MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Readers and EBook Stores connection

rlauzon · 08-19-2007, 07:09 AM

I do want to point out a very important thing.

The format specification for CDs, while owned by Philips, is freely available. You just go to the web site, pay some money and get the specs.

To me, this looks like Philips basically saying "we put in alot of time and effort to create this format, and we'd like some money back if you are going to profit from it."

But the important part is that Philips doesn't prevent anyone from making CDs.

Now, let's compare that to the MobiPocket format.

The site is still down, so I cannot re-verify this, but the last time I checked their site, they did not publish the full format for the MobiPocket format (I'm not talking about the PalmDOC-encoded-HTML-file).

So, tell me, how many non-MobiPocket (company) programs exist that can create a MobiPocket format document?

08-19-2007, 07:09 AM	#34
rlauzon Wizard Posts: 1,018 Karma: 67827 Join Date: Jan 2005 Device: PocketBook Era	I do want to point out a very important thing. The format specification for CDs, while owned by Philips, is freely available. You just go to the web site, pay some money and get the specs. To me, this looks like Philips basically saying "we put in alot of time and effort to create this format, and we'd like some money back if you are going to profit from it." But the important part is that Philips doesn't prevent anyone from making CDs. Now, let's compare that to the MobiPocket format. The site is still down, so I cannot re-verify this, but the last time I checked their site, they did not publish the full format for the MobiPocket format (I'm not talking about the PalmDOC-encoded-HTML-file). So, tell me, how many non-MobiPocket (company) programs exist that can create a MobiPocket format document?