[pittendrigh]

RE> "not being able to read offline"

Yes this is a big disadvantage for any book offered in server-side HTML format. That's why what I'm talking about is a niche market.

But this issue does cut both ways. Most books (most) do not need embedded multi-media. You don't even need still photos or graphs for most books. For War and Peace all you need is ascii text.

If you want to teach skills, on the other hand, hand held epub is badly limited because--at least for now--video isn't part of the experience.

youtube is a fabulous how-to-do-it resource. You can learn how to make sourdough bread, how to edit video, build a house etc. But youtube is limited by being video only.

The instructional resources of the future need a way to combine ascii-text and multi-media together as a coherent, coordinated package. Covid-19 and the sudden surge in distance learning make this an important topic. As we speak.



==========Here's a Thought================

James Krenov was a top-of-the-line wood worker who died 30 years or so years ago. He published a series of highly-regarded "wood working" books back on the late '80s. You cannot teach someone how to do wood working using ascii text. It's too complex to describe in words. In those days the only way to learn was to become an apprentice. You absolutely inescapably needed a mentor.

So Krenov didn't try to teach wood working in his books. Instead he talked about motivation and morality (don't cut corners...always do your best work etc). And he told stories about building special pieces for famous people.

If Krenov had lived today he might even have attempted teaching outside the apprentice/mentor realm. He might have used youtube. Everybody else does now. It works. Better than anything else anyway.

Krenov was a creative guy so he might have wanted to go beyond youtube. He might have wanted to combine good writing with live stream video instruction--so he could still talk about wood-working morality. And also show you how to cut a dovetail joint or how to properly sharpen a plane blade.

What I'm talking about here is power. And the future.