Comments on: Sony Reader now works with OverDrive library books—plus other first reactions http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/07/24/sony-reader-now-works-with-overdrive-library-books-plus-other-first-reactions/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:48:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/07/24/sony-reader-now-works-with-overdrive-library-books-plus-other-first-reactions/#comment-859312 David Rothman Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:10:00 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/07/24/sony-reader-now-works-with-overdrive-library-books-plus-other-first-reactions/#comment-859312 Jim, thanks for a good, honest depiction of the feature. I'm very glad it's around despite the flaws. Later tonight we'll most likely be publishing info for PRS-505 owners on how to enjoy OverDrive books from local libraries---many of them in PDF. That's the bottom line. I'd never mess with them without the reflowabilty feature. As the old saying goes, some things are worth doing badly, if that's the only choice. David Jim, thanks for a good, honest depiction of the feature. I’m very glad it’s around despite the flaws. Later tonight we’ll most likely be publishing info for PRS-505 owners on how to enjoy OverDrive books from local libraries—many of them in PDF. That’s the bottom line. I’d never mess with them without the reflowabilty feature. As the old saying goes, some things are worth doing badly, if that’s the only choice. David

]]> By: Jim Lester http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/07/24/sony-reader-now-works-with-overdrive-library-books-plus-other-first-reactions/#comment-859211 Jim Lester Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:06:27 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/07/24/sony-reader-now-works-with-overdrive-library-books-plus-other-first-reactions/#comment-859211 The PDF format is not built to easily accommodate reflowability like ePub is. Although we can try clever hacks, it all depends upon how the PDF is authored. If the text for a word is split across separate text flows we will break there if needed. Another really bad reflow problem is when text flows run across columns instead of within columns. We much prefer using ePub for devices. Oh yeah, the paging thing. We reflow pages, we do not reflow across pages. So if the content of your 6 page document with your current font size fits 2 1/2 pages per pages of reflowed text per reflowed document. That will reflow to 18 pages with 1/2 blank pages every 3rd page, instead of the more friendly 15 pages of content. The PDF format is not built to easily accommodate reflowability like ePub is. Although we can try clever hacks, it all depends upon how the PDF is authored. If the text for a word is split across separate text flows we will break there if needed. Another really bad reflow problem is when text flows run across columns instead of within columns. We much prefer using ePub for devices.

Oh yeah, the paging thing. We reflow pages, we do not reflow across pages. So if the content of your 6 page document with your current font size fits 2 1/2 pages per pages of reflowed text per reflowed document. That will reflow to 18 pages with 1/2 blank pages every 3rd page, instead of the more friendly 15 pages of content.

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