Penguin Producing Crappy eBooks? - Page 3

thibaulthalpern · 04-25-2009, 04:54 PM

I'm basically over all digital formats for digital books except PDF (when possible). I find PDF to be very reliable and keeps true to the page layout (of course, that's what the format is for). I've had bad experiences with other formats.

JSWolf · 04-25-2009, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

I'm basically over all digital formats for digital books except PDF (when possible). I find PDF to be very reliable and keeps true to the page layout (of course, that's what the format is for). I've had bad experiences with other formats.

Let's say I give you an ePub and a PDF of the very same eBook. Now, let's say both do not have DRM. Now you notice that there is an error. Say one word is misspelled and you want to fix that. Which format is going to be easy to fix and which one not easy to fix?

I'll give you one guess as to the easy one to fix and it isn't the PDF.

DaleDe · 04-25-2009, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Let's say I give you an ePub and a PDF of the very same eBook. Now, let's say both do not have DRM. Now you notice that there is an error. Say one word is misspelled and you want to fix that. Which format is going to be easy to fix and which one not easy to fix?

I'll give you one guess as to the easy one to fix and it isn't the PDF.

Which is exactly the thing that worries many authors that do not want their text tampered with. If you can fix a misspelling you can change an ending.

Dale

JSWolf · 04-25-2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Which is exactly the thing that worries many authors that do not want their text tampered with. If you can fix a misspelling you can change an ending.

Dale

Why is that a problem? If you change the ending of Turn Coat, I'm never going to see your changes as I will be purchasing it should I be reading it.

DaleDe · 04-25-2009, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why is that a problem? If you change the ending of Turn Coat, I'm never going to see your changes as I will be purchasing it should I be reading it.

sure I will if you send me a copy. That is the concern of writers that someone will change their stuff and then distribute it. It has been done before.

Dale

whitearrow · 04-25-2009, 07:36 PM

Somehow I really doubt this keeps a lot of authors up at night... and if it does, they shouldn't release their work in electronic format at all.

thibaulthalpern · 04-25-2009, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Let's say I give you an ePub and a PDF of the very same eBook. Now, let's say both do not have DRM. Now you notice that there is an error. Say one word is misspelled and you want to fix that. Which format is going to be easy to fix and which one not easy to fix?

I'll give you one guess as to the easy one to fix and it isn't the PDF.

Erm...

1. It's easy enough to fix a one word error in the PDF. Use Acrobat Professional. I have.

2. Generally, I don't produce my own PDF documents. The ones I have come from academic journals and academic presses. So, there's no need for me to make the correction. If there is a mistake, it stays. I cite it with "[sic]" ;-)

I still like PDFs because it keeps it true to the way it was printed in book format, which I find useful and appealing. Of course, other people have different tastes. Then, ePub away.

Andybaby · 04-27-2009, 10:24 AM

yeah, I agree, PDFs are currently easier to make small edits of than epubs are.

also that change the ending BS, is just that, BS. If a fan of a novel goes out of their way to edit it, than that makes your novel great to begin with. if anything it will increase interest in the story. its not like they can sell the edited version without your permission.

thianliongpatpoh · 08-15-2009, 02:12 PM

I bought Mean Streets (Jim Butcher et.al) from Amazon Kindle. Upon receiving it, the double spacing on each paragraph annoyed me. I then emailed amazon kindle customer care, asking for replacement or updated version. The answer is something about publisher issue, and I am asked whether I want refund. Seeing that it would probably require a long while to get a replacement or updated version, i opted refund.
With the refund, i bought another book from Penguin: Dancing on the Head of a Pin by Thomas Sniegoski. Lo and behold, same problem

I was about to complain when I tought better. I don't want amazon to think that I'm cheating them for refund. So I'm stuck with double-spacey Dancing on the Head, and until today when I checked the sample of both Mean Streets and Dancing, there's still no update/replacement/upgrade to a better version.
Oh, the Turn Coat double-spacey issue has been corrected (because some people at the amazon kindle forum ranted on it), but the new version still have the typo and double sentences error on some chapters.

apswartz · 08-15-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Sounds to me like it's a Topaz format eBook.

Gag! I hate Topaz! Quotation marks appear all over the place.

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04-25-2009, 04:54 PM	#31
thibaulthalpern Evangelist Posts: 478 Karma: 451808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: California, USA Device: my two eyes, KLiiK, Sony PRS-700	I'm basically over all digital formats for digital books except PDF (when possible). I find PDF to be very reliable and keeps true to the page layout (of course, that's what the format is for). I've had bad experiences with other formats.

04-25-2009, 07:36 PM	#36
whitearrow Guru Posts: 808 Karma: 2260766 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Kindle Oasis 2	Somehow I really doubt this keeps a lot of authors up at night... and if it does, they shouldn't release their work in electronic format at all.

04-27-2009, 10:24 AM	#38
Andybaby Wizard Posts: 1,279 Karma: 1002683 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New York Device: PRS-700	yeah, I agree, PDFs are currently easier to make small edits of than epubs are. also that change the ending BS, is just that, BS. If a fan of a novel goes out of their way to edit it, than that makes your novel great to begin with. if anything it will increase interest in the story. its not like they can sell the edited version without your permission.

08-15-2009, 02:12 PM	#39
thianliongpatpoh Zealot Posts: 101 Karma: 218 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: iPad	I bought Mean Streets (Jim Butcher et.al) from Amazon Kindle. Upon receiving it, the double spacing on each paragraph annoyed me. I then emailed amazon kindle customer care, asking for replacement or updated version. The answer is something about publisher issue, and I am asked whether I want refund. Seeing that it would probably require a long while to get a replacement or updated version, i opted refund. With the refund, i bought another book from Penguin: Dancing on the Head of a Pin by Thomas Sniegoski. Lo and behold, same problem I was about to complain when I tought better. I don't want amazon to think that I'm cheating them for refund. So I'm stuck with double-spacey Dancing on the Head, and until today when I checked the sample of both Mean Streets and Dancing, there's still no update/replacement/upgrade to a better version. Oh, the Turn Coat double-spacey issue has been corrected (because some people at the amazon kindle forum ranted on it), but the new version still have the typo and double sentences error on some chapters.

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