Alfa ebook manager

[Deskisamess]

The great thing, IMO, about Calibre is its range of abilities. It's a simple manager, for those who want that. But it's also useful for conversion, editing, merging and splitting, editing and correcting metadata, etc.

I'm a women of a certain age, over 60 now, and have not found the program to be overly difficult to learn. Sure, I don't always need all of those functions, but really appreciate them when I do.

It's as simple or complex as the user needs. It's very stable as well. And help is readily available here.

[theducks]

When I first started, I found Calibre because I just wanted to convert PRC (from Baen CD's and Free library, many that matched my Paperback hoard ) to EPUB.

I did not KNOW that I needed many of the other things that Calibre 1.x could do for me. (What it CAN NOW do is way more tan the early days)

Just in case you never worked in an old school physical book library. There used to be a massive wooden drawer structure centrally located called a Card Catalog. In addition to an Author card (could be more than 1) and Title Card, there could be more than 1 Subject cards (thank goodness, the alternates were listed at the bottom, making management a bit easier).

Tags in Calibre allows almost unlimited Subjects. That can't be done with a flat file style system (your OS file system).
OTOH If you only want to find by Author-Title. Your file system is all you need.

But most of the Calibre users do more (Hoo Boy, I never imagined the details some do ) than just convert.
As for the Logic of menus: Many of us started our reading addiction before computers, so Library (or phonebook) order is normal for us. I sure would not look in my library for a title starting with 'The' or (normally) an Author Mary

My point is, until you start using a tool like Calibre, you don't have a good feel for why a design choice was made. 1 choice means Flexibility. The other creates future roadblocks. One of the things that amazed me was the ability to have persistent (file) Overrides almost from day 1, by placing your version into the proper place in the configuration folder. Persistent means an update does not stomp on your version (it may not work in cases, but it is still there after an update)

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

The great thing, IMO, about Calibre is its range of abilities. It's a simple manager, for those who want that. But it's also useful for conversion, editing, merging and splitting, editing and correcting metadata, etc.

I'm a women of a certain age, over 60 now, and have not found the program to be overly difficult to learn. Sure, I don't always need all of those functions, but really appreciate them when I do.

It's as simple or complex as the user needs. It's very stable as well. And help is readily available here.

That was very well said. Thank you.

[JSWolf]

I found LibPRS500 when I was looking for a way to convert MSReader and Mobi eBooks for LRF for the Sony Reader. Because I could remove DRM from MSReader and Mobi eBooks. LFX (LRF with DRM) never did have the DRM cracked.

LibPRS500 later became calibre.

[Sirtel]

I found Calibre before I bought my first ebook with DRM in 2011. It was a Kindle book and I did some research on how to remove the DRM. At first I only used Calibre for disinfection and converting purposes, but the number of my ebooks quickly grew unmanageable via a simple folder system, and so I started to use Calibre for library management. I also tried Alfa at some point, but didn't find it any better than Calibre, plus Calibre continued to be developed at a fast pace; soon it had many more useful features than Alfa, and I never looked back.

I never found Calibre to be overly complex, but then it was a bit simpler back when I started to use it.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I found Calibre before I bought my first ebook with DRM in 2011. It was a Kindle book and I did some research on how to remove the DRM. At first I only used Calibre for disinfection and converting purposes, but the number of my ebooks quickly grew unmanageable via a simple folder system, and so I started to use Calibre for library management. I also tried Alfa at some point, but didn't find it any better than Calibre, plus Calibre continued to be developed at a fast pace; soon it had many more useful features than Alfa, and I never looked back.

I never found Calibre to be overly complex, but then it was a bit simpler back when I started to use it.

One advantage is we are reading MR so we get to keep up on the latest changes/features and we get to ask for help if we need it.

If we were not on MR, I do think that calibre may be more difficult to use.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

One advantage is we are reading MR so we get to keep up on the latest changes/features and we get to ask for help if we need it.

If you were not on MR, I do think that calibre may be more difficult to use.

Yes, I also think so. MR is an invaluable resource.

[codrut_popescu]

And yet this is a thread about Alfa eBooks Manager. I am going to leave this forum, it's too much bias here. The only thing I used Calibre was for DRM stuff (which actually is done via plugins), everything else is buggy and it's interface is extremely ugly and it's a nightmare to use.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by codrut_popescu

And yet this is a thread about Alfa eBooks Manager. I am going to leave this forum, it's too much bias here. The only thing I used Calibre was for DRM stuff (which actually is done via plugins), everything else is buggy and it's interface is extremely ugly and it's a nightmare to use.

It's not bias just because calibre is better then Alfa.

That's like saying it's a bias saying that a Lexus is better then a Volkswagen.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That's like saying it's a bias saying that a Lexus is better then a Volkswagen.

A Phaeton is a Volkswagen too

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by codrut_popescu

And yet this is a thread about Alfa eBooks Manager. I am going to leave this forum, it's too much bias here. The only thing I used Calibre was for DRM stuff (which actually is done via plugins), everything else is buggy and it's interface is extremely ugly and it's a nightmare to use.

Nothing is buggy in Calibre. If you find it buggy, then it's an user error.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by codrut_popescu

And yet this is a thread about Alfa eBooks Manager. I am going to leave this forum, it's too much bias here. The only thing I used Calibre was for DRM stuff (which actually is done via plugins), everything else is buggy and it's interface is extremely ugly and it's a nightmare to use.

Whereas I use calibre for it's ability to manage metadata, it's ability to convert many formats, it's ability to do backups for important files on my Kobos, etc. I played with Alfa ebook manager and it never stuck me as being better than calibre in so many places. If only I wanted the bookshelf view, if only I didn't convert azw3 to epub and vice versa, if only I didn't convert epub to KFX and vice versa, if I didn't convert epub to kepub on the fly, if I didn't LMAO when I looked at it's "realistic" 3-D models of a book, if I didn't make use of the FTS when doing research, if I didn't make use of multiple users for the web server, ,if only I felt like paying once per year for the "major" update, etc. etc.. Kovid Goyal has never demanded any payment.

As for being ugly and a nightmare to use? Your opinion to which you are entitled. Don't mind the sound of others laughing in the background. Those will include my nonagenarian uncle who uses calibre to manage his book, move and music collection.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by codrut_popescu

And yet this is a thread about Alfa eBooks Manager. I am going to leave this forum, it's too much bias here. The only thing I used Calibre was for DRM stuff (which actually is done via plugins), everything else is buggy and it's interface is extremely ugly and it's a nightmare to use.

It's a very old mostly dormant thread about Alfa, and had you read the previous 3 year old posts, you'd have realized it wasn't a popular application, especially when compared with Calibre.

There is "bias" because Calibre is a powerful tool, one that has huge support here, as you've found. Its potential is unmatched. I've never found it to be buggy at all, assuming it's kept updated and the system running it is well maintained. If I could learn to use it, anyone can.

There is a load of knowledge here, not just about Calibre.

[ownedbycats]

If you find Calibre buggy, report the bugs on the Launchpad tracker and Kovid will fix them.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by codrut_popescu

And yet this is a thread about Alfa eBooks Manager. I am going to leave this forum, it's too much bias here. The only thing I used Calibre was for DRM stuff (which actually is done via plugins), everything else is buggy and it's interface is extremely ugly and it's a nightmare to use.

You seem to have a Bias that a UI that is not Your Idea of proper is hard to use.
Calibre has context help, even on menu items.
My phone (and others) Seem to think I Know when to short-press or Long Press a menu item. What a gesture does (I tend to show a certain 1 finger gesture to my phone when I can't get it right).