Mobipocket dominance?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The problem I have with Mobipocket becoming a ubiquitous format is that I highly doubt that it will, in the long run. It has several technical shortcomings that I have detailed in other threads. Amazon itself has created a new ebook format (Topaz) to address some of these shortcomings (notably embedded fonts, and probably also the really weak DRM).

In fact, if I were advising someone on an ebook format to use for archival purposes I would strongly urge against Mobipocket. In the world of digital information, ubiquity at a certain time is no guarantee of future longevity, format shifting is simply too easy.

Don't forget smallish image sizes as well. I've seen a lot of Mobipocket eBooks with images too small to clearly be seen and some of these eBooks, the images were important enough that the small size ruined to books.

The Mobipocket software has a number of bugs that I feel that Mobipocket will never bother to fix. If they did fix them, they'd have to rewrite all the code for all the differing versions they have. Might not be an easy task.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Are commercial dictionaries (Oxford, Collins, Chambers, Websters, etc) available in the Stardict format? I have no problem with "free" dictionaries, but I don't think they can compete with those produced by professional lexicographers.

What has that to do with supporting lookup?

Some of the free dictionaries available are produced by professional lexicographers.

The only reason that more recent dictionaries are not available are drm issues.

[kovidgoyal]

Wow lots of posts since I looked at this thread last. llasram has already given a cogent summary of why EPUB is better than MOBI, but I should point out that even LIT is technically superior to MOBI.

MOBI is essentially HTML 3.2 + custom Mobipocket tags to support ebook features. LIT at least supports HTML 4 and CSS allowing for more semantic markup

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by tompe

What has that to do with supporting lookup?

Nothing at all. I am just asking you what the situation is regarding the availability of commercial dictionaries in "Stardict" format. If the answer is that they are not available, that would (for me) severely limit the attraction of Stardict, not matter what its technical appeal might be. Content is what matters, after all.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Don't forget smallish image sizes as well. I've seen a lot of Mobipocket eBooks with images too small to clearly be seen and some of these eBooks, the images were important enough that the small size ruined to books.

A restriction which certainly does NOT apply to current Mobipocket books, as you are perfectly well aware, Jon. Why drag up restrictions which were associated with old versions of files?

[mrdini]

*Reaches in and grabs thread by its throat & drags it yelling and kicking back to the path*

Whilst I acknowledge the value of mobipocket as a file format, I guess I wasn't clear as to my issues with it - namely how it is provided. So let me explain

As an non-DRMed file format, mobipocket works well enough, and I have no compunctions about using it - heck, I used it back when it was widely known as .pdb! :P My issues with mobipocket is more about how it is "managed" by Mobipocket, and especially the DRM on it.

I mean - I wouldn't mind buying a mobipocket book for my device, if I could read it on the Mac as well, and also use mobipocket books alongside Jinke's WOLF format (yeah, I know, there's no english books, but it's an example!) on my V2. Can anyone honestly say for a moment "Yes, it'll be possible to read DRMed Mobipocket on my Sony, alongside my BBeB books one day"?

[pdurrant]

I very much doubt that you'll ever be able to read DRMed Mobipocket on your Sony.

But it think there's a good chance it'll be possible to read de-DRMed Mobipocket on your Sony, one day.

(I don't know how close people are to getting other eBook software working on the Sony. It's already possible to de-DRM Mobipocket.)

Paul

Originally Posted by mrdini

*Reaches in and grabs thread by its throat & drags it yelling and kicking back to the path*

Can anyone honestly say for a moment "Yes, it'll be possible to read DRMed Mobipocket on my Sony, alongside my BBeB books one day"?

[HarryT]

If the "Open Inkpot" initiative gets anywhere, you should certainly be able to read at least DRM-free Mobi files on your Sony.

[llasram]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I very much doubt that you'll ever be able to read DRMed Mobipocket on your Sony.

Sure there is, actually. The reason we can de-DRM Mobipocket books is that darkreverser reverse-engineered the algorithms used, including the PID checksumming-algorithm. It wouldn't be an official reader application, but it could generate it's own PID and everything. Not sure why you'd want to do it that way...

An official reader app, ok, sure, not likely .

[DixieGal]

I prefer to download things in PRC and convert with mobi2imp because it lets me upsize the font very large. Good for my poor vision.

I think PRC is Mobi, right?

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by tompe

What has that to do with supporting lookup?

Some of the free dictionaries available are produced by professional lexicographers.

The only reason that more recent dictionaries are not available are drm issues.

Just FYI: My simple e-book device allows for look-up in Webster's with the touch of a stylus.

[pdurrant]

What an interesting idea. But rather than have the unofficial software generate its own PID, why not just have a preference where you could give it a PID?

It wouldn't be any use to me, as I'd rather not store DRMed eBooks, but for a less sophisticated user?

Paul

Originally Posted by llasram

Sure there is, actually. The reason we can de-DRM Mobipocket books is that darkreverser reverse-engineered the algorithms used, including the PID checksumming-algorithm. It wouldn't be an official reader application, but it could generate it's own PID and everything. Not sure why you'd want to do it that way...

An official reader app, ok, sure, not likely .

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

What an interesting idea. But rather than have the unofficial software generate its own PID, why not just have a preference where you could give it a PID?

That is what it does, Paul. It's intended for use in removing the DRM from books that you've bought yourself - you give it the PID of your own device, for which the book has been encoded.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Nothing at all. I am just asking you what the situation is regarding the availability of commercial dictionaries in "Stardict" format. If the answer is that they are not available, that would (for me) severely limit the attraction of Stardict, not matter what its technical appeal might be. Content is what matters, after all.

My comments was only about your strange claim that mobipocket was the only format supporting lookup.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

A restriction which certainly does NOT apply to current Mobipocket books, as you are perfectly well aware, Jon. Why drag up restrictions which were associated with old versions of files?

The 64k limit still applies but 64k jpeg images can be rather large.