Classic Is B&N going to kill eReader format?

[smithno]

When I first heard about the Nook, I thought, "Great, it can read all the 100+ eReader format books I've bought over the last 18 months on it!". After reading the announcements, I get the impression that B&N is moving to Adobe ePub. I hope this doen't mean B&N is abandoning eReader format. eReader format may not be up to some of the other formats, but I have no complaints reading fiction eReader books.

Before the Nook announcements, B&N seemed to be making eReader widely available with ports to several readers in progress, including EZ Readers and jetBooks; I own both. My fantasy of buying books and reading on all my devices without format shifting seemed so close to reality. Several sites sell eReader format books so I have some freedom about where I choose to purchase books.

Now, I am not so sure. The EZ Reader version of the eReader software has dragged on since B&N bought Fictionwise and the Nook's Adobe ADE emphasis leaves me wondering if they are going to kill eReader format. I don't object to ePub, but as a Linux user I do object to Adobe ADE. There isn't a Linux version.

I just want there to be plenty of eReader books available from a variety of sources to read on a many readers. Please B&N, don't drop eReader format book support!

[GJN]

I don't mind if they offer free ePub replacements through their Fictionwise store. One less format would be great.

Now if Amazon could kill off their two formats and start offering ePub replacements we could get a fairly open system of libraries even with Adobe DRM.

[kezza]

The #1 reason I'm switching to a nook is eReader compatibility. I've been using a Sony for two years but I still have dozens of eReader-formatted books from the 8 years I spent reading that format. If B&N don't offer epub replacements for our purchases, it still shouldn't be too hard for them to maintain eReader compatibility on their devices forever. The DRM scheme will likely stay the same and the peanut formatting is dead simple to decode, it's essentially a very basic HTML-type markup language.
My understanding is that B&N (and Sony) will be transitioning all their books for sale to ePub format, so hopefully we can re-download all our purchases in the new format. It seems silly to duplicate titles in their system, rather than overwrite the old versions entirely.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by kezza

The #1 reason I'm switching to a nook is eReader compatibility. I've been using a Sony for two years but I still have dozens of eReader-formatted books from the 8 years I spent reading that format. If B&N don't offer epub replacements for our purchases, it still shouldn't be too hard for them to maintain eReader compatibility on their devices forever. The DRM scheme will likely stay the same and the peanut formatting is dead simple to decode, it's essentially a very basic HTML-type markup language.
My understanding is that B&N (and Sony) will be transitioning all their books for sale to ePub format, so hopefully we can re-download all our purchases in the new format. It seems silly to duplicate titles in their system, rather than overwrite the old versions entirely.

I would agree, they have years of customers and no reason to cut them off. I suspect they will not kill this format. There is minimal overhead to keeping it and with the new deal with adobe to manage the licensing they won't have any support from that part of the format so that really minimizes any overhead. They only need to keep copies of the books so that people can redownload them.

Dale