Browsing the public domain eboooks on MR, which format will look/perform better?

rahulm · 03-16-2009, 12:28 PM

Hey guys.

I am confused between ePub and LRF. I've read about the benefits of ePub and I understand why the ebook community supports it full force, but I'm not entirely sure which of the two formats will look better and display faster and with less formatting errors on my 505.

I was gonna download the 100 free classics from the Sony store but I've read many threads in which new users were told to get them from MR instead due to superior formatting. But most titles here are available in LRF AND ePub, so which of the two do I go for?

Are these ebooks formatted specifically for one of the three font size options? I prefer the medium font, will the formatting break if I choose it instead of the small one?

Thanks.

MickeyC · 03-16-2009, 12:31 PM

rahulm, I think you'll be pleased with either format. In fact, why don't you download one freebie in lrf and one in ePub and compare the two?

desertgrandma · 03-16-2009, 12:34 PM

Welcome to MobileRead, rahulm.

Have you thought of downloading the same book in both formats and seeing which one you prefer?

DixieGal · 03-16-2009, 12:35 PM

I find both - as well as Adobe Digital Editions - work equally well. You can reset the default fonts easily, because I just did it yesterday. It's in a thread called "Very detailed instructions on how to change fonts," just type it into the search box. Now, unless it is a RTF book that I formatted myself, books show up in nice clean Ariel font.

Edit: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28447

kwjones · 03-16-2009, 12:36 PM

I've only downloaded .lrf from here and they're really good, at least the ones from HarryT are so far.

The links in the Table of Content pages are very helpful.

rahulm · 03-16-2009, 12:37 PM

Wow, fast replies...

Yes, that is a good idea, I will try both formats and see how it is. I was playing around with the Calibre conversion options and I noticed that the ePub settings have a setting that allows me to remove spacing between paragraphs. I didn't notice this for LRF. So unless I overlooked something, that's a plus for ePub in my books.

Ok, gonna transfer some books to test it out.

DDHarriman · 03-16-2009, 09:04 PM

Hi

Download both formats if they exist for the same book, make a backup of them, read in the format you like more today…
Tomorrow if you change your mind - or new firmware/new reader comes along and makes the other format more attractive - you just read in the other format.

Best regards,

sigma8 · 03-17-2009, 01:21 AM

A couple random details that distinguish the two formats:
- only LRF will provide you with fully justified text (currently)
- epub does not require time to pre-paginate documents
- epub will likely be more portable between devices in the future (not a big deal for free books, but if you're buying one, you might want to bear it in mind)

ShellShock · 03-17-2009, 01:33 PM

Some other differences I have noticed (specifically applies to PRS 505):

epubs have a very small auto-calculated page number in the right margin. I find this annonying.

Commericially produced epubs tend to have a blank line between paragraphs, whereas LRFs do not (they use indented paragraphs instead); I have no idea why this is so. This may be why Calibre has the option to remove blank lines between paras, but only for epubs (I believe Calibre replaces the blanks lines with an indent para).

dordale · 03-17-2009, 02:28 PM

I find that accessing the Table of Contents when reading an ePub book to be unacceptably slow. I like to take a look to see how many pages the next chapter will be so I know if I have time to read it or not.

In an LRF file, I can do this easily, but when loading up an ePub TOC, it can take up to a minute or more just to load.

I also prefer the fact that LRF's have actual pages as compare to ePub that just have location numbers.

These are only personal preferences though. I think trying both formats and then deciding is the way to go.

dordale

SteveK · 03-17-2009, 10:09 PM

I noticed that PG is now offering the EPUB format (experimental). I haven't downloaded any, so I'm curious how well-formatted they are.

Can anybody comment on the visual appearance of the PG EPUB books?

Thanks.
SteveK

sigma8 · 03-18-2009, 01:14 AM

My ignorance embarrasses me, but what is PG?

dreams · 03-18-2009, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sigma8

My ignorance embarrasses me, but what is PG?

Project Gutenberg

http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/results

"Our eventual goal is to provide Public Domain Etext editions a short time after they enter the Public Domain" Free downloads of Public Domain ebooks.

Be sure to check the mobileread site first as the members here take the time to produce very nicely formatted versions for our specific readers.

rahulm · 03-18-2009, 12:03 PM

So i tried many of the free sony classics and a lot were very pretty bad. I guess it was just a marketing ploy to sell the hardware.

ONE HUNDRED CLASSICS FREE WITH PURCHASE!*

*classics are poorly formatted public domain titles.

Oh well.

I used my general 25 buck credit to purchase Dune, Shogun and Empress (1$!). Those were very nicely presented so I was greatly relieved. Any suggestions for the remaining 5.64$?

gwynevans · 03-19-2009, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveK

I noticed that PG is now offering the EPUB format (experimental). I haven't downloaded any, so I'm curious how well-formatted they are.

Can anybody comment on the visual appearance of the PG EPUB books?

Well, it's only a sample size of 1, but while the Sony ePub version of "The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde" has a nice cover picture, it has far worse body text formatting than the PG ePub version. I.e. in this case, the PG one's the one to go for.

03-16-2009, 12:28 PM	#1
rahulm Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 22164 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: None	Browsing the public domain eboooks on MR, which format will look/perform better? Hey guys. I am confused between ePub and LRF. I've read about the benefits of ePub and I understand why the ebook community supports it full force, but I'm not entirely sure which of the two formats will look better and display faster and with less formatting errors on my 505. I was gonna download the 100 free classics from the Sony store but I've read many threads in which new users were told to get them from MR instead due to superior formatting. But most titles here are available in LRF AND ePub, so which of the two do I go for? Are these ebooks formatted specifically for one of the three font size options? I prefer the medium font, will the formatting break if I choose it instead of the small one? Thanks.

03-18-2009, 12:03 PM	#14
rahulm Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 22164 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: None	So i tried many of the free sony classics and a lot were very pretty bad. I guess it was just a marketing ploy to sell the hardware. ONE HUNDRED CLASSICS FREE WITH PURCHASE!* classics are poorly formatted public domain titles. Oh well. I used my general 25 buck credit to purchase Dune, Shogun and Empress (1$!). Those were very nicely presented so I was greatly relieved. Any suggestions for the remaining 5.64$? Last edited by rahulm; 03-18-2009 at 12:06 PM.*

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03-16-2009, 12:31 PM	#2
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	rahulm, I think you'll be pleased with either format. In fact, why don't you download one freebie in lrf and one in ePub and compare the two?

03-16-2009, 12:34 PM	#3
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Welcome to MobileRead, rahulm. Have you thought of downloading the same book in both formats and seeing which one you prefer?

03-16-2009, 12:35 PM	#4
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I find both - as well as Adobe Digital Editions - work equally well. You can reset the default fonts easily, because I just did it yesterday. It's in a thread called "Very detailed instructions on how to change fonts," just type it into the search box. Now, unless it is a RTF book that I formatted myself, books show up in nice clean Ariel font. Edit: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28447

03-16-2009, 12:36 PM	#5
kwjones Groupie Posts: 178 Karma: 1546 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Rising Sun, MD Device: Sony PRS-505; Motorola Droid	I've only downloaded .lrf from here and they're really good, at least the ones from HarryT are so far. The links in the Table of Content pages are very helpful.

03-16-2009, 12:37 PM	#6
rahulm Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 22164 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: None	Wow, fast replies... Yes, that is a good idea, I will try both formats and see how it is. I was playing around with the Calibre conversion options and I noticed that the ePub settings have a setting that allows me to remove spacing between paragraphs. I didn't notice this for LRF. So unless I overlooked something, that's a plus for ePub in my books. Ok, gonna transfer some books to test it out.

03-16-2009, 09:04 PM	#7
DDHarriman Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 4380 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Almada, Portugal Device: Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS 505, Kindle DXG and Samsung Galaxy Note	Hi Download both formats if they exist for the same book, make a backup of them, read in the format you like more today… Tomorrow if you change your mind - or new firmware/new reader comes along and makes the other format more attractive - you just read in the other format. Best regards,

03-17-2009, 01:21 AM	#8
sigma8 Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 136 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	A couple random details that distinguish the two formats: - only LRF will provide you with fully justified text (currently) - epub does not require time to pre-paginate documents - epub will likely be more portable between devices in the future (not a big deal for free books, but if you're buying one, you might want to bear it in mind)

03-17-2009, 01:33 PM	#9
ShellShock Wizard Posts: 1,176 Karma: 2431850 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: IPad Mini 2 Retina	Some other differences I have noticed (specifically applies to PRS 505): epubs have a very small auto-calculated page number in the right margin. I find this annonying. Commericially produced epubs tend to have a blank line between paragraphs, whereas LRFs do not (they use indented paragraphs instead); I have no idea why this is so. This may be why Calibre has the option to remove blank lines between paras, but only for epubs (I believe Calibre replaces the blanks lines with an indent para).

03-17-2009, 02:28 PM	#10
dordale Wizard Posts: 1,731 Karma: 3472866 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-650 & 350; Kindle Voyage; Kobo Aura HD, Aura One, and Forma	I find that accessing the Table of Contents when reading an ePub book to be unacceptably slow. I like to take a look to see how many pages the next chapter will be so I know if I have time to read it or not. In an LRF file, I can do this easily, but when loading up an ePub TOC, it can take up to a minute or more just to load. I also prefer the fact that LRF's have actual pages as compare to ePub that just have location numbers. These are only personal preferences though. I think trying both formats and then deciding is the way to go. dordale

03-17-2009, 10:09 PM	#11
SteveK Addict Posts: 272 Karma: 1017902 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Kindle PW, PW2, Kindle3, Kobo Glo, tablets, phone	I noticed that PG is now offering the EPUB format (experimental). I haven't downloaded any, so I'm curious how well-formatted they are. Can anybody comment on the visual appearance of the PG EPUB books? Thanks. SteveK

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03-18-2009, 01:14 AM	#12
sigma8 Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 136 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	My ignorance embarrasses me, but what is PG?