Page numbers, AGAIN

[JoeD]

Pages numbers or a percentage would be fine with me.

I just like some indication of how far I am through a book. With the Hanlin when reading fb2 formatted books, the pages increase/decrease depending on your selected font size, but that's fine with me. I select the font size at the start of reading a book and stick with it through the entire book. So I cannot really understand why this would be a sufficient reason to not display page counts. If you change then font, then you have to accept the page numbers will be slightly out, but if you don't it would work fine.

The only thing I'd like to see beyond the current page 30/500, would be some indication as to how many pages are left to the end of the chapter. 30/500 (52) for example, to indicate the chapter ends on page 52 (or begins, either would be fine).

Of course this would only work where there is some kind of break within the book format that could be reliably used. Still, I'd find it very useful as it's harder to flick through the remaining pages to see how many you have left to read in that chapter with an eInk device than it is a physical book. Often I'll read just a few more pages to finish a chapter off when I know I'm near the end.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by JoeD

Pages numbers or a percentage would be fine with me.

I just like some indication of how far I am through a book. With the Hanlin when reading fb2 formatted books, the pages increase/decrease depending on your selected font size, but that's fine with me. I select the font size at the start of reading a book and stick with it through the entire book. So I cannot really understand why this would be a sufficient reason to not display page counts. If you change then font, then you have to accept the page numbers will be slightly out, but if you don't it would work fine.

The only thing I'd like to see beyond the current page 30/500, would be some indication as to how many pages are left to the end of the chapter. 30/500 (52) for example, to indicate the chapter ends on page 52 (or begins, either would be fine).

Of course this would only work where there is some kind of break within the book format that could be reliably used. Still, I'd find it very useful as it's harder to flick through the remaining pages to see how many you have left to read in that chapter with an eInk device than it is a physical book. Often I'll read just a few more pages to finish a chapter off when I know I'm near the end.

If you are that desperate, you could always buy the pback version and then you can check in that as to how far you are in the ebook...


Geoff
(ducks quickly to get out of the firing line)...
[shuffles off back to the Lounge]

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

If you are that desperate, you could always buy the pback version and then you can check in that as to how far you are in the ebook...


Geoff
(ducks quickly to get out of the firing line)...
[shuffles off back to the Lounge]

I'm actually glad I didn't go for the Cybook now that I know it doesn't do page numbers. It's not _critical_, as the advantages of e-readers would still be sufficient, but given the choice I do like to know how far I am from finishing any given book and would certainly pick one device over another for this feature (everything else been equal).

I'm not _that_ bothered by not having a chapter indication. But it would certainly be a _nice_ feature to see in a future firmware update. Nothing wrong with wish lists is there? Much like how the ability to change fonts isn't really required, but given the choice I'd prefer it, and have taken advantage of it already No reason E-Readers can't improve upon the reading experience rather than just replicating it as closely as possible.

Buying a paperback would defeat the purpose of buying an ereader in the first place. I like the idea of reclaiming all my shelf space and not needing to box any more books away. + all the other advantages

What's more likely than me buying a paperback is downloading a future version of OpenInkPot and modifying their reader to do it Once the projects far enough along that is.

[GeoffC]

Re-claiming space is my primary rationale for the purchase of an ereader...the Cybook won out really because it is a European product...

I find that I can guage my progress through the book very easily with the progress bar - one gains a measure of length after a few pages by how 'quickly' the bar is extending...

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JoeD

I'm actually glad I didn't go for the Cybook now that I know it doesn't do page numbers. It's not _critical_, as the advantages of e-readers would still be sufficient, but given the choice I do like to know how far I am from finishing any given book and would certainly pick one device over another for this feature (everything else been equal).

As with Geoff, personally I find the progress bar entirely sufficient for that purpose.

[DDHarriman]

Third that!
The progress bar is more then enough.

Take an example: in Microsoft Reader you have page numbers and a progress bar option, and you can jump from one to the other way of showing where you are.
Now imagine you are in that reader in the page 100, change the text size 2 sizes up, it redraws the page and then the same page is now page 80!
What does this say… the page numbers mean nothing, they are just one way to relate the position you are to the size of the book, nothing else.

Page numbers in eBooks are (for me) in the same level of the question I get from some of my students when I show them an eBook (ex. a eBook in Microsft Reader format in a computer screen): “Can we print it”?

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by DDHarriman

Now imagine you are in that reader in the page 100, change the text size 2 sizes up, it redraws the page and then the same page is now page 80!
What does this say… the page numbers mean nothing, they are just one way to relate the position you are to the size of the book, nothing else.

That assumes you are planning on changing the font size. Which if you do often throughout the book, then yes page numbers are a little pointless.

The FB2 viewer has both page numbers 10 / 500 for example, and a progress bar. I find I look at the page numbers more often, especially as I near the end of the book and decide whether to read a little more than night or save it for the next day.

But, as with anything, everyone has their own preference. What I don't understand, is why can't the option be there to have either? Then both sides would be happy.

If you don't like page numbers, fair enough, don't enable them or look at it. But if some people out there would like to see page numbers, so long as it doesn't mean you losing the progress bar, would be it really be a problem if BooKeen took a little time out to improve the reader and add them?

Either way, I'm happy, already have the page number support. But I thought it was worth lending weight to the original poster that there are others out there who would appreciate page numbers, even if they're limited in usage.

[Jack B Nimble]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

If you are that desperate, you could always buy the pback version and then you can check in that as to how far you are in the ebook...

Actually, my worst experience with that came from a p-book. I had picked up a new book, which I did not know was the start of a series. As I approached the end, there were still a LOT of loose threads left, and I checked to see that the author had only about thirty pages in which to wrap things up. Literally, right after I had checked on the remaining pages, I turned the page to see:

To be continued in Book II of The Endless Chronicles, coming to your local bookstore shortly after Hell's Thaw.

And now, a preview of So-and-So's upcoming bestseller, Book LXXVI of The Neverending Chronicles

With thirty pages of characters I did not know or care about... I was in a sour mood for days.

Jack

[Mindy]

Meh.
I'm ambivalent.
I've only read two significant pieces so far: Accellerando had 'page numbers' and Madame Bovary just the progress bar. I have to say that I preferred the former but of course it's what I'm used to - I might feel differently once I'm more accustomed to the 'feel' of the progress bar.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by bwaldron

Oh, I'm not arguing that a working "page" number system wouldn't be useful, but that the one in the current Mobipocket Readers is not any better than the rough estimate provided by the progress bar. At least with the progress bar, there isn't the illusion of specificity that the broken page numbers provide.

Page number is better. If I have a short story the big error is introduced by html code in the beginning. So you check the page number at the story start and then go to the end and check the page number and you will then have a much better fell for were you are when reading the story then is possible to get from the progress bar.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

As with Geoff, personally I find the progress bar entirely sufficient for that purpose.

Try reading the Hugonominated short stories in html format and you will see that it is not enough.

[HarryT]

You mean that it's inaccurate for short stories? Sure, I know it is, but a progress bar or a page number is fairly irrelevent for a short story, don't you think? It is, by definition, short.

[Ortep]

Originally Posted by tompe

Try reading the Hugonominated short stories in html format and you will see that it is not enough.

That is completely personal. I read those kind of stories and I really don't care at all.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You mean that it's inaccurate for short stories? Sure, I know it is, but a progress bar or a page number is fairly irrelevent for a short story, don't you think? It is, by definition, short.

The reading protocol varies very much dependent on the length. It is just for short stories it is very important to know how long it is. If a book is 300 or 400 pages really does not change how you read it.

I find it strange that people do not vary the way they read things dependent on length and expected structure of the work.

[HarryT]

The world would be a very boring place if we were all the same!