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Old 07-24-2010, 05:36 PM   #1
bonzodog
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Is Mobi a good format?

To All,

First, thanks for taking the time to read this posting. I am quite new to ebook devices (Kindle, iPad, Sony Reader, etc.) However, I do have a great deal of experience in PDF ebooks.

If you were going to generate ebooks in 1 format (for now), which would you use? epub or mobi? Does one have a definite advantage over the other? From what I've read, it appears that mobi might be a bit more universal. Any thoughts?

TIA,

BD
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Old 07-24-2010, 05:59 PM   #2
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ePub. It's basically zipped-up HTML files, and an officially open standard. Very easy to make and modify, also easy to convert to just about anything else you might need. Available on an increasing number of platforms, too.

Mobi may be more common because of Amazon's market dominance, but it's a closed format (I think that most open-source implementations are based upon "best guess" reverse-engineering) and every time you want to change something, you'll basically have to unpack, edit, and re-generate the Mobi file again and again.

It's perfectly okay for reading, but not so great for creating. And I say that as a Kindle user who automatically grabs the ePub file if it's available over the Mobi file if I'm given an either/or choice between the two.
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Old 07-24-2010, 06:10 PM   #3
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I'd go for ePub. That's basically what I do now. I get an ePub copy just how I want it (usually with Sigil) and then convert to Mobi, I keep a library in each format (ePub and Mobi) because there's realy no reason not to, but my ePubs are kind of my 'master' library.
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Old 07-24-2010, 06:12 PM   #4
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ePub ist more universal right now, but Mobi/PRC still has its merits.

And as long as you don't restrict it with any means of DRM (which you might choose yourself when creating the files via Mobipocket Creator), it is IMHO about as flexible as ePub, since the software is freely available.

Simply create your eBooks in TWO formats, ePub and Mobi, and you will please the majority of readers out there.
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Old 07-24-2010, 08:34 PM   #5
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If you're using Smashwords your ebook is converted to several formats (of your choice). But if you, for some reason, only want to do one format then I would agree with the other folks here and choose epub.
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Old 07-24-2010, 08:52 PM   #6
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In general epub is the more universal of the two formats as far as devices that read it, but it won't be the end of the world either way. I've had a couple of mobi books that I converted to epub with Calibre and they look the same.
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Old 07-25-2010, 02:24 AM   #7
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Another recommendation for ePub from me. It's supported by virtually every reading device on the market, except those sold by Amazon.
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Old 07-25-2010, 02:37 AM   #8
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Certainly in the bookstore section of my own site, ePub versions vastly outsell Mobi. As others here suggest, I'd advise ePub if you're only to offer one format. Good luck and best wishes. Good to have your new company here. Neil
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Old 07-25-2010, 04:32 AM   #9
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So, let's see. That's ePub 7,232,198 votes, mobi 0.

Hold your nose and go with ePub. It is, to borrow an idiom, the worst ebook format out there -- except for all the others. But at least it's an open standard, which means broad support. For example, most US libraries (if you happen to be in the States and think borrowing ebooks from you local library is of interest) use ePub.

--Nathanael
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Old 07-25-2010, 04:48 AM   #10
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As Ryan said, Bonzo, Smashwords will auto-convert into all formats for you, working from corrected and properly prepared Word.doc. They will also help in distribution to at least some of the major new stores -- Kindle, B&N, Sony, Kobo, etc. Their cut is just 18%, but, of course, you will still have to pay commission to third-party retailers.

Very handy if you don't have an official US presence (I'm guessing your username is taken from the Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band and that you may, therefore, be in the UK). The major ebook stores will not deal with a 'foreign' publisher or indie author and teaming with Smashwords gets around this major hitch.

Best. Neil
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Old 07-25-2010, 05:19 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bonzodog View Post
To All,

First, thanks for taking the time to read this posting. I am quite new to ebook devices (Kindle, iPad, Sony Reader, etc.) However, I do have a great deal of experience in PDF ebooks.

If you were going to generate ebooks in 1 format (for now), which would you use? epub or mobi? Does one have a definite advantage over the other? From what I've read, it appears that mobi might be a bit more universal. Any thoughts?

TIA,

BD
HTML. It's a format that can be read by virtually every single reader out there and it's easy to convert to other formats too. All my book sources are in HTML, and from that, I generate epub, mobi and PDF.
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Old 07-25-2010, 10:46 PM   #12
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The one advantage Mobi has over epub is being able to click a word and get the definition from a dictionary.
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Old 07-25-2010, 11:46 PM   #13
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Honestly, half of what I buy is mobi and half of what I buy is epub and I haven't yet had any problems converting one to the other either way. Surprisingly, a lot of people swear by .lit format and the few times I've tried that one I have nothing but problems. Is mobi good...yeah...and if you have a kindle, mobi is the default. However, if I were going to generate them in only 1 format, I would probably go epub.
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Old 07-26-2010, 05:37 AM   #14
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With my ebook reader (Onyx Boox 60), I prefer mobi because I can change fonts easily on the device. With epub, I'm stuck with the default font.
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Old 07-26-2010, 05:51 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bonzodog View Post
If you were going to generate ebooks in 1 format (for now), which would you use? epub or mobi? Does one have a definite advantage over the other?
  • PDF is probably the worst format for ereaders.
  • TXT will work on any ereader but lacks any formatting.
  • EPUB is the lingua franca for nearly all ereaders except Kindle.
  • MOBI is the standard for Kindle devices.
  • Free software is available to convert from one format (ie EPUB) to another.
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