Apple Lists Calibre as Creation Tool

[Fabe]

Apple, through iTunes Connect, in its informational FAQ section – oddly titled, "Contact Us" – lists Adobe In Design and Calibre as two ePub creation tools.

Is Calibre ready for this? Is Apple? I ask because Calibre epubs fail validation due to the date difference. If this has recently changed I apologize. Apple's iBook system will not accept epubs that fail validation.

In one post Kovid Goyal says something to this effect (I write from memory, this is not an actual quote), "Use Sigil for ePub development and Calibre for book organization."

Kovid, I am wondering what you think about Apple listing your program as an ePub creation tool for books in the iBookstore.

Thanks - Fabe

[itimpi]

I have had no trouble with iBooks accepting Calibre converted books? I assume that perhaps you meant the iBookStore instead? If so it is always easy to manually edit the ePub file to make the date pass validation.

[Fabe]

Originally Posted by itimpi

I have had no trouble with iBooks accepting Calibre converted books? I assume that perhaps you meant the iBookStore instead? If so it is always easy to manually edit the ePub file to make the date pass validation.

Yes, the iBookstore.

[kovidgoyal]

The date incompatibility is because of a bug in epubcheck not calibre. Incidentally, Adobe InDesign will also give you epubs that dont pass the iBookStore validation process.

Basically, iBookStore needs to fix its validation process either by fixing epubcheck or ignoring some of epubchecks erroneous errors.

[Fabe]

Kovid - I'm not asking you to change a thing. I understand the date issue from other posts. I just wondering what impact you think being listed as an Apple epub creation tool. I mean, should we all start buying stock in Calibre!

(Okay, I know you have top go public first.) :-)

[kovidgoyal]

Ah, well we'll see I still think of calibre as a conversion tool. And most calibre users are ebook consumers rather than producers. But if people want to use it to prepare books for publication, more power to them.

Adobe also recommend calibre for converting the output of InDesign to MOBI.

I'm actually planning to write a small tool in calibre to fix common problems in EPUB files to make it easier to create publication ready EPUB files.

At this point, the only big company that doesn't recommend calibre is Amazon, in fact, I believe they send emails to people that submit calibre created books warning them not to use calibre.

[Frank Lowney]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The date incompatibility is because of a bug in epubcheck not calibre. Incidentally, Adobe InDesign will also give you epubs that dont pass the iBookStore validation process.

Basically, iBookStore needs to fix its validation process either by fixing epubcheck or ignoring some of epubchecks erroneous errors.

Looking at iTunes Connect (for iBioikstore publishers) today, I see this statement in the FAQ:

"Note that some tools do not create valid EPUBs. We therefore strongly recommend against using Calibre. "

Path: https://itunesconnect.apple.com/WebO...=creationtools (auth required)

I assume that Apple is talking about the output of calibre's conversion routines of which there are several.

Or is this simply about the date bug in ePub check?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Frank Lowney

Or is this simply about the date bug in ePub check?

Or is it apple trying to maintain its walled garden?

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

[...] in fact, I believe they send emails to people that submit calibre created books warning them not to use calibre.

Wait, what? Really? And I always thought Apple would be the biggest software xenophobe out there.

[kovidgoyal]

It's an affliction common to wannabe monopolists of every stripe