Epub dictionaries

[Abelturd]

You're absolutely right. There's a potential for a terrible mistake lurking in that word. Better to have a dictionary.

[ondabeach]

ZuluReader reads epubs and now has dictionary support. Download it at www.zuluexpress.com (you need to download dictionary.zip seperately)

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by Peter Sorotokin

What I meant is that there are things that are more important (for instance, easing maximum chapter size restriction).

"Maximum chapter size restriction" would be ADE ePub 300K limit?

Adobe's plans for dictionary support aside (it is not a trivial feature), I would have thought that there are quite a few other candidates for the throne of "most important ADE issue".

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Ankh

"Maximum chapter size restriction" would be ADE ePub 300K limit?

Adobe's plans for dictionary support aside (it is not a trivial feature), I would have thought that there are quite a few other candidates for the throne of "most important ADE issue".

Adding support for full justification would be my #1 priority for the ADE implementation on the Sony Reader.

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Adding support for full justification would be my #1 priority for the ADE implementation on the Sony Reader.

Same here, with proper support for soft-hyphens.

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by Peter Sorotokin

"misinformed, closed-minded or just plain stupid." This is an amusing thread!

Read the original statement carefully: "while it's a neat feature, most people don't use it". I am still fairly convinced that's true, BTW. I would use it, of course; most people on MobileRead would (judging by the poll) - but most people? - just don't think so. Anyway that does not really matter.

Most of you incorrectly assumed that Adobe just does not see any use for it. What I meant is that there are things that are more important (for instance, easing maximum chapter size restriction). And, of course, there is enough functionality in Reader Mobile SDK for device manufacturers to expose it themselves - and some will.

Peter

Peter -The negative comments you quoted were unfortunate and not something with which the majority of posters to MR agree, I am sure. However, the concerns of the people posting and their views on what they would like to see in terms of future development with EPUB are very valid. Making the flippant comment that this thread "is amusing" is no way to garner support for the company you represent. The people posting here are taking the topic very seriously because it is something about which many of us feel quite strongly.

I can't agree with the statement that most people don't use the dictionary or wouldn't use it if it were available. I could agree that some people might not use it, but it is the adjective "most" that I find hard to accept. The people who spend their hard-earned dollars on an electronic book reader and go out of their way to download books off the Internet, many times needing to make adjustments to the formats for optimal viewing, are the type of people who would take the time to look up an unfamiliar word or phrase. Yes, you could say that the people who post to MobileRead are more "into" the ereading experience but that does not negate the fact that we are the consumers. I would think that the members here at MR are an excellent snapshot of the people to whom the ebook industry are targeting their products and that the comments made in these types of poles and indeed many of the threads here would be a great source of data for any company hoping to meet the needs of their customer base. Having dictionary support would increase the functionality of any ereading device, making it more usable to a wider range of consumers.

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by kazbates

Yes, you could say that the people who post to MobileRead are more "into" the ereading experience but that does not negate the fact that we are the consumers.

Once upon a time, when microwave ovens were introduced, somebody told me "if you haven't bought it, you have no clue why would you need one; once you have it, you wonder how you lived without it before".

Dictionary integration on electronic reader is a part of new experience, and I can not but notice that most of the users who want one already had a device with dictionary integration.

With the proliferation of these devices, with the exposure to reading platforms that do have dictionary integration (MS reader, mobi), the pressure to implement that feature would increase, and the current mood on MR is pretty good glimpse into the future, IMHO.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Ankh

Once upon a time, when microwave ovens were introduced, somebody told me "if you haven't bought it, you have no clue why would you need one; once you have it, you wonder how you lived without it before".

the analogy fails, i'm afraid .... bought one, used it, enjoyed using it until it died. didn't replace it and don't miss it.....

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

the analogy fails, i'm afraid ....

No, it does not.

The "need" for dictionary integration, as well as "need" to have a microwave oven, is acquired. Our forefathers for hundreds of years proved that one does not need an electronic reader to read, they made do with the pbooks.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Ankh

No, it does not.

The "need" for dictionary integration, as well as "need" to have a microwave oven, is acquired. Our forefathers for hundreds of years proved that one does not need an electronic reader to read, they made do with the pbooks.

and also with fire ....

[Dave Berk]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

and also with fire ....

OT: Fire is still the best way . Try starting one in your apartment, though.


Even if a dictionary is an acquired taste, it seems like the majority here at MR do use it. Also, unlike Peter, I think the we here at MR do represent the ebook reading population at large, so it will be a mistake if Adobe chooses to ignore the results of this poll.

[Peter Sorotokin]

Originally Posted by kazbates

Peter -The negative comments you quoted were unfortunate and not something with which the majority of posters to MR agree, I am sure. However, the concerns of the people posting and their views on what they would like to see in terms of future development with EPUB are very valid. Making the flippant comment that this thread "is amusing" is no way to garner support for the company you represent. The people posting here are taking the topic very seriously because it is something about which many of us feel quite strongly.

The thread is amusing not so much because someone calls me stupid or misinformed. It is because most people attack a straw man. Suppose I have said, "most people who read ebooks can't read Spanish" - would you infer that Adobe does not plan to support anything but English? This is not a Boolean flag - important or not.

Also, to make it clear - I do not represent Adobe here - not even allowed to. I am an engineer, not a PR guy. So all my posts are strictly personal opinions.

[Stringer]

Originally Posted by Dave Berk

OT: Fire is still the best way . Try starting one in your apartment, though.

Candles? Easy job with a lighter

[Idoine]

Originally Posted by cheese bogart

...Another reason why dictionaries are useful (and I can only speak for the English language) is to show how languages develop in countries that speak the same language. The word fanny is a good example. In the US it's slang for your bum and in Britain it's slang for vagina.

Originally Posted by Abelturd

You're absolutely right. There's a potential for a terrible mistake lurking in that word. Better to have a dictionary.

[bzHADI]

Originally Posted by pking36330

Dictionary support will be a Primary factor in my selection of an e-Reader. While I'm not fond of Amazon's trend toward a closed-market approach, their dictionary feature makes the K2 and Kdx very desireable in my view. In fact, if the new Sony device this summer/fall doesn't have dictionary support, I'll be a Kindle owner.

If Adobe supports dictionary capabilities, I'll be inclined to use their products, otherwise not. Can't say I wouldn't ever buy in that format, but given the choice of purchasing in a format that supports dictionary lookup (ePub) and one that doesn't (Adobe), I'd pick the one that does even if it required a 10-15% premium. I'm just one of those readers that likes a dictionary because I purposefully select books to expand me and introduce concepts and words I don't already know.

I agree. I would have loved to have a dictionary on my SONY 505.