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Quoth · 11-09-2019, 03:52 PM

Agree, Hitch.
Basically there are now Kindle ebooks which are not really ebooks, but sort of an Amazon proprietary epub3-fixed or pseudo PDF. So they only work on things that are not really Kindles, such as the Fire and maybe apps. I got one ages ago and was mystified that it wasn't available for my actual kindle. I managed to get it into Calibre and found out that though it was a text novel that could easily have been the regular format, the "Publisher" had wanted a layout matching the paper edition. So without a massive edit the converted version was ghastly layout on a real kindle or epub reader after conversion.

IMO this format should have a new name and not be called Kindle or eBook. It's just a confusion. I can see the value of it for text books or picture books that need a Fire or tablet. Amazon have been idiotic slipping it in under the Kindle and ebook Branding.
It was stupid too that the Fire was called a Kindle Fire, it's an LCD Android Tablet customised to Amazon. It's not remotely like a Kindle.

So those are the only two categories:
1) Real ebooks that work on real Kindles and properly reflow.
2) Semi-fixed layout Kindle branded electronic books, sort of like fixed layout epub3 or PDF, not ebooks as we know them, so need an app/Tablet. Won't work at all on a real Kindle. Won't convert properly to ebook and probably unusable on smaller screens, really for the Fire, though may run on an Android or iOS tablet via an app?

The two categories use different tools. (1) can use a Wordprocessor and can be uploaded as doc, docx, mobi or epub2 etc.
(2) Needs special tools, like DTP used to. The Kid's Book Creator is one such tool.

From point of view of novel author or Publisher of Fiction the fact that (2) exists is irrelevant. Because you'd want to be in Apple Store, Barnes & Noble etc too, using epub2 distribution.

From point of a Kindle owner (2) is evil because it's called a Kindle ebook. It's not. It should have a new name. It's between a real ebook and a PDF (a PDF is electronic, but only meant for proofing for paper, so page size is absolute).

11-09-2019, 03:52 PM	#99
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,190 Karma: 105212035 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Agree, Hitch. Basically there are now Kindle ebooks which are not really ebooks, but sort of an Amazon proprietary epub3-fixed or pseudo PDF. So they only work on things that are not really Kindles, such as the Fire and maybe apps. I got one ages ago and was mystified that it wasn't available for my actual kindle. I managed to get it into Calibre and found out that though it was a text novel that could easily have been the regular format, the "Publisher" had wanted a layout matching the paper edition. So without a massive edit the converted version was ghastly layout on a real kindle or epub reader after conversion. IMO this format should have a new name and not be called Kindle or eBook. It's just a confusion. I can see the value of it for text books or picture books that need a Fire or tablet. Amazon have been idiotic slipping it in under the Kindle and ebook Branding. It was stupid too that the Fire was called a Kindle Fire, it's an LCD Android Tablet customised to Amazon. It's not remotely like a Kindle. So those are the only two categories: 1) Real ebooks that work on real Kindles and properly reflow. 2) Semi-fixed layout Kindle branded electronic books, sort of like fixed layout epub3 or PDF, not ebooks as we know them, so need an app/Tablet. Won't work at all on a real Kindle. Won't convert properly to ebook and probably unusable on smaller screens, really for the Fire, though may run on an Android or iOS tablet via an app? The two categories use different tools. (1) can use a Wordprocessor and can be uploaded as doc, docx, mobi or epub2 etc. (2) Needs special tools, like DTP used to. The Kid's Book Creator is one such tool. From point of view of novel author or Publisher of Fiction the fact that (2) exists is irrelevant. Because you'd want to be in Apple Store, Barnes & Noble etc too, using epub2 distribution. From point of a Kindle owner (2) is evil because it's called a Kindle ebook. It's not. It should have a new name. It's between a real ebook and a PDF (a PDF is electronic, but only meant for proofing for paper, so page size is absolute).