3 ms·

Just curious. What are the missing features in technical/programming ebooks in your opinion?

douche 11y ago
The biggest one for me is that it is hard to read them on the typical < 6" e-reader or phone. Most of them are type-set for big, larger-than letter paperback formats. That means you need to have a second monitor to read them and look at code at the same time. I thought about getting a Kindle DX when they were making them. Although even then, my copy of Code Complete is as big as a 19" monitor, when it is open and laid flat.
- fahimulhaq 11y ago
  I agree. I also thought of getting a Kindle DX but then settled for iPad (though I don't use it much now, I have to admit). The iPad feels heavier when you are trying to read for longer periods (and I can't really hold it with 1 hand all the time). Kindle is smaller/lighter so it works out great for fiction books but not for technical books. Paper books are also heavy and you can't carry them everywhere so I mostly read the technical eBooks on my computer.
TheGRS 11y ago
My experience with technical books in ebook form has been pretty lack-luster so far. I personally like to have my screen dedicated to the IDE and to have the book over on some other screen. This is so I don't lose context in what I'm working on and so I can easily work through examples without putting the text away. Most of the time I only have the one laptop screen however, so if I'm reading an ebook on the same computer, I need to switch from IDE to some other program to read and then back. This also drives me to copy/paste examples, which for me doesn't help me learn well. Reading a technical ebook on my kindle has its own set of problems. Examples are usually written for the paperback book (which are usually very wide), so the kindle will squish examples and put them across multiple kindle pages. I haven't tried using an ebook with a large tablet yet, so maybe that is the sweet spot. But my last issue is something I haven't seen a good solution for yet. Often I just want to flip to a section of the book for reference and I simply don't have a good feel for how to do this with an ebook right now. Flipping on an ebook usually requires going to a chapter you know holds the content and then paging one-by-one until you find what you are looking for. Ctrl+F may or may not be useful (I usually find its not). Paper books are simply quicker for flipping through the pages while scanning the content.
- dragonwriter 11y ago
  > Reading a technical ebook on my kindle has its own set of problems. Examples are usually written for the paperback book (which are usually very wide), so the kindle will squish examples and put them across multiple kindle pages. I haven't tried using an ebook with a large tablet yet, so maybe that is the sweet spot. Wanting for one of its uses to be as an reader for documents (technical and otherwise) formatted for non-compact print formats is what drove me to choose a Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 over smaller tablet options -- I find its quite good for that role. > But my last issue is something I haven't seen a good solution for yet. Often I just want to flip to a section of the book for reference and I simply don't have a good feel for how to do this with an ebook right now. Flipping on an ebook usually requires going to a chapter you know holds the content and then paging one-by-one until you find what you are looking for. Google Play Books on mobile (I assume on web, too, but I rarely use it that way) has a pretty good UI for this for flipping through pages; I find that its the one option I've found that's comparable with paper for flipping through pages (not equivalent, its a different experience, but it ends up being, to me, about as easy, quick, and useful.)
  - TheGRS 11y ago
    I'll have to check out a technical ebook on my ipad mini at some point, that is the largest tablet I own at the moment. I'd be interested in getting a cheaper, large android tablet just for that purpose. I will check out google's book app, at least to see how they're solving this.
- emp_zealoth 11y ago
  Android 10 inch eink reader works great. Ive got my own apps to work with, one of them has all the good stuff (comprehensive oneclick dictionary, progress bar you can use to quickly "flip" to different parts of the document, just like with a book you open "around 1/3rd") I've been using it to work with huge coursebook pdfs (A4) It's got Kindle DX screen in it, not that great, but ability to not use mentally challenged and lackluster UI (apps of my choosing) make it worthwhile IMO. Sadly, it is very chinese and it broke after few months. Currently having a tug-of-war with a scumbag seller that refuses to honor warranty. Ordered another one, because it is only e-reader that makes sense for my use cases. (Seriously, how hard can it be to make a good 10 inch reader? Especially, for the 500euro price point...)

The biggest one for me is that it is hard to read them on the typical < 6" e-reader or phone. Most of them are type-set for big, larger-than letter paperback formats. That means you need to have a second monitor to read them and look at code at the same time. I thought about getting a Kindle DX when they were making them. Although even then, my copy of Code Complete is as big as a 19" monitor, when it is open and laid flat.

fahimulhaq 11y ago
I agree. I also thought of getting a Kindle DX but then settled for iPad (though I don't use it much now, I have to admit). The iPad feels heavier when you are trying to read for longer periods (and I can't really hold it with 1 hand all the time). Kindle is smaller/lighter so it works out great for fiction books but not for technical books. Paper books are also heavy and you can't carry them everywhere so I mostly read the technical eBooks on my computer.

TheGRS 11y ago

My experience with technical books in ebook form has been pretty lack-luster so far. I personally like to have my screen dedicated to the IDE and to have the book over on some other screen. This is so I don't lose context in what I'm working on and so I can easily work through examples without putting the text away. Most of the time I only have the one laptop screen however, so if I'm reading an ebook on the same computer, I need to switch from IDE to some other program to read and then back. This also drives me to copy/paste examples, which for me doesn't help me learn well. Reading a technical ebook on my kindle has its own set of problems. Examples are usually written for the paperback book (which are usually very wide), so the kindle will squish examples and put them across multiple kindle pages. I haven't tried using an ebook with a large tablet yet, so maybe that is the sweet spot. But my last issue is something I haven't seen a good solution for yet. Often I just want to flip to a section of the book for reference and I simply don't have a good feel for how to do this with an ebook right now. Flipping on an ebook usually requires going to a chapter you know holds the content and then paging one-by-one until you find what you are looking for. Ctrl+F may or may not be useful (I usually find its not). Paper books are simply quicker for flipping through the pages while scanning the content.

dragonwriter 11y ago
> Reading a technical ebook on my kindle has its own set of problems. Examples are usually written for the paperback book (which are usually very wide), so the kindle will squish examples and put them across multiple kindle pages. I haven't tried using an ebook with a large tablet yet, so maybe that is the sweet spot. Wanting for one of its uses to be as an reader for documents (technical and otherwise) formatted for non-compact print formats is what drove me to choose a Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 over smaller tablet options -- I find its quite good for that role. > But my last issue is something I haven't seen a good solution for yet. Often I just want to flip to a section of the book for reference and I simply don't have a good feel for how to do this with an ebook right now. Flipping on an ebook usually requires going to a chapter you know holds the content and then paging one-by-one until you find what you are looking for. Google Play Books on mobile (I assume on web, too, but I rarely use it that way) has a pretty good UI for this for flipping through pages; I find that its the one option I've found that's comparable with paper for flipping through pages (not equivalent, its a different experience, but it ends up being, to me, about as easy, quick, and useful.)
- TheGRS 11y ago
  I'll have to check out a technical ebook on my ipad mini at some point, that is the largest tablet I own at the moment. I'd be interested in getting a cheaper, large android tablet just for that purpose. I will check out google's book app, at least to see how they're solving this.
emp_zealoth 11y ago
Android 10 inch eink reader works great. Ive got my own apps to work with, one of them has all the good stuff (comprehensive oneclick dictionary, progress bar you can use to quickly "flip" to different parts of the document, just like with a book you open "around 1/3rd") I've been using it to work with huge coursebook pdfs (A4) It's got Kindle DX screen in it, not that great, but ability to not use mentally challenged and lackluster UI (apps of my choosing) make it worthwhile IMO. Sadly, it is very chinese and it broke after few months. Currently having a tug-of-war with a scumbag seller that refuses to honor warranty. Ordered another one, because it is only e-reader that makes sense for my use cases. (Seriously, how hard can it be to make a good 10 inch reader? Especially, for the 500euro price point...)