Re: [NTLK] Multi-format book packages (was Reformating Newton

From: Dan (dan_at_dbdigitalweb.com)
Date: Sat Feb 21 2004 - 13:24:52 PST


Newton eBooks are *the* main killer app for the Newton. All dedicated,
propietary ebook readers are dead, gone and not supported by anybody
anymore, where as Newtons are dead, gone, and better supported than ever
before (kinda), the bookmaking tools are all available for free, the screen
real estate is vast, the prices for MP 120s or 130s very attractive, and
any Newton PDA will offer a huge payload of additional free goodies either
preinstalled or freely available to the readership. And anything that will
further improve the reader's experience and happiness will add much to
this. So - united we read, divided we fall. ;=}
-----------------------------------
Actually there are several proprietary formats that are "doing battle" right
now in ebooks. Microsoft reader, Palm Reader, Mobipocket, Isilo, Acrobat 6
(among others). All of the mentioned formats have encryption available so
that it makes it difficult (if not impossible) to convert the book to plain
text. And some of them (Microsoft Reader for example) key the books to your
computer serial code, so if you get another system the books YOU purchased
no longer work.

Microsoft Reader and Acrobat 6 can make non-encrypted files the others I
mentioned *only* make encrypted files as far as I know. Often publishers
will not publish a ebook unless it is in a encrypted format, and I know more
than one author has switched publishers because they wanted to be able to
offer a wider selection of ebook formats. Fictionwise.com (among other
ebook sellers) do offer "mulitformat" for many of their titles. Basically
"multiformat" is unencrypted ebooks in several formats (Palm Doc, Acrobat,
rocketbook, franklin ebook, etc). Palm Doc is currently my favorite as it
is easily converted to plain text and NewtonBooked (which I have done a few
times now). Also Fictionwise.com has several free ebooks available so you
can try your book reader (or method of conversion as the case may be) out
before having to spend any money.

-Dan

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