Choice between epub and LRF, which do you use?

[ficbot]

Just wondering for those who download free books from the forum here or who buy multiformat books at Fictionwise, do you download the epub or the lrf version? I have been sticking with LRF since I started with those thinking they were the 'native' format and now I have a lot of books. But I am interested in 'future proofing' my collection as much as possible and am wondering if it might be better to either start using the epub instead or to take a weekend and re-download everything into epub?

Someone on another forum told me she has tried both and they look the same to her, one is not faster or slower or more or less stable or anything. So maybe epub is the way to go. Also, I think Calibre cannot convert LRF to epub by itself. Perhaps in the future it will so if Sony suddenly goes bust and LRF is no longer supported in future readers, Calibre might be able to fix my files and I will not have to redownload them. But that is an unknown

So, what would you do?

- Stick wit LRF because it is the Sony's 'native' file and worry about converting down the road only if need arises

- Start using epub but don't worry about converting stuff I already have---again, cross that bridge when or if I need to

- Epub is a great format to read on the Sony and more future-proof so I should convert and/or re-download everything now

My collection is about 300 books right now, a mix of multiformat fictionwise, free ones from here and 'liberated' ereader which I have HTML of and am less worried about converting since I have the original source material.

[ruth1304]

I use both and to be honest haven't had problems with either. I often choose lrf because I don't like the page numbers in the right margin that you get with epub.

I'm not too worried about future proofing as tools such as calibre allow you to convert one format to another, although I have to admit that so far all the books (about 10 out of 300) that I've paid for are epub. I do have secure lrf files but they were all free and mostly PD so I should be able to get hold of alternative formats if I need them.

[pepak]

Well, I think you are needlessly mixing two things:

1) Long-term storage
2) Right-now usability

Neither of the formats is suitable for both of these goals - LRF is much more usable (for me: it is far more stable, has full justification, has fast intra-document links) while EPUB is a lot more future-proof (though not perfect).

Personally, I store all my books in (X)HTML (long-term storage) and convert them to LRF as needed (usability right now) using a single short command (I can get a book converted faster than the operating system recognizes a plugged-in reader).

It might be more difficult if you intend to buy books, but luckily that's not an issue for me - most of the stores don't sell to my country and those that do don't carry books I want.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ficbot

Someone on another forum told me she has tried both and they look the same to her

Does she have vision problems? ePub and LRF most certainly do not look the same! The most obvious visual difference is that LRF books are fully justify, while ePub books are left-justified.

[QubyB]

I’m “struggling” with the same, LRF or Epub?

As for the three choices you are thinking of ... with purchased material I’d choose Epub. To me it seems the better choice for its more widespread universality, where LRF stays a Sony proprietary format.

On the other hand, I installed another font on my reader (for better readability, in my eyes that is) and LRF displays in that font while Epub doesn’t. I also like the full justification of LRF, it is more pleasant to my eyes. It is for those reasons that for now my preference is with LRF.

Geez … why oh why can’t “they” all come together and decide on one universal format for the whole world? No lessons learnt from VHS / Betamax / V200 or from the Bluray / HDDVD battles!? All these different formats never are to the benefit of the customers.

[astra]

No struggling here. LRF all the way.
Either Sony or Epub must improve a support or a format for me to switch to epub. Also, probably I need a tool similar to Book Designer for creating good quality epubs without any knowledge about html/xtml/tags/codding etc.

[Jill75]

I have my choice... epub for versatility and universality.

Wider scope.

[radamo]

Originally Posted by ruth1304

I use both and to be honest haven't had problems with either. I often choose lrf because I don't like the page numbers in the right margin that you get with epub.

I have to agree with ruth1304 about this. I choose LRF purely for the page numbering. I hate having the page numbers (incorrectly) listing in the margin and I prefer having the page numbers "reset" when I change font size. I download epub to keep and convert to lrf to read.
RA

[astra]

Originally Posted by radamo

I hate having the page numbers (incorrectly) listing in the margin and I prefer having the page numbers "reset" when I change font size.

The same here plus one aditional flaw - left hand justification. I hate it. I prefer full justification.
(There is another issue - slow TOC access, slow font size change on PRS-505, but some people say it might be avoided if you create epub properly...)

[lilac_jive]

LRF, only because I'm lazy

[am_mread]

Personally I prefer reading LRF because of full justification.. However I prefer to keep my books stored in HTML, LIT, MOBI or other slightly more open format for future proofedness (tm).

[HarryT]

Oh yes, some HTML-based format is definitely the way to go for long-term storage, because that way you're pretty much guarenteed to be able to easily convert it to whatever "reading format" your device supports.

[no.guru]

I choose both, because my next reader may or may not be a Sony. ePUB is best for that possibility, but LRF is simply more visually pleasing.

I tend to read the LRF and save both formats.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by no.guru

I choose both, because my next reader may or may not be a Sony. ePUB is best for that possibility, but LRF is simply more visually pleasing. I tend to read the LRF and save both formats.

Likewise, I do the same. I only buy multiformat books from Fictionwise (HarryT finally convinced me to give Fictionwise a try and I haven't been disappointed yet). When it comes to downloading the books, I always download the LRF and ePub versions. However, because I have a Sony 505, I load on my reader the LRF file.

But I don't know that next year I won't switch to, say, the Plastic Logic device (assuming it offers ePub compatibility; I won't switch to any device that doesn't). Having the ePub files stored on my computer will give me an option for the next few years.

And although I dislike the ragged-right margin, I'd rather have that and be able to read my books than to have to repurchase books.

So, what to do? Download both formats.

[ahi]

I find the speed and visual quality of ePubs to be woefully inferior to LRFs. I have basically given up on ePub use on my Sony PSR-505.

- Ahi