Quote:
Originally Posted by ShellShock
I think the problem for Kobo is if the publisher supplies an epub3, there is no simple way for Kobo to tell if the file does not actually use any epub3 features and would display OK in the Adobe renderer as an epub 2. So Kobo have to be cautious and assume the file will only render OK using their kepub renderer, hence no ADE download option.
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In this case the book, like all Tor books, is DRM-free (or should be) so ADE is largely irrelevant, it's not the only ePub reading software out there. There's no reason Kobo can't offer a DRM-free download of the ePub3 and could even have a button marking as such (like they have for an ADE or DRM-free ePub now) No one is saying not to have a kePub available that will for sure work on Kobo devices & apps, but it doesn't need to be exclusively that.
From Kobo's perspective I can see why they're doing it like they are. I'm sure the process for publishers to get books into the store is largely automated and they have no way of knowing if the book is something that uses ePub3 features or not so if it's labeled as one they're taking the approach of treating it like it uses some of them. From a support aspect I can see why they wouldn't want to be fielding questions about why a book may not work properly in software people are using for ePub2's.
From a Tor perspective I wonder why they're putting out ePub3's at this point when they publish simple linear fiction and AFAIK none of the books need or make use of any ePub3 features. Perhaps there's a good reason to move to an ePub3 workflow already?