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I have no need for real-world implementations that do not work as well as I need them to work. KaTeX is proof that math can be displayed properly in a browser-l

I have no need for real-world implementations that do not work as well as I need them to work. KaTeX is proof that math can be displayed properly in a browser-like environment. Anything less will not do it, at least for me. That's why I have exclusively PDFs in my digital library, except for books that are just text, like fiction. No hopes and dreams needed, just use PDF. But making epub work properly for math is not a problem in principle, just make katex work in an epub reader, problem solved. And people who are satisfied with substandard solutions are actually part of the problem, not the solution.

Georgelemental 4y ago
> just make katex work in an epub reader "Just write a full JavaScript and DOM implementation for your resource-constrained e-ink device"
- auggierose 4y ago
  I think you need that already if you want a compliant epub reader. Javascript is part of the epub standard.
  - Georgelemental 4y ago
    According to the standard, it seems that basic MathML support is required for all conformant implementations (https://www.w3.org/publishing/epub32/epub-contentdocs.html#sec-xhtml-mathml-rs-conf https://www.w3.org/publishing/epub32/epub-contentdocs.html#s...), but scripting support is optional (https://www.w3.org/publishing/epub32/epub-contentdocs.html#sec-scripted-content-rs-reqs https://www.w3.org/publishing/epub32/epub-contentdocs.html#s...). Not that anyone actually follows the standard…
  - iudqnolq 4y ago
    And that's one reason why the majority of ebooks purchased by consumers aren't in epub format.[1] For the vast majority of fiction a format constrained to bold, italicize, paragraph break, chapter heading, and chapter break allows a far superior user experience. [1] https://magnoliamedianetwork.com/ebook-publishing-platforms/ https://magnoliamedianetwork.com/ebook-publishing-platforms/
    - goosedragons 4y ago
      JavaScript isn't a necessary component of ePub readers. Besides a handful of apps like Adobe Digital Editions and Apple iBooks, most don't. Kobo doesn't in their eReaders. JavaScript is only used in ePubs for multimedia crap. Fiction ePubs don't bother either. Kindle books generally start their life as ePubs that Amazon then converts to their formats before they list them. They don't even let you publish in mobi anymore. Kindle's lack of MathML support actually makes the user experience worse for everyone. Publishers often make 1 ePub they submit to multiple stores so rather than make a MathML version and a shitty image version for Kindle they just make a shitty image version and now you have a math textbook that's larger than the PDF would have been AND the equation text isn't resizable defeating the whole point of a reflowable ebook.
      - iudqnolq 4y ago
        > Kindle books generally start their life as ePubs that Amazon then converts to their formats before they list them. They don't even let you publish in mobi anymore. Morally speaking they start as Kindle ePubs that support a very very limited subset of the ePub standard.
- auggierose 4y ago
  Also want to note that this is not a matter of resource constraints: The implementations of MathML for (desktop) browsers are just as shitty.

Georgelemental 4y ago

> just make katex work in an epub reader "Just write a full JavaScript and DOM implementation for your resource-constrained e-ink device"

auggierose 4y ago
I think you need that already if you want a compliant epub reader. Javascript is part of the epub standard.
- Georgelemental 4y ago
  According to the standard, it seems that basic MathML support is required for all conformant implementations (https://www.w3.org/publishing/epub32/epub-contentdocs.html#sec-xhtml-mathml-rs-conf https://www.w3.org/publishing/epub32/epub-contentdocs.html#s...), but scripting support is optional (https://www.w3.org/publishing/epub32/epub-contentdocs.html#sec-scripted-content-rs-reqs https://www.w3.org/publishing/epub32/epub-contentdocs.html#s...). Not that anyone actually follows the standard…
- iudqnolq 4y ago
  And that's one reason why the majority of ebooks purchased by consumers aren't in epub format.[1] For the vast majority of fiction a format constrained to bold, italicize, paragraph break, chapter heading, and chapter break allows a far superior user experience. [1] https://magnoliamedianetwork.com/ebook-publishing-platforms/ https://magnoliamedianetwork.com/ebook-publishing-platforms/
  - goosedragons 4y ago
    JavaScript isn't a necessary component of ePub readers. Besides a handful of apps like Adobe Digital Editions and Apple iBooks, most don't. Kobo doesn't in their eReaders. JavaScript is only used in ePubs for multimedia crap. Fiction ePubs don't bother either. Kindle books generally start their life as ePubs that Amazon then converts to their formats before they list them. They don't even let you publish in mobi anymore. Kindle's lack of MathML support actually makes the user experience worse for everyone. Publishers often make 1 ePub they submit to multiple stores so rather than make a MathML version and a shitty image version for Kindle they just make a shitty image version and now you have a math textbook that's larger than the PDF would have been AND the equation text isn't resizable defeating the whole point of a reflowable ebook.
    - iudqnolq 4y ago
      > Kindle books generally start their life as ePubs that Amazon then converts to their formats before they list them. They don't even let you publish in mobi anymore. Morally speaking they start as Kindle ePubs that support a very very limited subset of the ePub standard.
auggierose 4y ago
Also want to note that this is not a matter of resource constraints: The implementations of MathML for (desktop) browsers are just as shitty.