[Katsunami]

In the end, the format does not matter. It is the platform that matters. Apple found that out sound 2001: the device is not important, the content is. So , they created the iTunes store, and sold the iPod to easily get to the content. It would have worked even with a completely new and alien file format. There were mp3-players before the iPod, but getting good content was difficult or you needed to rip it yourself. The iPod changed that.

The ereader finally takes off now because Amazon is the Apple of the book world. They just do what they want, with their own format, concentrating on making books easily available, and even for free.... And they provide a device to read them on to boot. No wonder the kindle is bigger than all epub readers together.

If I choose the Kindle now, I may need to convert epub to Kindle now, and Kindle to epub later. If I choose another reader, it's the other way around if I'd ever switch towards the Kindle later or want to buy from Amazon now, so keeping the readers and books interoperable it's basically the same. In that case, I'll take the Kindle, with it's added convenience of the Amazon store.