I think the ONLY and far best solution to get these classics into ebook format are via PG & Feedbooks (as well as others) with volunteers doing yeoman duty to scan, OCR and correct the scanned text on a page by page basis. No retail company will do this and find it profitable. Even if they use the sweatshop labor to be had in some 3rd world country where they can exploit the folks there...still at least the might have some work.
The best solution and most reliable will always be volunteer based. Google is helping as well in many of the PDF scanned versions at least provide source for someone to start with even if they do not have the actual text.
Nice topic, it has been something I have wondered about many times as well.
Of course I will not mention the number of times in my life I have tried to read Homer...I love it but getting the most out of it takes a lot of work. Oh, wait you are not meaning Homer Jay Simpson, you mean Homer's The Odyssey...
