How many use Calibre and / or Apprentice Alf [POLL ENDED]

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you go to the "Manage Your Kindle" page on Amazon, it'll tell you how many books you've bought from Amazon.

Yes, that will tell me from Amazon. But not how many from the other sources... Let's rephrase what I said: I've no idea how many I've bought from Amazon compared to other sources...

[shalym]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

I use it as an ebook catalog and backup. Nothing more, really. If the Alf tools were unavailable, I'd still use Calibre to backup DRMd files. While I get the vast majority of my ebooks from Amazon, I do have a couple hundred from other sources, and I want them all accessible in one central application on my iMac. One of the most important things to me is to being able to search in one spot so I don't accidentally buy the same book twice from two different retailers.

This is exactly how I use Calibre.

Shari

[mgmueller]

A few years ago, I was very much into ePUBs.
I've stripped them from DRM , archived them and converted in numerous target formats.
I even changed the metadata in calibre.
After some time I found:
a.) I don't want to use the PC as an intermediate. I want to buy my books directly on the respective reader and start reading. Not downloading, stripping from DRM, converting, sideloading, ....
b.) I don't care about the metadata. I still don't understand, why there can't be some general conventions. Starting with simple stuff like title (not all in capital letters, please) or author's name (again, not all in capital letters, please. And please not constantly switching order of first and last name). But eventually I simply stopped bothering. Even in my library of > 900 Kindle books, I'll find every single title within seconds, even though the metadata sometimes is a bit dubious.
c.) I don't care about archiving anymore. Yes, some of my merchants did cease business. But all gave me months of notice and I easily could save my library then. And frankly: For now I only buy from Amazon and Kobo, sometimes from B&N. B&N might be under risk, but the others probably are here to stay. I find the risk of loosing some books bearable and marginal.
d.) I never made use of converted books. I've sideloaded them on other readers, but still read them on the original one (Kindle books on Kindle and so on).
e.) I buy my books in strange places (on the beach, in the hotel, on the train), directly on the reader, often without access to a PC and on odd hours (usually, at night in bed). I would have to download them the next day and I simply delay that forever...

[nynaevelan]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Some people alf them to read from their desired reader and delete them diligently when the timeframe is up. That was more true when *no* library books were available in Kindle format, I'll admit, but there are still a number of ebooks at Overdrive that are ePub only.

Personally, for these type of books, then I will use the overdrive app on my Fire. I too do not think these should be alfed, but I am not going to fault anyone who decides to work around the legalities. Personally, I only alf the ones that I purchased, and therefore I own. I know there have been many debates regarding this, but if I am purchasing it for the same or similar price as the physical book, I own it. I am NOT renting it.

[nynaevelan]

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you go to the "Manage Your Kindle" page on Amazon, it'll tell you how many books you've bought from Amazon.

While it does do this, this is actually not the best place to find out if you also borrow overdrive books. I've sent in requests to Amazon asking them to add an option to easily search by them, or preferably they are separated to a section of their own. I borrow a lot of books from three libraries, and without Calibre it would be darn near impossible to tell how many are Amazon and how many are Overdrive rentals.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by nynaevelan

I borrow a lot of books from three libraries, and without Calibre it would be darn near impossible to tell how many are Amazon and how many are Overdrive rentals.

Perhaps use the view dropdown to choose loans, and subtract that tally from the books view tally?

[nynaevelan]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

Perhaps use the view dropdown to choose loans, and subtract that tally from the books view tally?

I don't understand, where do you mean? I hope you are not talking individually because that would definitely not work, I have over 500 loans. If so, Calibre works, because I have my library updated with where I "purchased" the book from and whether or not I own it.

[cybmole]

i discovered the other day that I can get a list from overdrive of all the library ebooks that I've ever borrowed. it's hidden somewhere near the options to rate/review books

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by nynaevelan

I don't understand, where do you mean? I hope you are not talking individually because that would definitely not work, I have over 500 loans.

On the Manage Your Kindle page.

Here's a tally of all of my books:



And here's a tally of my borrowed books:




998 - 3 = 995 books that I have purchased from Amazon.

[nynaevelan]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

On the Manage Your Kindle page.

Here's a tally of all of my books:

[Image deleted - MODERATOR]

And here's a tally of my borrowed books:

[Image deleted - MODERATOR]

998 - 3 = 995 books that I have purchased from Amazon.

THANK YOU!! I never noticed that drop down box, this will help tremendously. Out of curiosity, has that feature been there long??

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by nynaevelan

Out of curiosity, has that feature been there long??

I don't recall when it first appeared.... I think it was at some point in 2013.

[eschwartz]

WOW, I never noticed that the dropdown had a loans category! Thank you pidgeon for pointing this out!

Karma to you!

[cybmole]

kindle loans: is that a USA only thing / linked to prime ?
I don't see a dropdown & I've never figured how to borrow a kindle book from amazon ?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by cybmole

kindle loans: is that a USA only thing / linked to prime ?
I don't see a dropdown & I've never figured how to borrow a kindle book from amazon ?

You can loan eBooks from Amazon in Germany as well via Prime.
Never used it, though. And from a first glance, it's mostly titles I wouldn't be interested in anyway, kind of "B" stuff mostly.
They're all listed in a separate section on my Kindle Fire HDs.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by cybmole

kindle loans: is that a USA only thing / linked to prime ?
I don't see a dropdown & I've never figured how to borrow a kindle book from amazon ?

They're referring to library loans via OverDrive. Yes, it's a USA only thing at the moment.