Comments on: Creating an Ebook, Part 2 http://www.learntowritefiction.com/creating-an-ebook-part-2/ tools, systems and strategies to help you write your novel Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:41:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Cheryl http://www.learntowritefiction.com/creating-an-ebook-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1775 Cheryl Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:09:31 +0000 http://www.learntowritefiction.com/?p=365#comment-1775 Hi David, That's good to know that a PDF can reflow. Most of those I've used myself do not, so there must be something in how it is created that allows for that. Regarding DRM, I think you're correct. Buying a commercially-produced ebook probably does make the file device-specific. I haven't delved into DRM that much to know if creating an ebook in one of the formats listed in the post has any automatic security. A writer would need to test the new formats out before releasing them to the public, just to be sure of how they will work for their readers. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by! Hi David,
That’s good to know that a PDF can reflow. Most of those I’ve used myself do not, so there must be something in how it is created that allows for that.

Regarding DRM, I think you’re correct. Buying a commercially-produced ebook probably does make the file device-specific. I haven’t delved into DRM that much to know if creating an ebook in one of the formats listed in the post has any automatic security. A writer would need to test the new formats out before releasing them to the public, just to be sure of how they will work for their readers.

I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by!

]]> By: David http://www.learntowritefiction.com/creating-an-ebook-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1748 David Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:03:09 +0000 http://www.learntowritefiction.com/?p=365#comment-1748 I would just like to query the points made here. I greatly enjoy e-books. However, my experience has lead me to the position that I will not even consider anything that <b>is not</b> available in PDF format. PDF is not only a fixed layout format, it can and does easily reflow. E.G. I own a Nokia E51 phone, on which I run QuickOffice's implementation of the Acrobat Reader. I have currently read three novels in PDF format on my phone, all which I read in reflow mode. In summary, an inability to reflow text in a PDF file is not a limitation of the file format, but possibly the application you are viewing it with. In the case of Symbian, which holds the majority of the smartphone market, reflow is available (<i>admittedly, at a price</i>). The other big reason that I have for avoiding the other formats you mention is because of DRM. Please do correct me if I am wrong. However, my impression is that when buying E-books, the book is tied to your device, which means that if you loose or change your phone it will be so much trouble to get your books transferred to a new device, most people will probably give up, thus loosing their books. Interested to hear what you think about all this. Keep up the great work on this blog, David. I would just like to query the points made here. I greatly enjoy e-books. However, my experience has lead me to the position that I will not even consider anything that is not available in PDF format.

PDF is not only a fixed layout format, it can and does easily reflow. E.G. I own a Nokia E51 phone, on which I run QuickOffice’s implementation of the Acrobat Reader. I have currently read three novels in PDF format on my phone, all which I read in reflow mode. In summary, an inability to reflow text in a PDF file is not a limitation of the file format, but possibly the application you are viewing it with. In the case of Symbian, which holds the majority of the smartphone market, reflow is available (admittedly, at a price).

The other big reason that I have for avoiding the other formats you mention is because of DRM. Please do correct me if I am wrong. However, my impression is that when buying E-books, the book is tied to your device, which means that if you loose or change your phone it will be so much trouble to get your books transferred to a new device, most people will probably give up, thus loosing their books.

Interested to hear what you think about all this.

Keep up the great work on this blog,
David.

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