I Don't Want to Know How Much of the Book Is Left

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by hgwlackey

Funny, that. I like to update my status on Goodreads with the page number I'm on (I don't know why; it's just one of those little perks in my day). Goodreads supplies the total number of pages in the book based on the edition you select; you just enter the actual page you're on. Sometimes they have Kindle editions, in which case you can enter the percentage instead of a page number--it's nice that they thought of that for Kindle users. But I have a Sony, and the Sony page numbers never match any of the available editions on Goodreads. This means I have to do a quick calculation before I update: "I'm on page 130 of 417 on the Sony, which is 31%. The Goodreads edition I chose has 608 pages, so I should type in '190.'" I don't mind doing the calculation--it extends the enjoyment of updating my status by a few more seconds.

I'm fairly active at Goodreads, but have only entered those stats a couple of times - recently as a couple of friends weren't sure about the book, so I'd write "Page 30 - ok so far", ""Page 100 - no violence yet", etc.
I'd forgotten that the Sony page numbers are "unique", so yeah the % would be most accurate. We've had that discussion at the GR Audiobooks forum, too.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Since you have a 650, just go to the ToC and see what page number the next chapter starts and then return to the book and enjoy.

The ToC doesn't always have page numbers though

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by astra

On Sony, I look at what page number I am atm., then call the TOC and see what chapter the page number corresponds to but on the new Sony it is a very long way to the TOC

One button push and 2 screen taps get to the ToC. Getting back is easy.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

The ToC doesn't always have page numbers though

Yes, the ToC always has page numbers. This is the ePub external ToC, not the extraneous internal unnecessary ToC put in by publishers for no good reason.

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yes, the ToC always has page numbers. This is the ePub external ToC, not the extraneous internal unnecessary ToC put in by publishers for no good reason.

I see your point.

Astra:

I don't think it's that complicated.

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by SlowRain

Has anyone else tried this? If you haven't, give it a try if you're curious and post your experiences.

No, because my kindle doesn't support it. That said, I think I might be able to see where you're coming from as it's very similar to my solo crusade to try to get other cyclists to try giving up their bike computer (speedometer) -- who cares how fast/far you're riding, just ride! :-)

[SlowRain]

Yes, habits are hard to break. To give an example from my own life: I used to want to organize trips down to every last detail before leaving home. My wife is more impulsive and spontaneous than me, and as such just wants to take a train or bus someplace and discover what's there. She doesn't want to research the bejeezus out of it first. I'm slowly coming around to this way of thinking. I still research minor things like transportation--and accommodation if it's an overnight trip--as a fall-back, but I leave a lot more of the trip to chance. Pulling myself out of my habit (comfort zone) has opened me up to a new and wonderful experience.

(I like your device progression. Mine was Handspring Visor Deluxe --> Sony Clie SJ-22 --> Palm Tungsten E2 --> Samsung Galaxy S. I haven't bought a tablet or dedicated reading device.)

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by SlowRain

(I like your device progression. Mine was Handspring Visor Deluxe [...snip...]

I see that you've had a few Palm devices. I forget the name of the reader application, but I used to read a lot of books on my Palm III. One feature that it had that I've often missed was the ability to set it to automatic scrolling and adjust the speed with the up/down arrows on the front of the device. Obviously this wouldn't work with eInk, but on the non backlit monochrome display I found it to be extremely easy to read along. The pacing was good for reading fiction and I found that I was reading much faster.

Did you ever use that feature?

[AshleyWilis]

hi,
Well I don't like to reveal the climax of the story before reaching in actual..
I love reading books btw I even never tried to look at no of pages left in the book

[SlowRain]

Originally Posted by twowheels

One feature that it had that I've often missed was the ability to set it to automatic scrolling and adjust the speed with the up/down arrows on the front of the device...

Did you ever use that feature?

I used to use Mobipocket on my Palm OS devices, and I really, really miss it. Nothing I've seen available for Android even comes close, unless it's tied to some online bookstore and only works on their own private network or with books purchased from them. I used to use the autoscroll feature with lighter fare, but then I got out of the habit because of reading meatier books. I haven't gone back. I did notice, when using autoscroll, my eyes would go a little wonky for a few seconds if I looked at something in the room.

[astra]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I see your point.

Astra:

I don't think it's that complicated.

In comparison to 505, it is.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by SlowRain

I used to use Mobipocket on my Palm OS devices, and I really, really miss it. Nothing I've seen available for Android even comes close, unless it's tied to some online bookstore and only works on their own private network or with books purchased from them. I used to use the autoscroll feature with lighter fare, but then I got out of the habit because of reading meatier books. I haven't gone back. I did notice, when using autoscroll, my eyes would go a little wonky for a few seconds if I looked at something in the room.

Mobipocket is what I still use to read on my netbook. It's my favorite app for that, and I used it happily on my Palm for a long time. It's actually still on my Palm, which lives under my pillow, but lately I've been doing my in-the-bed reading either with my kindle (with clipon light) or my Ally phone (Android.) I wish they would make a mobipocket app for Android, though.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by SlowRain

I agree with that sentiment, as it currently stands, because we're used to it. But it gives rise to another issue: How many people are replying based on actual experience after trying this with a couple of books, and how many are just making assumptions based on how they think they would feel? I started this thread in the hope of getting people to try an experiment, albeit one that introduces a disorienting, restless, insane element. I'd hate to think people are critical of it based on a gut reaction rather than based on the actual effects.

The thing I totally hated with my Gen 3 with the old firmware was that it was not possible to know how long a text was. That was especially true for short stories and it destroyed a lot of short stories for me.

I think that short stories and books currently are written with the assumption that the reader know how much is left of the story. Without that knowledge I think that authors will start to signal in another way in the text were the reader in the story are so you can properly appreciate the text.

[Gwen Morse]

Originally Posted by twowheels

That's funny, because the inability to easily judge the "heft" of a book and my progress is on my list of negatives for ebooks.

I'm fond of the Kindle status bar (particularly if a book has chapter markings) and I'm one of the rare people who likes the "location" markers.

But, I do miss not having a page number count to give me some idea of how long the total book is. Mostly so that when I recommend it to family members, I can guestimate how long it will take them to read it. My son rarely reads ebooks, but when he does he wants them to be short.

My husband likes all lengths of ebooks, but, I need to know if the book will be long or short based on the available amount of time he has. He's a very slow reader and doesn't like other things to interrupt his reading. If he can only read an hour or two a day for the next few weeks, he'll want a short book. If he's about to have a week's vacation, he'll want a longer book.

Without a physical book's "heft" or a total electronic page count, it's hard to judge the time it will take to read it.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Gwen Morse

But, I do miss not having a page number count to give me some idea of how long the total book is.

Come to Sony baby, come!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by astra

Come to Sony baby, come!

Here's what I do not get....

I read on MR of people complaining that they want page numbers. So why buy a Kindle? Why not buy a reader that has the features you want? There will never be page numbers with a Kindle.

Then I also read about how they want PDF reflow. Again, that's not there now and possibly may never be there. So again, why buy a Kindle?

Why buy a Kindle and then complain about the features it lacks that other readers do have that you could have gotten?

Other readers have the features missing from the Kindle that I read complaints about not having. So why go for a Kindle and then complain about the lack of features you feel are important?