Future proofing - which format?

please55 · 12-15-2014, 10:30 PM

If you had to pick a format to keep most of your library in that you felt most comfortable would be readable in 20 years, which would it be?

I'm primarily in the EPUB camp but I also have a stash of pdfs. Sometimes I have duplicates across the formats and I'm wondering if its safe to let go of the pdf files in those cases.

What would you do?

taosaur · 12-15-2014, 11:24 PM

I don't think it's much of an issue with either current dominant format (EPUB or MOBI/AZW), especially if you use Calibre. Even PDF is a less absurd option than it has been in the past. If you have DRM-free copies in an actually text-oriented format, then absolutely nuke the PDFs.

BWinmill · 12-16-2014, 12:07 AM

Take a time machine back to 1994. Which file formats from then are still in use today? Precious few. Many of the ones that did exist were still in their infancy, and had a very uncertain future.

Rather than trying to predict what will be supported in 20 years, I'm going to suggest converting file formats as the future itself dictates. When doing the conversion, try to stick to as similar a file format as possible. For example: that 1994 Postscript file would have been converted into a PDF file. Always keep the files in the original file format, so that you don't progressively lose formatting or content as time goes on. Also keep as many intermediate formats as you feel comfortable with, since the original format will eventually lose favour and different conversion paths will have more or less desirable results.

twowheels · 12-16-2014, 01:20 AM

Any formats that are well documented and for which there is open source software that can read it.

The problem with formats that are 20 years old today is that many of them were proprietary formats that only one program could read, and which required difficult reverse engineering to convert. There are converters for almost all formats that have ever existed, as long as SOMEBODY knew how to convert them.

I strongly suspect that EPUB, PDF, and even MOBI will be well supported with some sort of open source tools 20 years from now, even if only as a one-way conversion.

murg · 12-16-2014, 02:42 AM

ePub.

ePub uses standard HTML and CSS with plain text in a standard zip file.

So, even if ePub isn't around in 20 years, you can still get to the text and reformat it into a format that is current then.

shalym · 12-16-2014, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murg

ePub.

ePub uses standard HTML and CSS with plain text in a standard zip file.

So, even if ePub isn't around in 20 years, you can still get to the text and reformat it into a format that is current then.

This is only true if you know how to strip the markup (formatting) from the text. Try this...open up an epub in a straight text editor and give it to your grandmother to read. Will she be able to?

Shari

JSWolf · 12-16-2014, 11:25 AM

Duplicate thread. Nothing to see here. Move along to...

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=243326

Dr. Drib · 12-16-2014, 11:38 AM

Go here for the ongoing discussion:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=243326

Thread closed.

Don
(Moderator)

12-15-2014, 10:30 PM	#1
please55 Connoisseur Posts: 71 Karma: 72010 Join Date: Nov 2014 Device: none	Future proofing - which format? If you had to pick a format to keep most of your library in that you felt most comfortable would be readable in 20 years, which would it be? I'm primarily in the EPUB camp but I also have a stash of pdfs. Sometimes I have duplicates across the formats and I'm wondering if its safe to let go of the pdf files in those cases. What would you do?

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12-15-2014, 11:24 PM	#2
taosaur intelligent posterior Posts: 1,562 Karma: 21295618 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ohiopolis Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Samsung S8, Lenovo Tab 3 Pro	I don't think it's much of an issue with either current dominant format (EPUB or MOBI/AZW), especially if you use Calibre. Even PDF is a less absurd option than it has been in the past. If you have DRM-free copies in an actually text-oriented format, then absolutely nuke the PDFs.

12-16-2014, 12:07 AM	#3
BWinmill Nameless Being	Take a time machine back to 1994. Which file formats from then are still in use today? Precious few. Many of the ones that did exist were still in their infancy, and had a very uncertain future. Rather than trying to predict what will be supported in 20 years, I'm going to suggest converting file formats as the future itself dictates. When doing the conversion, try to stick to as similar a file format as possible. For example: that 1994 Postscript file would have been converted into a PDF file. Always keep the files in the original file format, so that you don't progressively lose formatting or content as time goes on. Also keep as many intermediate formats as you feel comfortable with, since the original format will eventually lose favour and different conversion paths will have more or less desirable results.

12-16-2014, 01:20 AM	#4
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,787 Karma: 13412766 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro	Any formats that are well documented and for which there is open source software that can read it. The problem with formats that are 20 years old today is that many of them were proprietary formats that only one program could read, and which required difficult reverse engineering to convert. There are converters for almost all formats that have ever existed, as long as SOMEBODY knew how to convert them. I strongly suspect that EPUB, PDF, and even MOBI will be well supported with some sort of open source tools 20 years from now, even if only as a one-way conversion.

12-16-2014, 02:42 AM	#5
murg No Comment Posts: 3,238 Karma: 23878043 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Australia Device: Kobo: Not just an eReader, it's an adventure!	ePub. ePub uses standard HTML and CSS with plain text in a standard zip file. So, even if ePub isn't around in 20 years, you can still get to the text and reformat it into a format that is current then.

12-16-2014, 11:25 AM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,981 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Duplicate thread. Nothing to see here. Move along to... https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=243326

12-16-2014, 11:38 AM	#8
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,747 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	Go here for the ongoing discussion: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=243326 Thread closed. Don (Moderator)

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