The Technology Vent and Rant Thread

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I'm waiting for a call for medical referral. So of course I instead get bombarded with spam calls.

This is why I don't answer my phone directly unless the number is in my Contacts. I let it go to the answering machine or voice mail, and then respond to the ones that I actually need to.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

This is why I don't answer my phone directly unless the number is in my Contacts. I let it go to the answering machine or voice mail, and then respond to the ones that I actually need to.

Unfortunately that often breaks down with medical calls which show Private Number

Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Unfortunately that often breaks down with medical calls which show Private Number

Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

Yes this

[DNSB]

My spouse has received a lot of those delivery/custom charges messages in the last couple of months. A certain expertise at deleting and reporting has developed.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

This is why I don't answer my phone directly unless the number is in my Contacts. I let it go to the answering machine or voice mail, and then respond to the ones that I actually need to.

More specifically, I wasn't sure of the exact phone number they were going to use to call or whether it's be a private number.

[Solitaire1]

Why can't e-readers have a standard size of screen, or at least a standard ratio of screen size (like with TVs)? As an example, my Nook Color has a screen size of 3.5 inches by 5.75 inches, yet my Nook Glowlight 4 has a screen size of 3.5 inches by 4.75 inches. One option would be to adopt Metric Paper sizes, such as A5 and A6.

The advantage of this is that each screen maintains the same proportion of height to width as the previous size, so with photos there is no blank space and no cropping necessary. An an example, A5 paper is approximately 5.8 inches by 8.3 inches (a nice size for a large e-reader), while A6 paper is 5.8 inches by 4.1 inches (a nice size for a smaller e-reader).

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

Why can't e-readers have a standard size of screen, or at least a standard ratio of screen size (like with TVs)? As an example, my Nook Color has a screen size of 3.5 inches by 5.75 inches, yet my Nook Glowlight 4 has a screen size of 3.5 inches by 4.75 inches. One option would be to adopt Metric Paper sizes, such as A5 and A6.

They certainly could, but they don't need to. TVs and computer monitors need to work with formally defined international standards. There are no such standards for phones, tablets and readers other than whatever sizes and aspect ratios a given manufacturer decides fits their manufacturing costs.

It's annoying. I do a fair bit with self-made PDFs and CBZ files, and every time I go through a device upgrade I have to chase down the resolution and aspect ratio, then figure out an approximately equivalent paper size to minimize wasted margin space.

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by ratinox

They certainly could, but they don't need to. TVs and computer monitors need to work with formally defined international standards. There are no such standards for phones, tablets and readers other than whatever sizes and aspect ratios a given manufacturer decides fits their manufacturing costs.

It's annoying. I do a fair bit with self-made PDFs and CBZ files, and every time I go through a device upgrade I have to chase down the resolution and aspect ratio, then figure out an approximately equivalent paper size to minimize wasted margin space.

I have the same issue when I make my PDFs. Every time I get a new ereader I end up having to reformat my PDF ebooks. It's not hard to do, all I have to do is measure the screen of my new ereader and then update the page size. Then everything falls into place.

The reason I prefer PDF for my ebooks is because I can know exactly what my ebooks will look like. I use LibreOffice to make my ebooks and all I have to do is adjust the page size and it will show me what the ebook will look like so that I can make any needed corrections/adjustments.

Often, I find EPUB ebooks to not be as well formatted as the PDF ebooks I make myself. As an example, a pet peeve of mine is combining a blank line between the paragraphs with a first-line indent for the paragraphs. To me, one or the other is fine but not both at the same time.

This brings forth a question, what formats are good as a source for making an EPUB (you create the ebook in the source format and then convert it into EPUB)?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

Why can't e-readers have a standard size of screen, or at least a standard ratio of screen size (like with TVs)? As an example, my Nook Color has a screen size of 3.5 inches by 5.75 inches, yet my Nook Glowlight 4 has a screen size of 3.5 inches by 4.75 inches. One option would be to adopt Metric Paper sizes, such as A5 and A6.

Minor nit here is that the Nook Color is a LCD device while the Nook Glowlight 4 is a eInk device. Most of the screens that eInk supplies for ereaders have a 3x4 aspect ratio.

As claiming a standard aspect ratio for TVs? Perhaps you don't remember the 'good old days' when most TVs were 4x3 aspect ratio before HD and 16x9 becoming the common aspect ratio.

[Quoth]

And earlier still TVs were 5:4. There are some TVs wider than 16:9. But it's a stupid aspect ratio, especially on laptops & tablets. The 1600 x 1200 (4:3) laptops better than 1920 x 1080 (16:9), unless you mostly watch video for TV (cinema can be any aspect).
Also 16:9 (AKA WS) for TVs predates LCD, HD and Digital. Though WS without big HD screens was stupid.

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As claiming a standard aspect ratio for TVs? Perhaps you don't remember the 'good old days' when most TVs were 4x3 aspect ratio before HD and 16x9 becoming the common aspect ratio.

4:3 broadcast TV is a formal standard. Actually it's several related formal standards: NTSC, PAL and SECAM. 16:9 became a formal standard with HDTV specifications.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

This is why I don't answer my phone directly unless the number is in my Contacts. I let it go to the answering machine or voice mail, and then respond to the ones that I actually need to.

I answer the phone because it could be a call I want to take. If it's spam, I'll hang up.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

Often, I find EPUB ebooks to not be as well formatted as the PDF ebooks I make myself. As an example, a pet peeve of mine is combining a blank line between the paragraphs with a first-line indent for the paragraphs. To me, one or the other is fine but not both at the same time.

This brings forth a question, what formats are good as a source for making an EPUB (you create the ebook in the source format and then convert it into EPUB)?

I edit the ePub so there are no paragraph spaces and there are proper indents. That does look good.

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

Often, I find EPUB ebooks to not be as well formatted as the PDF ebooks I make myself. As an example, a pet peeve of mine is combining a blank line between the paragraphs with a first-line indent for the paragraphs. To me, one or the other is fine but not both at the same time.

Might be time for you to look into Sigil.

This brings forth a question, what formats are good as a source for making an EPUB (you create the ebook in the source format and then convert it into EPUB)?

Anything that does text markup as opposed to page layout.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ratinox

Might be time for you to look into Sigil.


Anything that does text markup as opposed to page layout.

Word or LibreOffice are good for creating the source text. But, you HAVE to use styles instead of highlight the text and hit a button on the toolbar.