Quote:
Originally Posted by odamizu
Trying to wrap my brain around this ... what is the point of KPF? What advantage or purpose does KPF have over a KFX bundle of files or a single monolithic KFX? I.e., why wouldn't Amazon simply have KindlePreviewer convert to KFX? Is it the encryption thing? Does KPF have no encryption? Is the idea that publishers convert to KPF then upload KPF to Amazon, where encryption is added as it gets converted to KFX?
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At the lowest level both KPF and KFX formats use the same underlying data representation (Amazon Ion) to convey book content. The difference between these formats is analogous to the difference between a Master MOBI produced by kindlegen and a .azw3 file delivered to a Kindle.
KPF is designed to meet the needs of the publishing process. It is a single, usually large file. While it is zipped for transport, whe main internal file is an SQLite database designed for fast access, rather than compactness. Images are full resolution. And the original source files are included in case Amazon needs to re-convert the book at a later time. There is no provision for DRM, but there is a fingerprinting mechanism used to make sure that the content produced by Amazon's tools is not altered afterwards.
In contrast KFX is designed for delivery and reading. It is tailored to each device type. Images may be downsized and converted to black and white. Content is compressed and split into multiple files, allowing the customer to begin reading while the download to the device is still in progress. And there is DRM.