For those who consume the printed word exclusively on the scale of Twitter messages, a reasonable question arises: “Why are they even needed on the computer, these same reader programs?”
Indeed, you can open small texts in any operating system without problems - there are enough standard applications for this. But there are simply no tools that allow you to work normally with larger sizes in a “clean” system. But doing this with regular ones is very inconvenient, and your eyes get very tired.
So if you have to read fairly large texts from the screen, and you want to do it with maximum comfort, and at the same time want to preserve your vision, you simply cannot do without specialized programs - electronic readers.
There are quite a lot of programs for reading e-books. Each has its own pros and cons. But it is impossible to cover them all in one article. Therefore, I will limit myself only to those for many years"taken root" on my computers. Or periodically, as needed, they appear on them.
Easy and convenient program. And although it is not updated very often, all versions are still functional. Designed for Windows, but usually works well on Linux under Wine. There is also an official version running Windows Mobile.
On mobile platforms, IMHO, it has no serious competitors at all, neither in terms of capabilities nor in terms of convenience.
It has a large number of all kinds of settings, which you don’t have to look into if you don’t want to - most of the options are set quite reasonably and by default.
It has a large list of supported formats, including the currently mega-popular FB2. One of the few that works with ODT files (Open Document, used in OpenOffice.org, Microsoft Office and LibreOffice) without prior conversion.
The default interface resembles an open book, the yellowish background of the pages is more comfortable for the eyes and is very convenient for long reading. As a bonus, AlReader does not require installation and can work from any mobile media. For me personally, this is the most convenient and favorite program for reading files in FB2 and EPUB format.
The program is cross-platform and not only free (which is quite natural), but also open - its sources are available. So you can find its version on the Internet not only for any PC operating system, but I have also more than once come across packages compiled by craftsmen for a variety of mobile platforms. So, if you understand, you can do some magic with the raw materials yourself, or search the Internet for a ready-made package specifically for your mobile device.
Also in stock large selection supported formats, a good set of settings, a choice between one-page and two-page reading modes, etc.
And although CoolReader 3 does not differ in anything extraordinary, it fulfills its main task “with 5 points” - reading with the help of this program is very convenient (with correct settings"for yourself"). Over the years of use, no particular disadvantages have been noticed.
The word “Professional” is in the name for a reason - today, IMHO, this is the most powerful and multifunctional program for reading e-books. Moreover, the Russian version is free to use.
In fact, it consists of two equivalent modules - the reader itself and the library.
The reader can operate in two modes - scrolling mode (one page on the screen) and book mode (two pages on the screen). Moreover, each mode can be configured separately - background, font, flipping, etc.
It is necessary to dwell a little more on scrolling. In ICE Book Reader Professional you can turn pages both manually (and in several ways) and automatic mode. In this case, you can either set the scrolling speed yourself or set it to full automatic. When fully automatic, the program will automatically adjust to the user’s reading pace.
Library mode is a full-fledged cataloguer in which you can sort added books by genre, author, series, etc. Moreover, the program can take the data for sorting itself, directly from the added files, or you can easily change everything or set it manually.
It should be noted that books are “imported” into the library - links to them are not simply created, but the book file itself is copied to a special storage (and the compression level can be adjusted to save disk space). Therefore, after import there is no need for the original file.
When installing, I recommend that you carefully consider the option of choosing a directory for storing the library - a conveniently located directory with books (your personal settings are also stored in it - next time you won’t have to configure everything again) can be easily copied to simplify your task during possible system reinstallations or transferring the program to another PC.
The list of supported formats is more than impressive - almost all common formats. At the same time, ICE Book Reader can import books directly from archives, without any need to first unpack them. A variety of archives are also supported, including exotic and outdated ones, which no modern archiver works with anymore.
The abundance of settings can confuse inexperienced users. And it’s completely in vain - everything is very simple there. All it takes is a little attention and time spent on setup, and everything will pay off. Because ICE Book Reader is not only the most powerful reader today, but also the most customizable for a specific user. It can be perfectly adjusted to suit you in order to read in comfort and enjoy the process.
Programs for viewing PDF, DjVu and other formats
In addition to all kinds of text formats, there are a number of others that, strictly speaking, are not text. But nevertheless, e-books in such formats are found all over the Internet. At the same time, if almost any Linux distribution contains tools for viewing “anything and everything” right out of the box, then in a freshly installed Windows tools for opening such files are completely absent as a class. You will have to install them yourself.
Of these formats, the first one is PDF. It is where you most often find pirated copies of books on the Internet - scanned textbooks, encyclopedias, tutorials, magazines, etc. (however, not only pirated ones). Therefore, software for working with such files is “vital”.
Original program from the format developer. And that says it all - everything that can be supported and worked in PDF is supported and works. On the one hand, this is a plus. On the other hand, all kinds of scripts embedded in the book file itself also work. And among them now there may be malicious ones.
After downloading a pirated version of a tutorial or the latest version of a computer magazine in PDF from the Internet, do not be lazy to run it properly with an antivirus.
As a result, Adobe is forced to constantly release patches and patch security holes. However, this problem affects not only Adobe Reader, but also any other software for working with PDF. As for Adobe Reader itself, the disadvantages include the significant size it takes up on the disk and its heaviness.
Also designed for PDF viewing, but an order of magnitude easier than the program described above. Lighter, faster and less gluttonous. At the same time, Foxit Reader is also not deprived of its capabilities. It has Russian localization (if you are connected to the Internet, select Russian in the settings - the localization file will be automatically downloaded and moved where needed). There are a bunch of versions - old, new, portable (working without installation)... - all cope perfectly with their main function - viewing PDF, without any need for an Adobe reader. So I recommend it.
There is a version for Linux. And although it has been in beta for many years, it works without any serious glitches.
In addition to PDF, another common e-book format on the Internet is DjVu. It is ideal for scans of educational, scientific and engineering literature - one-color text containing drawings, formulas and graphs with very good quality is compressed into relatively small files. But among the Windows programs for viewing this format, IMHO, only one is worthy of attention (Linux users are a little better with this issue).
The program is small, fast and convenient. It does not differ in particularly “sophisticated” functionality. But all she needs to do is rip DjVu files normally, which she does “with five points”. In general, it is highly recommended for use.
This is a rather rare “guest” on my PCs, but it will definitely come in handy for some. Distinctive feature This program is its "omnivorousness". From e-books it opens almost everything that can be opened. So if you don’t want to have a whole “zoo” of reader programs on your computer, you can try STDU Viewer.
Well, and for dessert there is one more program that stands somewhat apart.
This is just an e-reader - it is a real “combine” for working with e-books. It consists of several modules, the first of which is the reader itself. He reads everything that can be read in principle. It has many settings and all sorts of “goodies”, which (due to the lack of Russian translation of documentation) can bring a lot of fun. However, there is nothing particularly difficult there, and with due care, everything can be mastered at random, especially since the program interface itself is well localized (completely Russian).
Another part is the cataloging library. It also has a lot of options for importing and sorting books, allowing you to sort your library as you please.
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And finally, one more module - a converter. The third and main module of the program. Because the main purpose of Caliber is to convert e-books into files for various mobile devices. At the same time, the program receives almost any e-book file as input (the list of supported formats is huge - almost EVERYTHING), and as an output it produces a file suitable for reading on your mobile device. And here, too, all common combinations are possible.
If problems with conversion may arise, I recommend that you set the correct encoding specifically for your case.
That's all for today.
Even with the gradual displacement of paper sources of information, a user may also need a book reader for a computer - to become familiar with fiction, scientific or technical literature.
And sometimes they are even released in book format.
All these books no longer take up space on shelves and do not require good lighting to read, but they can only be reproduced with the help of special programs.
Cool Reader
One of the most common reading programs for both computers and mobile devices is Cool Reader.
It supports both standard type formats. , .txt and .doc, as well as books with the extension .epub and .rtf, as well as web pages.
In addition, the application features include:
- The ability to adjust the brightness of the font or background according to user preferences;
- Automatic page turning function, which, however, is not always convenient, since reading even information of the same volume may take different amounts of time;
- Read books directly from the archive without the need to unpack.
ALReader
To work with most e-books, you can use the AlReader application, which works mainly on the Windows OS, but synchronizes well with the Linux system.
A huge number of settings, set at an acceptable level by default, many supported formats (including FB2 and even ODT) - all this makes the reader popular among many users.
The design of the program resembles a book printed on newsprint.
And as an additional advantage, it is worth noting that AlReader can work even without installation.
Thanks to the cross-platform reading program, you can familiarize yourself with literature written in most popular formats, and also easily customize the reading process to suit your requirements.
The setup process is simple and intuitive, and all book files opened by the application are sorted by their characteristics - genre, author or title.
And for this there is no need to move e-books to a shared folder - FBReader will create links to their location on the computer.
And among its shortcomings, only one can be mentioned - the lack of a two-page mode.
However, the same problem applies to other readers for this format.
As a result, Adobe constantly releases updates to Reader, which causes it to take up quite a lot of space on your computer and take some time to install.
DjVuViwer
Due to the high popularity of the format. Such texts are easier to find and download, and they themselves gradually become available.
This is due to the much better compressibility of the files, so they take up much more less space.
There are many readers that reproduce the format - but one of the best is DjVu Viwer.
Among its advantages:
- High book opening speed;
- Scrolling through all pages at once, rather than flipping through them 2 at a time, as most other programs offer;
- Possibility of convenient and easy creation bookmarks;
- Opening any files in DJVU and a number of other formats.
Like Adobe Reader, the program is also designed for viewing books in pdf format, but takes up much less space. At the same time, Foxit Reader also has a lot of possibilities.
And the menu is in Russian and in a number of other languages - to select them, just connect to the Internet and open a file using an e-reader.
The application works on Windows PCs, but there are also working versions for Linux.
The word Professional is in the name of this reader for a reason. Of all the programs presented in the review, this is the most multifunctional.
Moreover, it is localized in Russian and distributed by the manufacturer free of charge.
ICE Book Reader contains two modules of approximately equal importance - the reader and the library.
And for reading, you can choose one of two modes - either two-page or one-page.
Most often it is chosen depending on the screen size and user preferences. Moreover, each mode has its own configuration features.
The advantage and, at the same time, disadvantage (due to the increase in space occupied by information) of ICE Book Reader is the downloading of entire books to its library, not just the creation of links to them.
Thus, the file can be deleted from the main location.
Although, in order to still reduce the space that files occupy, it is worth adjusting their compression level.
You can also pay attention to such features as:
- Remembering personal settings so that the next time you turn on the reader settings are not required again;
- A huge list of supported extensions (including almost all formats, except perhaps );
- Opening information from archived files (and, and.zip, and all other archives) without the mediation of archivers, which may not be installed on the PC at all.
It's worth noting that ICE Book Reader is not only the best reader, but also the most customizable.
Having spent a little time, you can configure the program for use on the street, and at night, and even in such a way that reading tires your eyesight less.
Despite the fact that mobile e-books have appeared, replacing traditional paper sources of information for readers, it is advisable to have a book reader on your own computer. It may be needed, for example, for reading technical, scientific and fiction literature, as well as for viewing drawings that are now created in book format.
There are a lot of programs for reading books on a computer. Below is a selection of readers that have managed to prove themselves from the best side.
Cool Reader
It can rightfully be called the most popular and widespread among users. There is a version for both computer and mobile device. Supports many different book formats: .doc, .txt, .fb2, .rtf and .epub. The program allows you to browse websites.The features of the computer reader are as follows:
- automatic page turning. The function can be disabled if you need to spend significant time familiarizing yourself with the data on the page;
- adjusting the background and font brightness in accordance with the user's wishes;
- viewing the contents of books in archives without unpacking them.
ALReader
is a program for reading e-books that can run on computers with operating system"Linux" and "Windows".The main feature of the reader is its many settings. But the average user is unlikely to have to change anything, and he can easily get by with the default settings. ALReader supports a lot of formats, including ODT and FB2. It is precisely thanks to the ability to view the last two formats that the reader has become in demand.
It is noteworthy that when creating the program, the creators paid special attention and its design. Having opened ALReader, the user will be surprised to see a book on printed newspaper sheets in front of him. To use the reader there is no need to install it. Immediately after downloading it can be used in full mode.
FBReader
If the user often has to resort to viewing documents and reading literature in various formats, then he is recommended to download this reader. The reading experience can be customized to suit your personal preferences.It has a simple and intuitive interface that is easy to customize if desired. All open book files are classified according to characteristics - title, genre and author.
There is no need to move e-books to a shared folder - FBReader automatically creates links to their location in the computer's memory. The program has one drawback - a two-page mode is not provided.
Adobe Reader
It is difficult to find a computer user who has never encountered this program in his life. As a rule, if you need to open a book in PDF format, then Adobe Reader is used. Not only books, but also magazines and other journalism are now being created in this format. Many other readers cannot always open documents and books in PDF.Documents in PDF format can also pose a threat to your computer. Attackers inject malicious scripts into them, and therefore, before opening anything, you should check the file in an antivirus program.
The same problem applies to other programs where you can open books and documents in PDF. To minimize risks, you should only use latest versions e-readers The program takes up a lot of space in the computer's memory and takes much longer to install than other software products with similar purposes.
DjVuViwer
The .djvu format is gradually and steadily replacing documents in the .pdf format. The fact is that the first format compresses files better, which allows you to save space in your computer’s memory. If you need a modern reader for reading data in .djvu format, then this is the best of them.The advantages of the program are as follows:
- opening documents in other formats besides .djvu;
- you can scroll through all pages, rather than flipping through them two at a time, which happens in the vast majority of programs;
- creating bookmarks in a simple and convenient way;
- fast speed of opening books.
Foxit Reader
Like the previous reader, Foxit Reader can also be used to read documents in pdf format. But, unlike Adobe Reader, it requires less hard disk space for installation. The range of possibilities of the reader is quite huge.The program menu is presented in several languages. The application operates primarily on computers running Windows. But, recently, versions have appeared that can run on PCs running Windows OS.
ICE Book Reader Professional
The word Professional is used in the program name for a reason. This reader has quite enviable functionality, which is easy to understand after testing the program for a few minutes. It is distributed absolutely free of charge and is presented in Russian.The program includes two modules of equal importance - a library and a reader. You can choose one-page or two-page mode to view documents.
Often the mode is selected in accordance with the user's preferences and the size of the monitor screen. Each mode has its own set of settings.
The advantage and at the same time the disadvantage (due to the increase in data space occupied) of the reader is that it automatically downloads all books to the library in full. So the file can be deleted from the main location at a later time.
If the amount of data storage space is small, then you should go to the settings and adjust the compression level.
ICE Book Reader Professional has the following features:
- support for files in various formats. Exception - .pdf;
- The entered settings are remembered by the reader automatically. The next time you turn it on, you will not need to change the parameters again;
- data can be opened from archives without involving one or another archiver. Information can be viewed in archives in the following formats: .zip, .rar and others.
STDU Viewer
Its interface is not so attractive, but it is easy to use and allows you to change a lot of parameters in the settings. There is a multi-tab mode, which makes it possible to open several books at the same time.The most important advantage is multi-format. With it you can open documents in .pdf format.
Conclusion
Everyone makes the final choice of reader for themselves. However, if you have difficulty choosing, then you should focus on the most functional ones - STDU Viewer, ICE Book or AlReader.On the website of the popular service " Google Play Books" you can add and read texts online. At the same time, the project has an extension for the Google Chrome browser, which allows you to read downloaded books on your computer even without an Internet connection.
The plugin's interface almost completely replicates the design of the web version. You can open from your library, view their contents, search the text, customize fonts and layout. To read offline, you need to first download the books you need into your computer’s memory. Bookmarks, reading positions, and other data are synchronized between all devices connected to your Google Account.
- Supported formats: EPUB.
Microsoft has built an EPUB file viewer into its browser, so you can use it as a free reader. The program has settings for text display, bookmarks, a book search function, and even a mode for text to be read by a robot. You can also highlight words and attach comments to them. This is where the functionality of the reader ends.
To add a book to Edge, just right-click on the corresponding EPUB file and select “Open with” → Microsoft Edge. After this, the book will open in a new tab.
- Supported formats: FB2, EPUB.
This service, like Google Play Books, offers computer owners to read books on the site. Besides, Windows users can install the Bookmate desktop client, which allows you to add texts to your personal library and read them offline.
In both versions of Bookmate, you can customize the font, background, indents, and others. visual elements. Bookmarks, reading positions and other metadata are synced across devices. The application may slow down slightly, but overall it is comfortable to read.
Texts you added to the service can be . Bookmate also offers paid subscriptions to books from its online library, but you can opt out.
- Supported formats: FB2, EPUB, DJVU, DOCX, HTML, AZW, AZW3, AZW4, CBZ, CBR, CBC, CHM, HTMLZ, LIT, LRF, MOBI, ODT, PDF, PRC, PDB, PML, RB, RTF, SNB , TCR, TXT, TXTZ.
Caliber is best known as a powerful free software. With Caliber, you can edit metadata, text, and other elements of book files, as well as convert documents from one format to another. But the program allows you to simply read books added to it. The built-in reader has background and text settings, a content viewer, a search form and other tools for easy reading.
- Supported formats: EPUB, PDF.
Book-loving Mac users are in luck: they get one of the best desktop readers out of the box. iBooks looks stylish, supports data synchronization between iOS devices, and offers only the most necessary tools- for those who like to read rather than delve into settings.
On the other hand, iBooks does not support the very popular FB2 format, which may not suit some users. But you can always convert.
