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Originally Posted by TadW
rlauzon, you were speaking of "proprietary formats", which includes PDF.
And if rumors are true, Sony is going to open up BBeB.
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Nice. Depending on what "open up" means.
Right now, Sony has a proprietary format. I would assume that they have a patent on it or in some other way legally secured that they own the format.
Now, if "open up" means dropping all patents and giving the ownership of the format up (like putting it in the Public Domain or giving the format to an independant standards organization), this would definately be a good thing. It means that BBeB could actually become a viable eBook format.
However, if "open up" means that Sony provides the specifications of the format so that people can create programs that make BBeB content, but require you to license the format to create a reader for it, then BBeB remains a valueless format that serves only to lock you into a Sony (or Sony-approved) device.
When you add DRM to this, the problem gets stickier. If they go with the first "open up" option, this will effectively create an open DRM scheme - which I have already proven cannot exist.
So, what I figure will happen is "open up" option 2. Sony will publish the specifications to allow people to create non-protected content. "Protected" (remember, the content is protected from you - the customer) content will have to be created by a Sony tool (effectively locking Publishers into Sony too). Readers will have to be licensed, if they want to read "protected" content - which will probably happen. As someone else said, users load up a Word document and expect it to work and if it doesn't, it's the program's fault - not the data's fault. So all readers of the BBeB format will be approved by Sony - sort of like giving GM veto power over what kind of cars Ford makes.