Register Guidelines E-Books Today's Posts Search

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > E-Book General > News

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 05-22-2009, 01:52 PM   #136
dwallbaum
Zealot
dwallbaum has learned how to buy an e-book online
 
Posts: 100
Karma: 77
Join Date: May 2009
Device: Kindle2
Gentlefolk;

I am a newbie both to this forum and to eReading, so please, if I transgress, accept this as the explanation.

I have been through more format wars than I care to remember: DR-DOS vs. IBMDOS vs. MS_DOS. BetaMax vs. VHS. Now its Blu-ray vs HDTV or whatever (haven't gotten that far yet in my technology). Cell phones that work in the US don't work in Europe or the East. 5.25 in. floppies were superceded by 3.5in floppies, superceded by CDs, superceded by Flash, Compuserve's email didnt play well with other email formats, and eventually disappeared....and so it goes.

All this is obvious... what is discouraging is the time interval for ONE format to appear, so we don't have to purchase a product second-guessing if it is still going to work in six months. These readers are not cheap by any standard, some just cost less than others. That Kindle is dissing ePub does not surprise me, although I do not enjoy that approach. That Sony is dissing azw/mobi does not surprise me, although I do not enjoy that approach.

Formats don't win marketing wars.. content wins marketing wars.

And we all know this... none of this is anything but recaps all are too familiar with. It is a pity that simple truths get lost in marketing battles. <sigh>

Don
dwallbaum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2009, 02:10 PM   #137
dmaul1114
Wizard
dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 2,300
Karma: 1121709
Join Date: Feb 2009
Device: Amazon Kindle 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by dwallbaum View Post
Now its Blu-ray vs HDTV or whatever (haven't gotten that far yet in my technology).
That one's been over for a year or so. Blu Ray one and HD-DVDs are no longer made.
dmaul1114 is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 05-22-2009, 03:16 PM   #138
Ankh
Guru
Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ankh ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Ankh's Avatar
 
Posts: 714
Karma: 2003751
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Ottawa, ON
Device: Kobo Glo HD
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmaul1114 View Post
DRM or no, I don't think ebooks, MP3s (I still buy CDs though I just rip them and mostly listen to MP3s), etc. are every going to be good for collecting purposes. For people who like to have whatever they buy around and accessible for good, there's just no substitute for a physical product.
Well, now that you pointed it out... I am more sensitive to the ownership of my ebooks, than paper equivalents. I can not take with me my bookshelf, I can pack SD choke full of books and go to extended vacation. Where I might just feel like rereading some book.

I don't think it is about collecting... Omnia mea mecum porto
Ankh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2009, 03:25 PM   #139
ahi
Wizard
ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ahi ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 1,790
Karma: 507333
Join Date: May 2009
Device: none
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ankh View Post
Omnia mea mecum porto
Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis.
ahi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2009, 06:53 PM   #140
DaleDe
Grand Sorcerer
DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
DaleDe's Avatar
 
Posts: 11,470
Karma: 13095790
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Grass Valley, CA
Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmaul1114 View Post
I think at the individual level, it's not much of a question. For a tech savy person that is picky about fonts, layout etc. being able to customize is a clear advantage.

But it's a useless feature for most folks who just want to buy a book, have it look good and readable without having to waste any time in their busy life to learn how to re-format it themselves.

They key is to get to a point where all books, magazines etc. can look good on all or most readers so no customization is needed for all but the most anal like Jon. And I really don't see how that can happen with out some standardization of screen sizes. Or at least aspect ratios of screens. Then people would just have to know that if they buy a smaller screen some larger format media like magazines are going to be hard to read, or have to be reflowed with the problems incumbent to doing so.
Actually there could easily be a way to override the CSS for user control purposes without having to edit the file. I too am against editing the file and if it has DRM you will have to break the law to edit it anyway but that is another story.

An eBook reader of the future should have lots of options where the user can specify their preferences and these would override the internal book settings. One of the preferences would be to keep the book settings for folks that really want this so nothing is lost. The defaults would be optimized for the average user so a new user wouldn't even have to know about the settings until they decided they needed to change some. With the proper design an eBook can be easy to use and offer customization for power users. Good eBook readers haven't arrived yet.

Dale
DaleDe is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 05-22-2009, 08:00 PM   #141
taosaur
intelligent posterior
taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.taosaur ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
taosaur's Avatar
 
Posts: 1,562
Karma: 21295618
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Ohiopolis
Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Samsung S8, Lenovo Tab 3 Pro
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaleDe View Post
Actually there could easily be a way to override the CSS for user control purposes without having to edit the file. I too am against editing the file and if it has DRM you will have to break the law to edit it anyway but that is another story.

An eBook reader of the future should have lots of options where the user can specify their preferences and these would override the internal book settings. One of the preferences would be to keep the book settings for folks that really want this so nothing is lost. The defaults would be optimized for the average user so a new user wouldn't even have to know about the settings until they decided they needed to change some. With the proper design an eBook can be easy to use and offer customization for power users. Good eBook readers haven't arrived yet.

Dale
You're probably aware, but that's how FBReader works. I figured out a font size, margin, background/text color contrast etc that I found comfortable and book-like, and that's how any text I import or switch to opens up.
taosaur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-25-2009, 11:52 AM   #142
DaleDe
Grand Sorcerer
DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.DaleDe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
DaleDe's Avatar
 
Posts: 11,470
Karma: 13095790
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Grass Valley, CA
Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by taosaur View Post
You're probably aware, but that's how FBReader works. I figured out a font size, margin, background/text color contrast etc that I found comfortable and book-like, and that's how any text I import or switch to opens up.
Yes, but unfortunately FBReader doesn't have much if any CSS support so it remains to be seen if the local settings will override the CSS once they have CSS. The trick to CSS is you need to support it and then you need to make adjustments as needed. For example you could determine the default font size and apply that in lieu of CSS but you still need to know what the CSS was so that a larger size can be scaled appropriately. Most often CSS uses absolute font sizes but to do the job right you need to modify them to relative.

Dale
DaleDe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2009, 04:16 AM   #143
Xiaopanda
Addict
Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.
 
Xiaopanda's Avatar
 
Posts: 230
Karma: 1290
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Brisbane Australia
Device: Kindle Paperwhite
I think (I think a lot, nothing useful, though) that the way to win the "Format war" is to have devices that accept a wide range of formats. So, if you wanted a Kindle book (awz) you downloaded the Kindle Reader (with PID) to your device, and then you can purchase Kindle books from Amazon. You want a MOBI book? Download the Mobipocket app. to your device and well..... you get the picture, right?

I have been reading mobi / lit for years, on and off as I get a device (mostly PDA).

From my perspective, Copyright seems to be Amazon's big bug-bear, and a propritary format avaialble from a US address (and credit card) is a way to attempt to keep this in check and keep Best sellers on thier lists.

With Flash memory being cheaper every day, if you had a device that had say 1 Gig of system memory for OS and reader programs ONLY+ an extra Gig for on-board storage of docs / books/ audio, then add SD expansion for additional content......oh, and kill PDF, for fiction Ebooks, it's almost had it's day, though it does make a neat container for re-conversion to other formats.......
Xiaopanda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2009, 04:24 AM   #144
HarryT
eBook Enthusiast
HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
HarryT's Avatar
 
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383099
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xiaopanda View Post
With Flash memory being cheaper every day, if you had a device that had say 1 Gig of system memory for OS and reader programs ONLY+ an extra Gig for on-board storage of docs / books/ audio, then add SD expansion for additional content......oh, and kill PDF, for fiction Ebooks, it's almost had it's day, though it does make a neat container for re-conversion to other formats.......
Don't you remember the CyBook Gen1? It took exactly that approach - a generic Windows CE device with lots of different reading programs on it for different formats. Worked great, although the technology wasn't really "there" at the time in terms of battery life, etc.
HarryT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2009, 06:50 AM   #145
emai7s2
Connoisseur
emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.emai7s2 trips the light fantastic.
 
Posts: 97
Karma: 128170
Join Date: Sep 2008
Device: Palm & PPC
Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf View Post
With ePub, I can edit it to fit my needs, with PDF, if it doesn't fit my needs, then it's useless. How is useless better then something I can edit? ... But PDF gives me none of these options. It is as it is and if it as it is, it is not suitable, then it is useless. That is one major reason why PDF will never work as an eBook format.
I wholeheartedly agree. I detest PDF as a format due to its inflexibility. I read on a variety of devices with varying screen sizes, and trying to read documents in PDF format has always been an exercise in pure frustration. Print-outs look good, but as an eBook format, it's horrible.
emai7s2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2009, 08:28 AM   #146
Xiaopanda
Addict
Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.
 
Xiaopanda's Avatar
 
Posts: 230
Karma: 1290
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Brisbane Australia
Device: Kindle Paperwhite
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT View Post
Don't you remember the CyBook Gen1? It took exactly that approach - a generic Windows CE device with lots of different reading programs on it for different formats. Worked great, although the technology wasn't really "there" at the time in terms of battery life, etc.
I wish I did, I "fell off" the ebook bandwagon well before they started to take off, mostly 'cos I couldn't afford anything after my dog ate 2 new PDA's....and I was in Australia at the time...... NOT a huge e-book centre... If I had known about the Cybook then,,,,well.....

And I think that E-ink helps to solve the battery issue, though ghosting and contrast seem to be the big issues this tech has to overcome.

I don't think colour is going to be the huge seller it's promoted to be, though I wonder what the refresh "flash" of a page change would look like on a colour model...if it was the RGB version, would you have 3 flashes, or would it all go black on a page turn...

Just musing....
Xiaopanda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2009, 01:58 PM   #147
Sonist
Apeist
Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Sonist ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Sonist's Avatar
 
Posts: 2,126
Karma: 381090
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The sunny part of California
Device: Generic virtual reality story-experiential device
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xiaopanda View Post
... I don't think colour is going to be the huge seller it's promoted to be....
I actually think color is going to be the game-changer. Together with larger-size screens, is going to open up a whole new market for electronic reading. From newspapers to magazines, to trade publications and richer text-books.

And advertising, of course, which will bump up the availability of content.

As to formats, I personally think color and larger screen sizes will only reaffirm the supremacy of PDF.

Even with the drive to "skew" the poll, by suggesting that people vote for EPUB or MOBI, PDF still won, with a very wide margin.

PDF already has wide public acceptance, and it will allow complex layouts and advertising to be served as intended. The new mobile SDK allows reflow for text material, so it serves fine small-screen devices. It's over, IMO.
Sonist is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2009, 12:05 AM   #148
Xiaopanda
Addict
Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.Xiaopanda is no ebook tyro.
 
Xiaopanda's Avatar
 
Posts: 230
Karma: 1290
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Brisbane Australia
Device: Kindle Paperwhite
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonist View Post
As to formats, I personally think color and larger screen sizes will only reaffirm the supremacy of PDF.

Even with the drive to "skew" the poll, by suggesting that people vote for EPUB or MOBI, PDF still won, with a very wide margin.

PDF already has wide public acceptance, and it will allow complex layouts and advertising to be served as intended. The new mobile SDK allows reflow for text material, so it serves fine small-screen devices. It's over, IMO.
Sadly I have to agree, the "other" formats are not heavly supported, and I know in my case I use PDF as a container to convert to PRC (or whatever), so there is that aspect too.

I still think the Tech is a little way off for colour, and I think the 1st (even 2nd) Gen devices are going to be prohibitavly expensive and not as impressive as we need them to be. I don't want my books to be animated or have video capablities, I have a desk top and Netbook PC for that.

I still just want a book to be a book, good old beige background and Black text, whether it's E-ink or dead tree or LCD TTF....
Xiaopanda is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Preferred format for conversion phlexi Calibre 1 09-13-2010 05:14 PM
Preferred Format for Libre Desertway Ectaco jetBook 16 03-13-2010 10:41 AM
Ebook reader survey results Nate the great News 21 01-22-2010 08:08 AM
eBook Reader Survey bringer666 Introduce Yourself 5 08-14-2008 08:36 PM
Preferred format for converting? Covak Sony Reader 2 11-21-2007 10:59 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:05 AM.


MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.