I have been using Apple's Books app to read. After purchasing physical books, I search for electronic book resources and then use my iPad to read (strange behavior, as physical books are more for collecting and filling bookshelves, just like buying CDs without a CD player to stream music, haha).
However, I found that some electronic book resources cannot be found, but WeChat Reading has them. So I started trying to use it, and temporarily concluded that it cannot completely replace the Books app.
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Does not support vertical layout
When choosing book versions, I pay attention to whether the mainland version has been edited ("deletion" is no longer appropriate, as some published books not only delete but also modify). If there are edits, I will try to buy the Taiwanese version. For less sensitive books, I can still buy them on Taobao, but for highly sensitive ones, I can't buy physical books anymore. Not to mention the high cost of purchasing agents, they are also easily confiscated by customs.
There are still many genuine Taiwanese e-books, such as "Readmoo," "Books.com," "Kobo," etc., and the payment methods are relatively easy. However, I don't like using the reading apps provided by these platforms. I found that Kobo provides downloadable e-book files in EPUB format, and after obtaining the files, I can use calibre to crack the DRM and use them freely (piracy).
Most Taiwanese physical books are vertically laid out, even for e-books (Readmoo's e-books will convert vertical physical books into horizontal e-books). Apple's Books app may support different layouts of e-books very well due to the need to adapt to the reading habits of different countries/regions. I used WeChat last year and found that it does not support vertical layout. After providing feedback to customer service, I deleted my account and stopped using it. Recently, I started using it again and found that it still does not support vertical layout, which is a bit disappointing. But I can also understand it, after all, the demand is not high (WeChat Bookstore still has physical books that are vertically laid out, but the e-books are also converted to horizontal layout).
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Does not support left page flipping for comics
Let me share a tool called Manga Repack, which can create EPUB files that support left page flipping and full-page display for individual comic images.
WeChat handles these comic books the same way as regular books, with right page flipping (in fact, if vertical layout is not supported, it already indicates that left page flipping is not supported, and most vertically laid out books are also left page flipping).
Apple's Books app also supports this very well. When reading books on an iPad, text books are read in landscape mode, divided into left and right columns (WeChat is also like this), and comics are read in portrait mode. The flipping method is very comfortable.
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Possible edits compared to physical books
Doubtful, uncertain
argentea: WeChat Reading even has edits in classic works. Genuine users are victims. You can buy online novels, but forget about the rest.
redtea: "Modern Chinese History" (by Jiang Tingfu), in the printed version, uses □□□ to represent certain names, but in the electronic version, the paragraph containing the names is directly deleted.
davelm: Just a reminder, the content of some e-books may be different from the printed version, and it's good that they are edited. The platform will also directly rewrite some content.
For now, I will continue to use WeChat Reading as a supplement to the Books app. I will use the Books app as my main reading platform and WeChat Reading for its unique e-books.
Books published in mainland China are indeed cheaper compared to Taiwan, but I hope that the impact of the floods will not directly kill the already struggling physical book industry.
Lastly, in this deep and hot water (haha), I hope that the publishing of books in Taiwan will not experience the same tightening of content as in Hong Kong. So... let's continue to live in peace, XD.