BookLore: A Self-Hosted Application for Managing and Reading Books

[ownedbycats]

While doomscrolling browsing over on DataHoarder subreddit, I came across this:

Introducing BookLore: A Self-Hosted Application for Managing and Reading Books!

Not sure what it can do that Calibre can't, but thought i'd pass it along.

[Sirtel]

While nothing could replace calibre for me personally, it's good that there are alternatives. Lots of people find calibre too confusing, too complex, overkill for their needs or dislike its UI, its rigid file managing system, its incompatibility with multi-device use and so on.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

While nothing could replace calibre for me personally, it's good that there are alternatives.

yes, that's my thought.

[PeterT]

But it ain't available yet so....

Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

[Terisa de morgan]

"and once the books are uploaded, ": no, no, no...

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

"and once the books are uploaded, ": no, no, no...

Well, how else could you use it on multiple devices? That's what is its main selling point: you can use it on any device you own. For strictly local use, it's hard to beat calibre, so if you want to develop another library management app, you must think of use cases calibre is not that good for. Like multi-user/multi-device access.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Well, how else could you use it on multiple devices? That's what is its main selling point: you can use it on any device you own. For strictly local use, it's hard to beat calibre, so if you want to develop another library management app, you must think of use cases calibre is not that good for. Like multi-user/multi-device access.

I agree, but it makes it a no in *my* book.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

I agree, but it makes it a no in *my* book.

Personally I'm not interested in it at all, as calibre does everything I want. But there are lots of folks who don't like calibre for one reason or another, so alternatives would probably find some users too. That's assuming the dev(s) won't ditch the project after a while, of course. Most such projects are usually abandoned sooner or later when the dev gets bored.

[Quoth]

Calibre does manage multiple devices, except sync, which I don't care about.

It supports popular formats like PDF and EPUB, and once the books are uploaded, the app organizes them, making it easy to find and enjoy them from any device, anywhere, as long as you have a browser.

So like Calibre it makes a copy in its own file system.

Calibre Content server does the web bit. Also supports OPDS.

I'm sceptical it will be as good or as easy to use as Calibre. If it's easier, then it probably does little.

Calibre even works well now on ChromeBook's Crostini, which is Debian 12 in a container. Amazingly for Google it's not Beta now! Admittedly you have to use Connect to Folder as a Device with USB mass Storage, though my phone running USB MTP briefly connected direct.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Calibre does manage multiple devices, except sync, which I don't care about.

I meant accessing the same library from multiple devices. With calibre, you can only do this safely via the content server, which requires the host computer to be running 24/7. Not an option for many people.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I meant accessing the same library from multiple devices. With calibre, you can only do this safely via the content server, which requires the host computer to be running 24/7. Not an option for many people.

Bookfusion is a "server" on your own system, so same issue. Unless they have a weird definition of "self hosted". It really sounds no different to the Calibre Content server. It could be years before it's as mature and has anything like similar features?

[svenlind]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I meant accessing the same library from multiple devices. With calibre, you can only do this safely via the content server, which requires the host computer to be running 24/7. Not an option for many people.

Many years ago I bought a small Microsoft Surface. Today I only use it for yet another backup for my Calibre library. It runs 24/7 and uses very little power. I can then access the books in my iPad reader programs. I have a Calibre library only for recipes. When cooking I can directly read a recipe using the content server.

[salamanderjuice]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Bookfusion is a "server" on your own system, so same issue. Unless they have a weird definition of "self hosted". It really sounds no different to the Calibre Content server. It could be years before it's as mature and has anything like similar features?

Calibre Content server is frankly ugly. It's also got kinda high dependencies since it requires some sort of working X11/Wayland setup IIRC even if you're just going to be running a headless Raspberry Pi or the like.

More choice is good. There really hasn't been very many eBook management systems/programs. And while Calibre handles everything and the kitchen sink, that's also kind of the problem. It does a lot, not always in the best way or how you might like it or want it.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

More choice is good. There really hasn't been very many eBook management systems/programs. And while Calibre handles everything and the kitchen sink, that's also kind of the problem. It does a lot, not always in the best way or how you might like it or want it.

I believe there have been quite a lot of people starting one, but for one reason or another they've been abandoned pretty soon. That's a problem with those one-dev-applications; the dev gets bored/finds a new job/marries and has kids, and has no more time to spare for their app. So it dies.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

Calibre Content server is frankly ugly. It's also got kinda high dependencies since it requires some sort of working X11/Wayland setup IIRC even if you're just going to be running a headless Raspberry Pi or the like.

More choice is good. There really hasn't been very many eBook management systems/programs. And while Calibre handles everything and the kitchen sink, that's also kind of the problem. It does a lot, not always in the best way or how you might like it or want it.

I would rather go for WORKING and RELIABLE, than making it 'pretty'.
Mind, I just run the windows version that is built into the installer.

I assume that folk running on these alternate platforms are doing so for power saving (or just plain old getting it running FUN )