I'm collecting more and more ebooks which I read on either a 7" Galaxy Tablet or a Netbook, so devices that are used for other computing purposes.

However, one surprise I wasn't expecting is that certain programs that use grphics files will scan the whole system and come back with the ebook cover art.  1) I don't want those files mixed in with my family photos and 2) a few of them have pretty steamy cover art which I don't want popping up front and center unexpectedly.

For a program I use repeatedly, like Picasso for photos, I can tag it not to search my book folder. But I'm more concerned about the surprises.  Last night I was randomly looking at some features and happened to click on an option to customize my desktop.  Before I could blink, it had automatically scanned the entire system and come back with every photo and graphic file - including every book cover as "choices" for my desk top. 

Anyone else run into this as they store ebooks on computers?

Anyone else run into this as they store ebooks on computers?

I have an iPad and iPhone that I read on only occationally, but both have photos I access a lot. I use various e-reader apps on both.

I can't say I've ever had that problem. I have my photos on them in three files right at the moment. "Camera Roll", "Photo Library" and "Family". None of the ebook apps I use put any of the cover pictures in any of those folders. And since I can't get to the book file on Apple products like I can in Windows, I can't open them up to get to the cover image.

Are they both pulling up book covers? What format are you saving? I know .epub books are just modified .zip files so if you rename them from .epub to .zip you can open the none DRM'd ones. (Don't know about the DRM'd ones, haven't tried it.)

Are your programs seeing the pic file inside the epub files? Is it just one of your devices or both?

I have about 100 books at this point, so every format imaginable. But I think it's mostly the EPUB books that have the cover and thumbnail in PNG format and HTML versions that may also have graphic files.

It's  not a problem in the normal course of, say, looking at photos.  My photos are in their own folder structures. Where it's a problem is if I kick off an application that unexpectedly starts scanning my whole system for any graphic files it can find.  So maybe I load a new photo management app or - in the case of last night - I clicked to edit my desktop and it automatically started searching for files that I might use for desktop art.  Frankly, the book cover that ended up center screen was not one I'd have wanted to advertise to my kids!  (It seems like the ebooks have even more risque cover art than print books.)

For the most part it was funny. But definitely something to watch out for.

Where it's a problem is if I kick off an application that unexpectedly starts scanning my whole system for any graphic files it can find.

Yeah, that's what the problem is with EPUB. They're basically a collection of html files in a zipped cover. So your scanning program can see the covers sitting there and will show them.

I have no idea if you can tell the search program to ignore epubs or not. The only other thing I can think to do would be to remove the covers from the epub file, and then probably mess up the book.

You may just have to remember not to have anyone behind you when you go picture browsing!

Why would it bother you?  Surely the Books name is on the Cover so they know its not family!  Ashamed of wht your readin?  You need to read something else!

I'm not ashamed of what I read nor is it anyone's business. However many of the covers for e-books - especially romance - are extremely suggestive. Not necessarily images I want popping up should one of my kids decide to use that computer/device.  I posted as an amusing FYI wondering if others had experienced this, not to solicit judgements about my reading habits.