Re: Are EBooks a Tower of Babel

From: "Bill C" 
> The question is, are there so many formats, and different kinds of DRM, that EBooks are published in, that the industry has created a tower of babel? With no single clear ubiquitous standard, has this hobbled the whole idea of EBooks in the society? And looking to the future, if the answer is yes, then what can be done to abandon also rans and push for a clear winner?
> 
> Bill

Bill,

You ask a very interesting question.

But maybe it is the wrong question ;-). There are indeed many different formats for ebooks, and more pop up from time to time. But there are two basic reasons: one is the different ways of reading, the other is the differences in content. A third factor is the dear old reader and the preferences chosen!

And yet, no one has yet successfully answered the question 'What is an ebook?'.

In some ways it is a mistake not to understand the similarities between print and digital. But in terms of format it is probably a mistake to do so. 

Perhaps the better question is 'Which formats do my readers use?'. As well as 'Which formats do my books work best in?'. Epub was an attempt to make a simplification, yet - as I understand it - it is only an envelope easing delivery. PDF was invented for printing and ironically has become the most frequently used format for ebooks - unless you count websites and blogs and so on as ebooks too!

And is simple Gutenberg text an ebook or an emanuscript?

The question is further confounded by tecnological changes in reader systems. Thus the needs of a mobile [cell] user are quite different from a person using a monitor, which are different again from handhelds of varying design.

The possiblities also expand with the use of liquid paper, for example. Not to mention audio.

And if your content is valuable you may well consider your own proprietary system which might have locks that make drm look like a daisy chain.

Which formats have you particularly in mind?

Joseph


Joseph Harris - Debt Control Man
http://www.controlyourdebtcrisis.co.uk
Author: Control Your Debt Crisis on Your Own Terms
http://twitter.com/debtcontrolman 
SAQ - SAve the cheQue



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