in the post here. Literally no more than a "lit2lrf <filename>.lit" command at the simplest.

[ficbot]

I would be interested in an LRF or RTF version. I am still i the midst of converting my eReader files for the Sony, and it is a LOT of manual labour, more than I thought it would be. I am not interested in buying anything else I have to convert, certainly not 31 of them at one time I did read Third World Products Book 1 and enjoyed it though...and the bundle is reasonably priced...I just cannot handle any more converting right now.

[AUWG]

Originally Posted by gwynevans

Hi Ed, welcome aboard & nice to see you here!
I'm not sure about numbers, Sony's expanding in Europe these days, so might well be worth considering. As an alternative to the RTF option, you can easily create Sony .LRF format versions by converting one of your other versions with Calibre, as I mention in the post here. Literally no more than a "lit2lrf <filename>.lit" command at the simplest.

After trying to provide several formats for years and encountering various issues including diminishing sales when hardware was discontinued or lost popularity, I'll leave further conversions to others.
Since I write and edit my titles in WordPad in .RTF format, no format conversion would be necessary to make them available if the Sony can eat .RTF files.

Note: due to a deal with Ingram, many of my titles are now available at Sony's ebook store:
http://ebookstore.sony.com/author/ed-howdershelt_96326

Thanks,
Ed
Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
http://www.AbintraPress.com
My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
T-Shirts: http://abintrapress.netfirms.com/4boxes.htm

[AUWG]

Originally Posted by ficbot

I would be interested in an LRF or RTF version. I am still i the midst of converting my eReader files for the Sony, and it is a LOT of manual labour, more than I thought it would be. I am not interested in buying anything else I have to convert, certainly not 31 of them at one time I did read Third World Products Book 1 and enjoyed it though...and the bundle is reasonably priced...I just cannot handle any more converting right now.

Heh. You seem to know why I now avoid file conversions.
Does the Sony suck up a raw RTF file and simply display it as-is, or do you have to do anything to it?
Thanks,
Ed
Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
http://www.AbintraPress.com
My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
T-Shirts: http://abintrapress.netfirms.com/4boxes.htm

[gwynevans]

> After trying to provide several formats for years...

Totally understandable, and as we're talking about unDRMed titles, it's easy enough for most readers to convert, so your target audience is that segment that are going to find your titles but not know how to convert them, which is probably fairly small. Even then, you could probably cover most of them with just a note on the website somewhere simply suggesting that any user who wants a Sony format should purchase either the LIT or MOBI format books and convert them via Calibre.

> no format conversion would be necessary ... if the Sony can eat .RTF files.

It can, although as I understand it, it won't display any in-line images and the font size should be 16-18 points for a reasonable display size.

> Note: due to a deal with Ingram, many of my titles are now available at
> Sony's ebook store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/author/ed-howdershelt_96326

Nice - Not trying to downplay it but note that it's effectively US (or maybe North America) only, so there'll (hopefully!) still be some demand from Sony readers other than via that route!

[kacir]

Originally Posted by AUWG

WordPad in .RTF format, no format conversion would be necessary to make them available if the Sony can eat .RTF files.

That is how I prepare books for reading on my Sony reader. On windows, WordPad is THE software to create rtf files perfectly formated for Sony Reader. If you inspect the rtf file using plain text editor it is much, *much* cleaner than rtf files produced by OpenOffice.org or MSWord or other tools.

On Unix systems Ted word processor provides the cleanest rtf file.

When I use scripts [from inside plain text editor, such as Vim] to create rtf files I use file header and footer "stolen" from a simple rtf document created using WordPad or Ted.
There is one thing you need to do manually [in a plain text editor] - set correct metadata for Author and Title of the book.

[AUWG]

>> After trying to provide several formats for years...

> ...you could probably cover most of them with just a note on the website somewhere simply suggesting that any user who wants a Sony format should purchase either the LIT or MOBI format books and convert them via Calibre.

Yup.

>> no format conversion would be necessary ... if the Sony can eat .RTF files.

> It can, although as I understand it, it won't display any in-line images and the font size should be 16-18 points for a reasonable display size.

No images in my books. I'd let the reader determine font size for conversion.

>> Note: due to a deal with Ingram, many of my titles are now available at
>> Sony's ebook store: http://ebookstore.sony.com/author/ed-howdershelt_96326

> Nice - Not trying to downplay it but note that it's effectively US (or maybe North America) only, so there'll (hopefully!) still be some demand from Sony readers other than via that route!

Contract specified world resale rights. Sony's a world-sized outfit. I'll just hope for the best in that regard.
Ed
Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
http://www.AbintraPress.com
My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
T-Shirts: http://abintrapress.netfirms.com/4boxes.htm

[AUWG]

> On windows, WordPad is THE software to create rtf files perfectly formated for Sony Reader. If you inspect the rtf file using plain text editor it is much, *much* cleaner than rtf files produced by OpenOffice.org or MSWord or other tools.

Yup. My scribbling box runs Win98 and the earliest edition of WordPad. Plain and simple RTFs, without the added header, footer, and per-line garbage of later editions.

> On Unix systems Ted word processor provides the cleanest rtf file.

Good to know. I run a dual-boot with Xandros 4, which I believe is Debian-based. Is there a version of Ted available that will unzip/tar/whatever and install itself without having to fuss with the command line stuff?

> There is one thing you need to do manually [in a plain text editor] - set correct metadata for Author and Title of the book.

Metadata? Whuzzat? Explain?
Thanks,
Ed
Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
http://www.AbintraPress.com
My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
T-Shirts: http://abintrapress.netfirms.com/4boxes.htm

[slayda]

Originally Posted by AUWG

Thanks for the info regarding Sony & .RTF.
My HTML files are tabled. If you get them, just remove the tabling (3 lines at the top and bottom of the file).

Are there enough Sony customers to justify creating .RTF versions of all (currently) 31 titles and placing them in a sales group?

Thanks,
Ed
Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
http://www.AbintraPress.com
My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
T-Shirts: http://abintrapress.netfirms.com/4boxes.htm

Ed,
Sonys can indeed "eat" RTF files directly & since you already have them, it would seem easy to sell that format too. Sonys are becoming more & more popular. Unfortunately they can not read Mobipocket as most of the other readers can.

Epub also seems to be another format that is gaining in general popularity.

Metadata (as was mentioned here) is just the title and author. My version of Wordpad doesn't have RTF saving ability but in MS Word under the "Files" menu is "Properties" where this (metadata) can be entered. Some readers pickup that info and display it on the reader. I wouldn't worry about it unless you want to.

If you search here on the MR WIKI (or Google it) you'll find a free download of Calibre. With it you can make a batch conversion to either EPUB or LRF. I believe it will accept RTF as input, making the conversion reasonably painless. Give it a look.

BTW, welcome to MR, a good place to learn about ebook readers and related data plus just a fun place to visit.

P.S. Don't spend too much time here. I'm waiting on your next book.

[AUWG]

> Sonys can indeed "eat" RTF files directly & since you already have them, it would seem easy to sell that format too.

Yup.

> Epub also seems to be another format that is gaining in general popularity.

Been looking into it. Construction involves .opf files. I used to use those in making .LIT files, then dug up an old copy of RStudio. Now I just tell it which file to zap and which pix to include.

> Metadata... I wouldn't worry about it unless you want to.

I don't want to.

> If you search here on the MR WIKI (or Google it) you'll find a free download of Calibre. With it you can make a batch conversion to either EPUB or LRF.

I'll check it out.

> BTW, welcome to MR, a good place to learn about ebook readers and related data plus just a fun place to visit.
P.S. Don't spend too much time here. I'm waiting on your next book.

Soon. 3WP13 is in final edits.

Can't attach files to messages, so how can I upload an RTF copy of "An Encounter in Atlanta"?
Someone can zap it into Sony format and make it a free download here.
Thanks,
Ed
Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
http://www.AbintraPress.com
My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
T-Shirts: http://abintrapress.netfirms.com/4boxes.htm

[kacir]

Originally Posted by AUWG

Good to know. I run a dual-boot with Xandros 4, which I believe is Debian-based. Is there a version of Ted available that will unzip/tar/whatever and install itself without having to fuss with the command line stuff?

Ted web page
http://www.nllgg.nl/Ted/
you can download the Linux binary here.
ftp://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/editors/ted/T...ux_ix86.tar.gz
I am afraid you will need a little bit of "Commandline Kung-Fu" to make it run.
Download the package and put it somewhere, for example into
/tmp/tedinstall
then download installation script
ftp://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/editors/ted/installTed.sh
put it into
/tmp/tedinstall
and run command
cd /tmp/tedinstall
sh /tmp/tedinstall/InstallTed.sh
as root
this should install the program.

If this does not work use source
ftp://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/editors/ted/ted-2.17.src.tar.gz
You can unpack the src using point and click interface.
Then start Terminal, or Konsole, log in as root,
start midnight commander by typing
mc
then navigate to the directory where you unpacked the sources and type
make install
That should do it.

I personally use PC-BSD which is a kind of "distribution" of FreeBSD so I always install Ted using ports.

Originally Posted by AUWG

> There is one thing you need to do manually [in a plain text editor] - set correct metadata for Author and Title of the book.

Metadata? Whuzzat? Explain?

Please use notepad to inspect following two examples.
Please note that creatim and revtim are necessary. Without those two metadata Sony Reader will not be able to "see" Author or Title metadata. That fact cost me several days of frustration ;-)
When you load example_without.rtf to a Sony reader or a Sony Library software (**) there is no Author listed and the title of the book is the name of the file.
When you load example_with.rtf to a reader of Sony Library Software (formely Connect) you get the correct title - different one than the name of file is - and an author - Kacir.

(**)
you can download the software for preview of your files here
http://ebookstore.sony.com/download/
This SW displays your book EXACTLY like the Sony Reader would.

[gwynevans]

Originally Posted by AUWG

> Can't attach files to messages, so how can I upload an RTF copy of "An Encounter in Atlanta"?
Someone can zap it into Sony format and make it a free download here.

I've posted this in the "Freebies" section, although sourced from your .LIT, as had that to hand - hope that's OK.

[AUWG]

Originally Posted by gwynevans

I've posted this in the "Freebies" section, although sourced from your .LIT, as had that to hand - hope that's OK.

If the RTF would convert better, I'd rather use it.
How do I get the file to the board? Or to you?
Thanks,
Ed
Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
http://www.AbintraPress.com
My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
T-Shirts: http://abintrapress.netfirms.com/4boxes.htm