MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Do ebooks need production notes up front?

Steven Lyle Jordan · 10-13-2010, 11:56 AM

This question comes to mind after I just read an ebook from Harper Collins, in which the copy was scanned and OCR'd from existing print, the document was not proofed, and as a result, literally hundreds of spelling, format and punctuations errors appeared, and the end of the book was actually missing (it literally stopped in mid-sentence, and jumped straight to text of ads for other books... none of which do I have any desire to buy now).

It occurred to me that there can be a huge difference between a document prepared from the original digital text, and a document scanned and OCR'd. There is also a huge difference between either document before and after proofing. Either way, the result can be a good book, or a bunch of text that makes you want to punch out the first person you come across.

In the interest of improving accountability... and at giving readers a hint of what to expect, before they buy that often-nonrefundable ebook... I believe ebooks should come with text, in the front along with the ISBN, copyright and production notices, something that specifies whether they were scanned or produced from original digital files... and specific info about proofing (maybe not a person's name, but at least an office or department, and a date, that confirms that proofing was done.

This way, the consumer has some information to go by, for instance, passing on a book that is specified as scanned, or one that does not include proofing info. Or, if a badly-proofed book is bought, the consumer has the written information in the book to take back to the publisher and demand reparation. As that information would be in the front, it would be included in most previews prior to purchase, giving the consumer ample time to check the book's production credentials, and pass on the book.

Without something like this, the consumer is helpless to determine the overall quality of an ebook (some of which are cleaned up in the first 2 chapters, in order to look good in the preview, and not beyond that), and has little recourse except--as I plan to do from now on--to refrain from buying ebooks if there is any chance that it was scanned and OCR'd.

Until there is a reliable measure of quality from ebook files, I will not be comfortable buying a single ebook unless I can confirm its individual production credentials... and the industry will suffer as long as this lax quality without accountability or recourse continues.

Examples:

Copyright 2010 Right Brane ePublications.
Ninth Printing: May 2010
Ebook compiled from scanned source of Ninth printing
Proofed by Right Brane ePublications Proofing Team, August 2010

Copyright 2010 Right Brane ePublications.
Ninth Printing: May 2010
Ebook compiled from original digital source of Ninth printing
Proofed at Right Brane ePublications, August 2010

(I plan to add notes to this effect to all my publications.)

10-13-2010, 11:56 AM	#1
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Do ebooks need production notes up front? This question comes to mind after I just read an ebook from Harper Collins, in which the copy was scanned and OCR'd from existing print, the document was not proofed, and as a result, literally hundreds of spelling, format and punctuations errors appeared, and the end of the book was actually missing (it literally stopped in mid-sentence, and jumped straight to text of ads for other books... none of which do I have any desire to buy now). It occurred to me that there can be a huge difference between a document prepared from the original digital text, and a document scanned and OCR'd. There is also a huge difference between either document before and after proofing. Either way, the result can be a good book, or a bunch of text that makes you want to punch out the first person you come across. In the interest of improving accountability... and at giving readers a hint of what to expect, before they buy that often-nonrefundable ebook... I believe ebooks should come with text, in the front along with the ISBN, copyright and production notices, something that specifies whether they were scanned or produced from original digital files... and specific info about proofing (maybe not a person's name, but at least an office or department, and a date, that confirms that proofing was done. This way, the consumer has some information to go by, for instance, passing on a book that is specified as scanned, or one that does not include proofing info. Or, if a badly-proofed book is bought, the consumer has the written information in the book to take back to the publisher and demand reparation. As that information would be in the front, it would be included in most previews prior to purchase, giving the consumer ample time to check the book's production credentials, and pass on the book. Without something like this, the consumer is helpless to determine the overall quality of an ebook (some of which are cleaned up in the first 2 chapters, in order to look good in the preview, and not beyond that), and has little recourse except--as I plan to do from now on--to refrain from buying ebooks if there is any chance that it was scanned and OCR'd. Until there is a reliable measure of quality from ebook files, I will not be comfortable buying a single ebook unless I can confirm its individual production credentials... and the industry will suffer as long as this lax quality without accountability or recourse continues. Examples: Copyright 2010 Right Brane ePublications. Ninth Printing: May 2010 Ebook compiled from scanned source of Ninth printing Proofed by Right Brane ePublications Proofing Team, August 2010 Copyright 2010 Right Brane ePublications. Ninth Printing: May 2010 Ebook compiled from original digital source of Ninth printing Proofed at Right Brane ePublications, August 2010 (I plan to add notes to this effect to all my publications.)