If you care about epub, please read

[KevinH]

Hi All,
It seems the people behind the epub3 spec now want to add html as an allowed format under epub3 (not epub 4!). They have posted a survey in our MR Epub forum asking for feedback on their plan.

It seems they are going ahead with this even though it would break backwards compatibility with epub2, split the epub3 e-readers base down the middle, and cause more chaos. They claim is is because xml is going away which I think is complete rot given its broad use as a text storage format in Word, LibreOffice, text archiving, etc. There is no sign or hint that xhtml is being removed from blink or webkit. And given the current whatwg spec's history of supporting older versions, I do not see it happening. And this is the primary argument they have to support the change.

But that is all just my opinion. Yours may be very different.

Take their official survey very seriously as the current text of the epub 3.4 spec already includes this language (with a caveat saying they may change their mind).

Please as a professional working in the industry, epub designer, or just a lover of epubs and good books in general, provide you own opinion and take the survey in this thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=368933

They will probably apply more weight to responses from authors, epub designers, publishing houses, libraries, and those in the ebook industry, than to just e-reader users ... but if you care please respond.

The future of the epub3 spec as a way to reach readers is really in the balance.