Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf
We would is Jeff Bezos would just be reasonable and realize that ePub is it.
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When I think about how if Amazon didn't go the way it did, epub would likely be the worldwide standard, and we could buy books at any store and use them on any of our readers.. it really makes me a little sad.
I know that epub vs mobi can be a contentious issue, but really. Think about it. Yes, DRM is easy to remove (if illegal in some places). We could have a worldwide standard. Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Sony, Cybook, all the other readers have adopted epub. Mobi lives on because of Amazon, and because of Amazon's clout, it may even be the preferred format here in the States. All I know is that I can't buy Amazon books and read them on my Sony without doing a possibly illegal act. and because of that, I don't buy from Amazon, even if I am willing to de-DRM.. because I hope that enough people will do that and allow them to see that maybe going to epub would be a good thing. Amazon has an excellent bookstore, and I have been buying my paper books from them since I was a kid. I'd love to buy from them.
and as much as I love my Sonys (I love my 950 *irrationally* as I stated in another thread.. it is really a beautiful device), I can't say that Amazon doesn't put out good e-readers. I think they are ugly (personal preference) but Amazon gets the reading right. fonts were FAR superior to Sony (if you didn't use PRS+) and the idea of providing Wi-Fi and free 3G to buy books and not be tied to the computer was a godsend for a lot of reading folks out there. but still.. I wish there weren't this format war going on. (and a point for sony.. touchscreen is actually wonderful, now that I've finally upgraded. double tap on a word for dictionary? completely win. trying out the K4 in store I thought it had a nice clean look and great font rendering, but the controller/joystick? Just no.)