Is CDisplay that prefect that noone even tries an alternative? I think the main thing is that CDisplay doesn't really have anything wrong with it. It gets the job done well enough that people don't even think of looking for an alternate. I've just installed Comic Rack, and I really can't believe I've put up with CDisplay for so long! It's so outdated! My only problem with CR is that you can't seem to set how far it scrolls down the page, it makes reading some comics a little annoying. But the pros far, far outweigh the cons! Oh, and hello. :)

I too am amazed that this program is not well and truly on the road to world domination. But give it time… As a general comic reader ComicRack is awesome but what really gives this program power is the metadata functionality. All it needs is some way to suck down that metadata from a database. Oh sweet rapture when that day comes.

As i said. I think it's all about the "Google comic reader" phenomena. People just click the first item. And also there's the view of "why a change if not broke". It depends on enthusiast users like yourself, to spread the word, post to boards, tell people, etc.

About that database fluxmunro mentioned. You know comics.org, right? I had the feeling they'd make their database available for complete download (just like freedb.org had), however strolling through their site I couldn't find anything. So it's up to calling the search function... Wonder just how much automatic that could be made. Anyway, cyolito, maybe you can strike a deal with the guys where you would offer to include a "submit indexing info to comics.org" function, and they'd be ready to make an API for their database (You know just like Web 2.0 :twisted:). Who knows... Also, their record structure. Would be nice if it was easily converted to and from your xml structure, don't you think? BTW: really nice program cyolito, and just when I started looking around for a viewer with database abilities (I liked the library feature in comix, but wanted to have more organised access - something like amarok for comics. Then I found this! Thanks for your efforts!

I just used ComicRack for the first time and while it's an awesome program, it's not for me. To throw my two cents into the discussion of why it isn't that popular, I think the reason isn't so much Google, as it is a combination of two things: 1) Most people into eComics just want to read them. 2) Because of #1, CDisplay is the best solution and is what is pushed to new users as what to get to handle eComics. ComicRack seems to be an ultra-detailed program for the very hardcore, very niche, portion of the fanbase. Not a bad thing at all mind you. Like any hobby, there are different levels of depth you can get into. I don't see ComicRack taking the place of CDisplay, but I also don't see ComicRack going anyplace. They each have their function. It seems ComicRack is for the fan that needs a more in-depth level of organizational ability to their eComics. Where sub-folders on an external hard drive and a text file just don't cut it. :)

I don't know if I agree about that - I think you're right that there are eComic readers who just want to read them, and that's it. However, to generalize 'em is like saying that there are MP3 consumers who just want to listen to them. That's definitely a primary function, but many people want to organize them, categorize them, rate them, etc. That's why I actually like the analogy of ComicRack to iTunes. Personally, I've used CDisplay for YEARS, and I'll still probably use it for the quick fix (it still loads so much faster since it's JUST a reader). However, I've wished for a very long time that I could have a comic program that cataloged my eComics and gave me the features found in ComicRack. Granted, I am one of those "very hardcore" fans of eComics, but it's not as niche and small as you think. I know people with literally thousands of comics - they treat it like a collection, just like a physical collection. And, again, there are many, many people like that out there - if there weren't, then the rest of people who casually "just want to read" eComics wouldn't have any to read, as these are the people that make them, distribute them, and turn others onto them. What I say is, keep up the great work. CDisplay may be the "industry standard," but only as a reader. I like it as a basic reader, but it's definitely not competition (in any case, it's no longer updated anyway!). ComicRack stands on its own merits. And don't be too dismissive about the amount of eComics readers and COLLECTORS out there who want to do more than "just read" some files.

I'm actually one of those people with thousands (almost 12,000) and treat it as a collection. I was even a very small part of IRC years ago helping distribute and even provided some oddball 80's comics for everyone. Yet, I'm happy with my organized sub-folders :D. Not trying to argue though. It's just my gut opinion from what I've seen.