Format question

[amalthia]

What format do you guys prefer???

So far I've been posting RTF, LRF, Epub, and Mobi...

Or does the answer to this question depend on the device you use to read fan fiction hosted at the Ebook Library?

I would have created a poll but don't have that capability on LJ.

Comments

[st-aurafina.livejournal.com]

I use the epub version!

[amalthia]

ah, so are the margins working for you?? I'm not sure if you create your own epubs or have downloaded other versions. I rarely read the epubs I make because the number on the side bugs me too much and I've played around with 10px side margins and 5px margins but I'm not sure what other people think about it.

[st-aurafina.livejournal.com]

I've had no problems at all - I'm reading on my iPod with Stanza.

[amalthia]

ah! that would explain it then. :) Cool. I hadn't realized how many people were reading on Ipods/Iphones until after I started the Ebook Library.

[ghfan-98.livejournal.com]

I personally prefer Mobi.

[stormcloude]

For me it's rtf. Not only for my reader, but I figure no matter what device I may buy in the future, it should take that pretty easily.

[amalthia]

that's rather sensible. I keep all my HTML source files to be on the safe side. :) RTF is the format I use when I want to read a story asap.

[derryderrydown.livejournal.com]

My preference goes Epub, LRF, RTF. My reader doesn't do Mobi.

[asperityq.livejournal.com]

Same for me.

[amalthia]

I think we have the same reader. :) my order is LRF, RTF, epub. RTF would probably go first but it doesn't support images or Table of Contents...

I'm curious as to why epub as your first choice? I think for me I had the hardest time with the numbers on the side margins. but what I do like about it is that it's supported by the newer ebook devices coming out..

[derryderrydown.livejournal.com]

PRS 505, yes?

It just seems to process epub faster than other formats. Also, as you say, it's looking like a strong contender for the format wars so, when I upgrade my reader, it'll probably still be supported.

I think my bias against rtf is just because it doesn't feel like an ebook. Although it does have the advantage that it's easier to change the font size.

[amalthia]

I have the PRS-505. :)

Epub does seem to render faster than LRF and RTF but I can't seem to get over the page numbers on the side margins. It's not so bad for short stories but I have a few that go into the 2000s..and that's a lot of digits for the side margin!

Plus I like to know how many more pages I have left in a story as I'm reading plus the lack of left-justification. If they can get those few wrinkles ironed out I'd be sold on epub too but mostly because it should be compatible with all new e-ink devices coming out.

I like RTF because it's the quickest way to get fan fic on my device. Other than that..I'm not exactly married to it. :)

[deej1957.livejournal.com]

RTF-- that's what my Sony eReader does best.

[amalthia]

hehe, yeah RTF is pretty nice. :)

[nufaciel.livejournal.com]

RTF. It generally works best for all e-readers, plus, I can convert it easily to PDF like I do all the fan fiction I save to my computer.

[amalthia]

I think what worries me is some of the newer devices coming out don't support RTF or Doc format which I think is problematic.

[nufaciel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but it's also the easiest to convert. It's much more difficult to convert from an ebook format to a TXT or RTF file, or from one ebook format to another.

I've had to toss a few ebooks that people have uploaded because they went from an ebook format to TXT, and the formatting and the text was so messed up and garbled, you couldn't read it, and it was clear there was a lot missing from the text in various places.

[amalthia]

omg, that's so annoying when people save stories as txt! I've tried formatting txt and it's a nightmare. The biggest reason why the default format for all stories hosted at the ebook library is because anyone can take an RTF document and convert to any file format. For a long time that same could not be said of LRF or mobi, or the pda ebook format?

[owlrigh.livejournal.com]

I use epub the most; my Sony 505 handles it all right and Stanza on my ipod touch likes it. That way I can throw it on either one without worrying about format differences...

[amalthia]

I'd like epub a lot more if it didn't have the numbers on the side margin, but I hear it doesn't do that on stanza? But yeah I hate messing around with formats, there should be one format that anyone can use on any device.

[owlrigh.livejournal.com]

It does the page numbers on my Sony, which I have grown used to ignoring. It doesn't with Stanza, so it's good for that. Converting stuff with calibre is easy enough, and when pressed I've converted all sorts of things to a more readable format.

[amalthia]

LRF is currently my preferred format. I'm hoping at some point the epub will get fixed. But since I'm only ever reading on my sony device I'm okay with reading RTF and LRF only.

[owlrigh.livejournal.com]

Does the epub only do numbers on the Sony? The other ebook devices, how do they display the epub?

[amalthia]

all the e-ink devices that uses the Adobe DRM epub have numbers on the side margins from what I'm reading at Mobile Read forums. I think one e-ink device displays normally with full justification but it's a chinese e-ink device.

[newt-slash.livejournal.com]

I've got a palm handheld that I use for reading and so far I've only found apps that are happy with .pdf and .doc. formats. I've got one app that will let me read rtf, but it's not the most comfortable application to use as it seems to be mainly designed for note taking :-(

[newt-slash.livejournal.com]

Whoo Hoo.. I've just managed to install eReader and Mobipocket to my palm Zire... *is happy*

[amalthia]

awesome! :) It's a good start. Ignore last post. :)

[amalthia]

does palm read PDB files?