Your opinion about a built-in KOreader

Owl_ · 01-07-2021, 11:46 AM

I think KOReader is a wonderful software, that allows you to customize everythink, leading to the top the reading experience. It's really close to what a demanding user may desire!

Will it be profitable for the users and Kobo-Rakuten the release of a firmware version with bult-in KOReader as a secondary document viewer?

Thanks

JSWolf · 01-07-2021, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owl_

I think KOReader is a wonderful software, that allows you to customize everythink, leading to the top the reading experience. It's really close to what a demanding user may desire!

Will it be profitable for the users and Kobo-Rakuten the release of a firmware version with bult-in KOReader as a secondary document viewer?

Thanks

It would not be secondary as there are two different programs for viewing ePub.

Mercador · 01-07-2021, 06:11 PM

I've just switched a week ago and wow, I won't come back to regular reader. Is there a way to boot it up directly?

NiLuJe · 01-07-2021, 07:05 PM

@Mercador: Not OOB.

My stance on this, is: don't. On some devices, Nickel itself will do a few bits of low-level hardware initialization that we don't want to skip, and that would be extremely annoying to keep track of properly.

But, it's technically feasible, if you know what you're doing (c.f., Plato's standalone patch for inspiration.).

Mercador · 01-08-2021, 04:07 PM

Ok merci, I'll let them that way, it's just one click anyway. I noticed that KOReader is less battery intensive than the regular reader... I wonder if it's because I use nightmode (I would have thought it would be more energy hungry.

davidfor · 01-08-2021, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owl_

Will it be profitable for the users and Kobo-Rakuten the release of a firmware version with bult-in KOReader as a secondary document viewer?

I really doubt it would be profitable for Kobo to do this. Firstly, it would cost money for them to do. As good as you obviously think KOReader is, they would need to spend money to integrate it into their system. Then they need to train their staff to support it. And handle all the confused calls about having multiple ereader applications on the device. (For an example, look at the questions we see here about epub and kepub.)

And, why should they? What would the actual advantage be for them? Anyone that wants to run KOReader can. Anyone who doesn't think the current reading experience is good enough can search for alternatives. They will find KOReader, or a different device and decide whether it will help improve things. Or they will make suggestions to Kobo for improvements. Overall, I think it would only lead to confusion and, for Kobo, higher support costs.

Mercador · 01-09-2021, 01:26 PM

I could see them look for KOReader features and bring them in the default reader (in an advanced mode that is). For 90% of the readers, the default reader is quite ok for their needs, we're a minority here on this board, not the broad majority of users.

Owl_ · 01-09-2021, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

I really doubt it would be profitable for Kobo to do this. Firstly, it would cost money for them to do. As good as you obviously think KOReader is, they would need to spend money to integrate it into their system. Then they need to train their staff to support it. And handle all the confused calls about having multiple ereader applications on the device. (For an example, look at the questions we see here about epub and kepub.)

And, why should they? What would the actual advantage be for them? Anyone that wants to run KOReader can. Anyone who doesn't think the current reading experience is good enough can search for alternatives. They will find KOReader, or a different device and decide whether it will help improve things. Or they will make suggestions to Kobo for improvements. Overall, I think it would only lead to confusion and, for Kobo, higher support costs.

Mine is a numerical and economic thinking.

I partially agree with you. But

- put it in as beta feature is a less complex matter and less performance bounding. Moreover it can be confortably achieved through a firmwares' path.

- Not anyone can install KOReader. Often an user that wants a new ereader, buys the best on the maket. I'm sure that with KOReader, Kobo can give the best ereading experience. Presently no ereader comes with KOReader installed.

- then, if kobo becomes the best ereader on the market, it will be the most bought.

DNSB · 01-09-2021, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owl_

Not anyone can install KOReader. Often an user that wants a new ereader, buys the best on the maket. I'm sure that with KOReader, Kobo can give the best ereading experience. Presently no ereader comes with KOReader installed.

- then, if kobo becomes the best ereader on the market, it will be the most bought.

I've used KOReader and Plato on a Kobo ereader. While they handle PDF files that are not sized for the Kobo's screen better, I found no advantage to using either when reading epub files and quite a few disadvantages since I've found many books with moderately complex CSS are not properly handled by either KOReader or Plato. Image placement and media queries are examples. Try a chapter number with a background image for chuckles. Don't even think about trying to open a FLO epub3 file.

Yes, KOReader or Plato will read many file formats that Nickel will not handle. OTOH, that's what calibre is for. Convert to epub, clean up the file and send to my Kobo.

pazos · 01-10-2021, 01:45 PM

KOReader, as is, serves no purpose for Kobo/Rakuten. Most of the magic of the program are a bunch of lua scripts that make most things configurable (and almost everything hackable).

The libs which KOReader uses could add value to Nickel, specially MuPDF and djvulibre, but their licenses are incompatible with keeping Nickel closed source. MuPDF itself has commercial licenses available for purchases, but Kobo made a pretty good job making PDF rendering a mess, so their users won't demand any significative change on that field.

So, nope, not possible without huge costs for the company, no benefit. If they wanted a really customizable epub renderer they could built one on top of qtwebkit, but they are fine following a subset of the Epub3 specs as anybody else, and leaving customization to desktop programs like Sigil.

01-07-2021, 11:46 AM	#1
Owl_ Enthusiastic reader Posts: 423 Karma: 3880485 Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Italy Device: Kindle paperwhite3, Kobo aura one, kobo touch 2.0, Kobo Clara HD,Poke2	Your opinion about a built-in KOreader I think KOReader is a wonderful software, that allows you to customize everythink, leading to the top the reading experience. It's really close to what a demanding user may desire! Will it be profitable for the users and Kobo-Rakuten the release of a firmware version with bult-in KOReader as a secondary document viewer? Thanks

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01-07-2021, 06:11 PM	#3
Mercador I'm not a number! Posts: 244 Karma: 11496 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Quebec City Device: Kobo Elipsa	I've just switched a week ago and wow, I won't come back to regular reader. Is there a way to boot it up directly?

01-07-2021, 07:05 PM	#4
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,492 Karma: 26017324 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	@Mercador: Not OOB. My stance on this, is: don't. On some devices, Nickel itself will do a few bits of low-level hardware initialization that we don't want to skip, and that would be extremely annoying to keep track of properly. But, it's technically feasible, if you know what you're doing (c.f., Plato's standalone patch for inspiration.).

01-08-2021, 04:07 PM	#5
Mercador I'm not a number! Posts: 244 Karma: 11496 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Quebec City Device: Kobo Elipsa	Ok merci, I'll let them that way, it's just one click anyway. I noticed that KOReader is less battery intensive than the regular reader... I wonder if it's because I use nightmode (I would have thought it would be more energy hungry.

01-09-2021, 01:26 PM	#7
Mercador I'm not a number! Posts: 244 Karma: 11496 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Quebec City Device: Kobo Elipsa	I could see them look for KOReader features and bring them in the default reader (in an advanced mode that is). For 90% of the readers, the default reader is quite ok for their needs, we're a minority here on this board, not the broad majority of users.

01-10-2021, 01:45 PM	#10
pazos cosiñeiro Posts: 1,314 Karma: 2200073 Join Date: Apr 2014 Device: BQ Cervantes 4	KOReader, as is, serves no purpose for Kobo/Rakuten. Most of the magic of the program are a bunch of lua scripts that make most things configurable (and almost everything hackable). The libs which KOReader uses could add value to Nickel, specially MuPDF and djvulibre, but their licenses are incompatible with keeping Nickel closed source. MuPDF itself has commercial licenses available for purchases, but Kobo made a pretty good job making PDF rendering a mess, so their users won't demand any significative change on that field. So, nope, not possible without huge costs for the company, no benefit. If they wanted a really customizable epub renderer they could built one on top of qtwebkit, but they are fine following a subset of the Epub3 specs as anybody else, and leaving customization to desktop programs like Sigil.

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