I still miss Stanza

kyteflyer · 08-21-2017, 07:31 PM

I know there are now lots of apps for reading, but I still miss Stanza's book management. My comments are prompted by some thread regarding carting all your books about in your reader. I used to carry a couple of hundred in Stanza, but I dont dare do that with any of the others because none have the advanced management that Stanza had. In fact, I miss it so much, I am currently recharging my old 4S and will be using that probably from here on. Yes I liked Marvin, and I currently use Hyphen, I'm still unimpressed by Megareader, epub reader, TiReader, etc... they just dont do the job. Whats next?

I just wish that one of the devs would implement the same book management technique that stanza had. Why is it so hard to do???

AnemicOak · 08-21-2017, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

I just wish that one of the devs would implement the same book management technique that stanza had. Why is it so hard to do???

I doubt it's hard to do, just that different devs have different ideas about what's "best"?

HarryT · 08-22-2017, 03:49 AM

Have you considered separating the tasks of library management and reading, and using Calibre Companion for the management side of things?

(That is, if you use Calibre, of course!)

kyteflyer · 08-22-2017, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I doubt it's hard to do, just that different devs have different ideas about what's "best"?

Indeed. I kept asking Kris (Marvin) and although the management improved, still was not what I was looking for. Later iterations were no better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Have you considered separating the tasks of library management and reading, and using Calibre Companion for the management side of things?

(That is, if you use Calibre, of course!)

I have Calibre Companion, but I don't seem to "get" it. I just download directly from Calibre via wifi :-/ But, overall, I'd rather have an all in one. With the current crop of apps though, you cant, unless you are happy with a massively long list of books... and I'm not. I never have more than 3 or 4 on board at a time, anymore.

AnemicOak · 08-22-2017, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

With the current crop of apps though, you cant, unless you are happy with a massively long list of books... and I'm not.

Have you looked at "sets" in MapleRead? Don't know if it accomplishes what you want exactly, but it's a way to not have a long list of books.

I haven't used them myself as I'm quite happy using the power offered by Calibre Companion in conjunction with MapleRead.

kyteflyer · 08-24-2017, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Have you looked at "sets" in MapleRead? Don't know if it accomplishes what you want exactly, but it's a way to not have a long list of books.

I haven't used them myself as I'm quite happy using the power offered by Calibre Companion in conjunction with MapleRead.

I bought Mapleread but for some reason have been unable to bond with it. I'll take another look. Thanks for the suggestion.

[edit] Actually the folders of books by Author works pretty much as it did in Stanza. Its a pity that I simply detest the way the app is presented. Even getting rid of the fake shelves doesnt improve it. Cannot like it. Sorry.

nimapourkarimi · 08-25-2017, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

I bought Mapleread but for some reason have been unable to bond with it. I'll take another look. Thanks for the suggestion.

[edit] Actually the folders of books by Author works pretty much as it did in Stanza. Its a pity that I simply detest the way the app is presented. Even getting rid of the fake shelves doesnt improve it. Cannot like it. Sorry.

Exactly, it's very good implemented and full-featured but the interface is hideous, I just can't like it.

JSWolf · 08-25-2017, 08:31 AM

Stanza was good at organizing eBooks, but not so good at actually displaying eBooks with the numerous bugs/glitches/gotchas/not following CSS. It's not a reading app I've ever liked.

kyteflyer · 08-25-2017, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Stanza was good at organizing eBooks, but not so good at actually displaying eBooks with the numerous bugs/glitches/gotchas/not following CSS. It's not a reading app I've ever liked.

Yep, it certainly had its issues. Its still a pity that Amazon killed it, instead of allowing further development, or even incorporating some of its better features into the Kindle app. I'll never understand how or why that happened. Its not like Stanza was any kind of competition. But, I guess thats all been done to death.

JSWolf · 08-26-2017, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Yep, it certainly had its issues. Its still a pity that Amazon killed it, instead of allowing further development, or even incorporating some of its better features into the Kindle app. I'll never understand how or why that happened. Its not like Stanza was any kind of competition. But, I guess thats all been done to death.

Many companies buy another company or product and kill it off without saying why. Maybe Amazon bought Stanza and incorporated the programmers into Amazon's staff.

kyteflyer · 08-26-2017, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Many companies buy another company or product and kill it off without saying why. Maybe Amazon bought Stanza and incorporated the programmers into Amazon's staff.

Nope. They were encouraged to leave. They went on to other projects which didnt involve creating reading apps.

In the meantime I have given up on it again. I guess its Hyphen and Marvin for me, and only a few books on board at any one time. Oh well, no great hardship, really.

nrubenstein · 09-14-2017, 11:36 AM

Shubook is the only option that I have found with acceptable book management.

I still don't understand why browsing by author in folders is such a complicated concept for people who make ebook readers.

JSWolf · 09-14-2017, 01:09 PM

But what an an eBook reading app that actually doesn't monkey with the CSS when you are customizing options? Is there such a program?

kyteflyer · 09-14-2017, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nrubenstein

Shubook is the only option that I have found with acceptable book management.

I still don't understand why browsing by author in folders is such a complicated concept for people who make ebook readers.

Agreed. Maybe I should go back to Shubook. I have that, too. Megareader does management quite well but with a fugly GUI, and crappy implementation (or none) for fonts and variations (cant think of the term I want)

HarryT · 09-14-2017, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nrubenstein

I still don't understand why browsing by author in folders is such a complicated concept for people who make ebook readers.

I don't think it's that it's complicated; more a case that it's just not a particularly good way to deal with a large library. Most people are interested in being able to browse on more than simply "author", hence a database which allows you to sort your library by author, title, series, genre, tag, etc, gives you far more flexibility.

I.e. Browse useful information rather than being constrained by the storage of books in the underlying file system.

08-21-2017, 07:31 PM	#1
kyteflyer Wizard Posts: 1,841 Karma: 9547754 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Newcastle, Australia Device: iPhone SE2020	I still miss Stanza I know there are now lots of apps for reading, but I still miss Stanza's book management. My comments are prompted by some thread regarding carting all your books about in your reader. I used to carry a couple of hundred in Stanza, but I dont dare do that with any of the others because none have the advanced management that Stanza had. In fact, I miss it so much, I am currently recharging my old 4S and will be using that probably from here on. Yes I liked Marvin, and I currently use Hyphen, I'm still unimpressed by Megareader, epub reader, TiReader, etc... they just dont do the job. Whats next? I just wish that one of the devs would implement the same book management technique that stanza had. Why is it so hard to do???

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08-22-2017, 03:49 AM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Have you considered separating the tasks of library management and reading, and using Calibre Companion for the management side of things? (That is, if you use Calibre, of course!)

08-25-2017, 08:31 AM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Stanza was good at organizing eBooks, but not so good at actually displaying eBooks with the numerous bugs/glitches/gotchas/not following CSS. It's not a reading app I've ever liked.

09-14-2017, 11:36 AM	#12
nrubenstein Member Posts: 22 Karma: 22082 Join Date: Sep 2015 Device: iPhone	Shubook is the only option that I have found with acceptable book management. I still don't understand why browsing by author in folders is such a complicated concept for people who make ebook readers.

09-14-2017, 01:09 PM	#13
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	But what an an eBook reading app that actually doesn't monkey with the CSS when you are customizing options? Is there such a program?

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