You would convert to ePub only if you want the features of an eBook rather than a PDF file... I much prefer to read ePub format books than PDF files - I generally read at a larger font than the default PDF was - but you may be quite happy with the PDF format.

It's really a personal preference. The content doesn't change.

-t

Originally Posted by Heaviside

One major problem: many of the Project Gutenberg books were scanned in by Google---and have handprints obliterating a lot of text, scrambled text (lousy ocr!), and other gross and careless errors!

I don't know why that would happen. I have helped to prepare some of the books for PG as a member of Distributed Proofreaders. The original OCR scans are only a starting point. We start with the photograph of the original page, and correct the OCR. We even use a specially designed font to ensure that characters that are similar can be caught. For example, lower case "L", upper case "I" and numeral "1".
Then another proofreader corrects the first, followed by a third round correcting any remaining errors. This is followed by two rounds of formatting. The copy that is eventually uploaded to PG should contain very few errors.

Not saying that you are wrong. I just don't understand how the kind of thing that you have found can appear, given the painstaking method by which the books are prepared.

Originally Posted by thewitt

You would convert to ePub only if you want the features of an eBook rather than a PDF file... I much prefer to read ePub format books than PDF files - I generally read at a larger font than the default PDF was - but you may be quite happy with the PDF format.

It's really a personal preference. The content doesn't change.

-t

Ah, I see. Thanks for explaining that.

Originally Posted by cutnstuf

I've been able to transfer pdf's from my computer in Ibooks and open them. Why do I need to convert to epub?

Cut

I am guessing but I think people want to open ebooks in iBooks. I have a number of volumes in different formats like pdf and plain text. Not sure I care if they open in iBooks or not. The ePub format likely provides features a plain text "book" does not provide.

The issue some have with Project Gutenberg volumes is their "careless" editing. Or so some are saying. I know when I purchase a scarce printed volume it is accurate and nothing has been edited or left out.

PG is a great source for books, however.

Originally Posted by KevinJS

I don't know why that would happen. I have helped to prepare some of the books for PG as a member of Distributed Proofreaders. The original OCR scans are only a starting point. We start with the photograph of the original page, and correct the OCR. We even use a specially designed font to ensure that characters that are similar can be caught. For example, lower case "L", upper case "I" and numeral "1".
Then another proofreader corrects the first, followed by a third round correcting any remaining errors. This is followed by two rounds of formatting. The copy that is eventually uploaded to PG should contain very few errors.

Not saying that you are wrong. I just don't understand how the kind of thing that you have found can appear, given the painstaking method by which the books are prepared.

Didn't mean to offend you or anyone else, just to register a complaint. Could be that it depends on the source.

If I download from Barnes and Noble for instance, things are garbled--whether I read on my nook or not. From the Google Book Store things are better, but often figures do not appear. I haven't had such good luck downloading directly from Project Gutenberg either. From my public library, the quality seems pretty good.

Funny. I figured that only one outfit was doing the original digitizing and the others were just linking to that source.

Thanks a lot for responding!

I go to Amizon.com and get a lot of free e.books downloaded right to my iPad.

Hey! So do I! It's great.

Just came across a news story telling about a new website called the DigiLounge. It gives a list of ebooks that are currently free or on sale for the Nook and Lindle apps. They are modern books, unlike those on Project Gutenberg. Here's the url. I have already downloaded a feeby and it works nicely, though the website is quite slow.

Free & Discount eBooks | DigiReader Lounge