Pdf or epub?

nick_f · 02-14-2009, 07:44 PM

Hiya all getting to grips with all this now but seem to have alot of books in PDF format and have seen people think this is a bad format?
So my questions are

1) whats wrong with PDF
2) what do you use to convert it to EPUB/LRF
3) what are your margin settings?

thanx nick

ShortNCuddlyAm · 02-14-2009, 07:50 PM

I can't answer 2 and 3, but for 1

PDFs don't "flow" well - the Sony 505 does do some reflowing (not sure about the other devices out there), but even that's not perfect, and it can break horribly when you have things like mathematical formulas and the text zoomed in. But even when it does reflow, because the PDF is almost certainly not designed for screen size, you may find that you get one or two full pages of text, then the third page with one line, and so on, as it flows the PDF page to fit the reader screen.

nick_f · 02-14-2009, 07:53 PM

Oh right so what format ahould i convert a pdf to?
what should i use?

Gafle · 02-15-2009, 06:12 AM

The Sony likes LRF the best so thats what I would use if I was converting for my own benefit. However EPUB is set to be the common e-reader standard of the future so if I were to publish something to share with the rest of the world I would use that instead.

Valloric · 02-15-2009, 07:47 AM

Avoid PDF altogether. Don't even use it as a source format, because it doesn't convert well. PDF was not designed as an ebook format.

If you have no choice and have to convert it to something more usable, use soPDF.

DDHarriman · 02-15-2009, 05:43 PM

Hi

1) Nothing - if they are mostly text (reflowing) PDF’s;

2) if needed - OCR, proof reading, pure non formatted text export (and images if they exist), formatting in word, new document;

3) top, left and right 5 points, bottom 0 points.

Best conversions,

HarryT · 02-16-2009, 03:15 AM

PDF is not an eBook format. Don't even consider it.

netseeker · 02-16-2009, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Don't even consider it.

This is just not possible at all especially with technical books and scientific essays which are very often published in PDF-format only. Why do so much electronic reading devices offer some kind of PDF-support? Because PDF is a long-time used format in the eBook-world. It's the Portable Document Format - even if it's not as portable as it should be.
One can and should try to avoid PDF where possible but i don't think we can say "Don't even consider it".

02-14-2009, 07:44 PM	#1
nick_f Member Posts: 23 Karma: 146 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: sony prs 505	Pdf or epub? Hiya all getting to grips with all this now but seem to have alot of books in PDF format and have seen people think this is a bad format? So my questions are 1) whats wrong with PDF 2) what do you use to convert it to EPUB/LRF 3) what are your margin settings? thanx nick

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02-14-2009, 07:50 PM	#2
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	I can't answer 2 and 3, but for 1 PDFs don't "flow" well - the Sony 505 does do some reflowing (not sure about the other devices out there), but even that's not perfect, and it can break horribly when you have things like mathematical formulas and the text zoomed in. But even when it does reflow, because the PDF is almost certainly not designed for screen size, you may find that you get one or two full pages of text, then the third page with one line, and so on, as it flows the PDF page to fit the reader screen.

02-14-2009, 07:53 PM	#3
nick_f Member Posts: 23 Karma: 146 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: sony prs 505	Oh right so what format ahould i convert a pdf to? what should i use?

02-15-2009, 06:12 AM	#4
Gafle Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Denmark Device: Sony PRS-505 & Nokia N800	The Sony likes LRF the best so thats what I would use if I was converting for my own benefit. However EPUB is set to be the common e-reader standard of the future so if I were to publish something to share with the rest of the world I would use that instead.

02-15-2009, 07:47 AM	#5
Valloric Created Sigil, FlightCrew Posts: 1,982 Karma: 350515 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Kobo Clara HD	Avoid PDF altogether. Don't even use it as a source format, because it doesn't convert well. PDF was not designed as an ebook format. If you have no choice and have to convert it to something more usable, use soPDF.

02-15-2009, 05:43 PM	#6
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 1) Nothing - if they are mostly text (reflowing) PDF’s; 2) if needed - OCR, proof reading, pure non formatted text export (and images if they exist), formatting in word, new document; 3) top, left and right 5 points, bottom 0 points. Best conversions,

02-16-2009, 03:15 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	PDF is not an eBook format. Don't even consider it.

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