uploading multiple formats

hobnail · 10-10-2021, 02:54 AM

This is not a suggestion, just something that I've been wondering about.

Several years ago I came across a web site where you could upload a book and it would convert it to different formats. My vague memory was that I uploaded a test epub and had it convert it to azw3, or maybe vice-versa. It was obvious from the css classes in the conversion that it was using Calibre to do the converting.

So assuming that the technical expertise was available I was thinking that the book library here could restrict uploads to one format, epub most likely, and when someone downloads a book they could specify the format and it would convert it to the other formats on the fly.

I can think of several advantages for doing it this way but ignoring the issues of the technical expertise needed to implement it I'm wondering what disadvantages there might be.

Quoth · 10-12-2021, 08:41 AM

Server load if it was popular. Also sometimes a conversion needs manual tweaks if the original is complex.

hobnail · 10-12-2021, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Server load if it was popular.

It could be a fancy setup where it caches ones that have been converted already. But then I was thinking that with calibre you have various settings for how to change the output; e.g., ragged-right/unjustified versus justified, or line spacing, which the web site could make available, so then the caching scheme gets more complicated.

Jellby · 10-12-2021, 01:28 PM

The idea of our library is that each book/format has been carefully and individually crafted (which is not necessarily always true), so automatic conversions would be against that philosophy.

You'd get essentially the same functionality if use calibre to auto-convert the books when you upload them to your device: Download epub, store epub, auto-convert with your preferred settings on the device.

hobnail · 10-12-2021, 02:21 PM

Right, no argument there. That's why in the first sentence I said it's not a suggestion.

On the other hand, what is a suggestion is that the way it is now you have the same book in multiple threads, one thread per format. It would be easier if there was one thread per book and at the bottom of its posting it had links for the different formats available, for example the way PG and FP are. But then there would be the problem where there are multiple uploads of the same book and format. I suppose you could have one thread per uploader + book.

Quoth · 10-13-2021, 08:29 AM

Yes, one thread per book with a page like on FP / Archive Org / PG with all the formats.

10-10-2021, 02:54 AM	#1
hobnail Running with scissors Posts: 1,573 Karma: 14328438 Join Date: Nov 2019 Device: none	uploading multiple formats This is not a suggestion, just something that I've been wondering about. Several years ago I came across a web site where you could upload a book and it would convert it to different formats. My vague memory was that I uploaded a test epub and had it convert it to azw3, or maybe vice-versa. It was obvious from the css classes in the conversion that it was using Calibre to do the converting. So assuming that the technical expertise was available I was thinking that the book library here could restrict uploads to one format, epub most likely, and when someone downloads a book they could specify the format and it would convert it to the other formats on the fly. I can think of several advantages for doing it this way but ignoring the issues of the technical expertise needed to implement it I'm wondering what disadvantages there might be.

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10-12-2021, 08:41 AM	#2
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,449 Karma: 102739837 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Server load if it was popular. Also sometimes a conversion needs manual tweaks if the original is complex.

10-12-2021, 01:28 PM	#4
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,542 Karma: 19001081 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	The idea of our library is that each book/format has been carefully and individually crafted (which is not necessarily always true), so automatic conversions would be against that philosophy. You'd get essentially the same functionality if use calibre to auto-convert the books when you upload them to your device: Download epub, store epub, auto-convert with your preferred settings on the device.

10-12-2021, 02:21 PM	#5
hobnail Running with scissors Posts: 1,573 Karma: 14328438 Join Date: Nov 2019 Device: none	Right, no argument there. That's why in the first sentence I said it's not a suggestion. On the other hand, what is a suggestion is that the way it is now you have the same book in multiple threads, one thread per format. It would be easier if there was one thread per book and at the bottom of its posting it had links for the different formats available, for example the way PG and FP are. But then there would be the problem where there are multiple uploads of the same book and format. I suppose you could have one thread per uploader + book.

10-13-2021, 08:29 AM	#6
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,449 Karma: 102739837 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Yes, one thread per book with a page like on FP / Archive Org / PG with all the formats.