Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Marquard
In this case it is really easy. OEBPS Open eBook framework. Best the currently developed 2.0 version. It defines an .epub format which is a Zip containing HTML with supporting files in XML. Mobipocket already uses it as source format. LIT does the same (using the older format).
If fact most of the ebook formats are simply repackaged XHTML.
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The problem is not the that OEBPS is out there, but the problem is the overlaying format. My Sony Reader cannot handle Mobipocket or LIT (without conversion) for example. So it would not matter if the books were hand typed. What we need is a format whereby we can purchase a book and then convert it to whatever program or device we are using at the time so it won't become obsolete. For example, you have a palm, you buy books for this palm. All is well. The palm breaks. You have some books left that you have not yet finished reading. You decide to purchase a Sony Reader or one of the other forthcoming eink based readers that does not support the books you have already bought. What can you do other then purchase these books in a format your new device supports since the DRM has made it impossible for you to convert these books to another format.
Now if we had the books in OEBPS and a program with the new device to read in OEBPS and output what format it is we need, then what we have purchased in the past is still viable in the future. This is NOT like CD or DVD where people by choice decided to purchase the same music or movie that they had on LP, cassette, or VHS while they still had a turntable, cassette deck, or VHS recorder. This is either you stick to the old technology and can't use the new technology because your investment in the ebooks will be lost or you invest in the new technology and either do without the ebooks you have or you have to try to find them in this other format and repurchase what you can.
We don't need to lose the money we've invested in ebooks just because we want a different reading device. This is one of the major reasons why eventually, ebooks will fail and fail big time. Yes, I know I can purchase LIT format ebooks and then convert to HTML or LRF or a number of other formats, but the average person such as my mother could not do that. I could do it for her, but without me to help, she'd be buying a book that was only readable on the device she had at the time. Let's say this device breaks and is not worth getting fixed and the device she gets next won't support her ebooks, then her investment is lost. The other major issue with the DRM is lets say she gets another device that is compatible with the format of the books she once bought, but she goes to load the books she has on this new device and while they may load, the DRM will say "this is not the same device, I won't let you view your ebooks". Now what is she to do? She'd have to go back to every online shop she got the books from and download them again. Then have to deal with the fact that there are now two copies on the computer of each book.
Basically, while this isn't too much of an issue for us geeks, it is an issue to the regular people. Come on ebook industry, stop jerking us around and get your heads out of your asses and give us something we can actually use. I have a Sony Reader now. But I cannot say that 5 years down the road, I won't find another reader that suits my needs at that time better. If I was to have purchased all my books from the Sony Connect store and the new reader doesn't support them, then all my money is gone forever.
Why is it that most new readers are coming with new formats for ebooks? Sony with BBeB (LRF) and the V2/V9 with this Wolf format. We don't need new formats. We need to standardize or make an open convertible format. Ebooks are going to die and our readers will be just one more piece of junk we'll end up tossing out as they become obsolete.
We need to figure out a way to let the industry know that we won't stand for the shot they give us. Remove the DRM so at least converters could be written. Don't jerk us abount like we were your dick. Treat us like human beings. Remember when the copy protection on Lotus 1-2-3 caused such a problem that enough people complained so Lotus dropped the copy protection. We need to do the same so the first thing they do is drop the DRM. The DRM does us no good. All it does is make screw us over but good.
Jon