Because Calibre is open-source, it's code is open for hackers. At the same time every Alfa user's email that comes to us is answered.Īnd the last (but for some people, may be the most important) point is security. They have no obligation to support you because the software is free. Sometimes it may be answered, sometimes not. The only option you have is to post your problem to community forum. Like with any open-source product you may experience difficulties with Calibre support. And Alfa always follows the common standards of metadata structure. The built-in File Manager allows to more and rename files while automatically updating paths in the e-Library. Unlike it Alfa lets you keep your Windows folders structure in the way you like. Besides, Calibre uses to insert own fields in ebook file metadata, that sometimes violates common standards.

Especially it's weird in case with audio books, that have considerable size.

When it creates electronic library, your book files are moved to calibre's folder. Most users also don't like Calibre's practice of transforming your library structure in windows folders. Thus we keep Alfa easy-to-use and beautiful. We also receive thousands of customer feature requests, but have to be patient and not implement every feature. Every operation is overloaded by options that average user won't ever need. In result working with Calibre is like using a steam-hammer to crack nuts. Finding compromise between thousands of opinions is very difficult task. Every developer in the large community wants to add a small function that she personally needs.

The second issue with Calibre is its monstrous and overkill functionality. On the other hand, Alfa that is focused only on Windows-users, uses all these Microsoft's gifts to create really comfortable UI. In particular they can't use Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) - the graphical subsystem by Microsoft for rendering user interfaces in Windows-based applications. So the developers have to build the same software for 3 different systems and of course this imposes limitations on the variety of tools they can use. The point is that Calibre is developed for three platforms: Windows, Mac and Linux. The first Alfa's advantage over Calibre, which is obvious from the first sight is more beautiful and comfortable user interface.

Calibre server magazines