MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Newbie question about reading epubs online

pittendrigh · 08-30-2016, 07:11 PM

If they buy the book--after browsing the online version--they can then download a zipped epub3 and read it how ever they want. Or continue reading online. As they like it. That's what I've been proposing.

I have a boat building forum with 20,000 posts. So I know my audience well. I might make a post and ask how many already have in installed epub reader. I'll be surprised if many do.

Now I'll turn this around. Many of those participating in this thread (thank you, it's been good) are the ones limiting their options. Not me. You seem to be saying you want a hotrod reader and downloaded epub only.

I'm saying I want that AND an online version, which will indeed widen my audience. So I still think it's a good idea. I already have some book-like web page software I wrote that uses HTML fragments--complete with next previous and goto-page, plus a TOC. I originally thought about the python epub libraries (can't remember the name right now) to convert back and forth between epub and my proprietary format. So I could have both systems at all times.

But then I (recently) realized that's stupid. I need to make my software read epub3 instead of my format. Epub3 IS a website, zipped up inside a container. With a bit of meta information thrown in.....spine, resources etc. A bit of XML here and there. Plus a TOC in epub2 format, for old readers. I can do this. I'm gaining confidence. I can see it now.

On my tombstone I want it to say "He had his cake and ate it too"

Finally. I just got back from a memorial for an old friend who died recently in Southern Colorado. An old hippie commune site from the early '70s where we all lived back in the good old daze. At 8200 feet in the Sangre De Christos. Foot of Mt Blanca. The Heurfano Valley. We used to live in a tipi circle back then. Played water kettle drums drums and ate elk meat. They have adobe houses there now with DSL wifi,instead of the old tipi circle. Wifi is almost everywhere now. Having it or not having it is mostly a non-issue I think.

Driving back home they had wifi in every gas station and restaurant we stopped in. Out on the highway I used my cell connection.

08-30-2016, 07:11 PM	#17
pittendrigh Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 1332336 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: montana Device: none	If they buy the book--after browsing the online version--they can then download a zipped epub3 and read it how ever they want. Or continue reading online. As they like it. That's what I've been proposing. I have a boat building forum with 20,000 posts. So I know my audience well. I might make a post and ask how many already have in installed epub reader. I'll be surprised if many do. Now I'll turn this around. Many of those participating in this thread (thank you, it's been good) are the ones limiting their options. Not me. You seem to be saying you want a hotrod reader and downloaded epub only. I'm saying I want that AND an online version, which will indeed widen my audience. So I still think it's a good idea. I already have some book-like web page software I wrote that uses HTML fragments--complete with next previous and goto-page, plus a TOC. I originally thought about the python epub libraries (can't remember the name right now) to convert back and forth between epub and my proprietary format. So I could have both systems at all times. But then I (recently) realized that's stupid. I need to make my software read epub3 instead of my format. Epub3 IS a website, zipped up inside a container. With a bit of meta information thrown in.....spine, resources etc. A bit of XML here and there. Plus a TOC in epub2 format, for old readers. I can do this. I'm gaining confidence. I can see it now. On my tombstone I want it to say "He had his cake and ate it too" Finally. I just got back from a memorial for an old friend who died recently in Southern Colorado. An old hippie commune site from the early '70s where we all lived back in the good old daze. At 8200 feet in the Sangre De Christos. Foot of Mt Blanca. The Heurfano Valley. We used to live in a tipi circle back then. Played water kettle drums drums and ate elk meat. They have adobe houses there now with DSL wifi,instead of the old tipi circle. Wifi is almost everywhere now. Having it or not having it is mostly a non-issue I think. Driving back home they had wifi in every gas station and restaurant we stopped in. Out on the highway I used my cell connection. Last edited by pittendrigh; 08-30-2016 at 07:49 PM.