Format or eReader?

[dmaul1114]

Who knows. Again, only us geeks here know anything about these formats.

Most folks are just going to buy a Kindle or Sony (or Nook) and use the attached stores and never worry about the formats, coming to sites like this, looking at other e-book stores etc.

The early adopter type on the internet always over inflates the importance knowledgeable folks like them have in determining what happens in the market for that device. In reality, they matter jack shit. It's the joe six packs who know nothing about this stuff that determine what formats win in the mainstream.

People here can ramble on about ePub all day and all night, but that will have little impact on the outcome. The format that wins will be the one attached to the device that is the best marketed and really catches on in the mainstream selling to people who know nothing about ebooks, ebook formats etc.

Just like Apple managed to win the music market even with having a proprietary AAC format rather than MP3. It's all marketing it to the clueless masses that will determine the outcome.

Unless eReader devices are too remain a niche item for tech inclined avid readers and not ever catch on in the mainstream. Then the nerds who care about formats etc. will have more impact.

[JSWolf]

I do think that if someone sees readers being referred to as an eReader and then goes to Fictionwise and sees that the preferred format is eReader, then I think we may get people purchasing eReader format when the reader doesn't support it. So basically, it's not a good idea to cause such confusion when there is no need.

[nikkie]

I use an iPhone 3GS to read fiction on currently, and read on my DS Lite before that.

As soon as more devices are released, I intend to to buy a dedicated reader for larger format texts (programming books).

What this means is that it is most important to me that whatever format I buy will be readable on both my 3GS and whatever device I buy in the future. I've also noticed that I read a *lot* more when I don't have to plug my device into the computer to transfer content, so I prefer either non-DRM text that can be converted and transferred via calibre server or texts that can be held in a library ala Kindle or B&N eBook library.

Originally Posted by Book Depository

I would love to know how everyone decides how they buy their eBooks regardless of being free or paid for.

A few questions:

• When buying/searching for eBooks do you search by format or by eReader?
  I search by title or author on Amazon, B&N, and Sony bookstores. Whichever one is the cheapest I buy, unless it is a technical book. Because I don't want to buy a Kindle DX, I prefer technical books from B&N or Sony, or from O'Reilly or The Pragmatic Programmer. O'Reilly and The Pragmatic Programmer don't sell their books with DRM, so the format is irrelevant since I can use calibre to convert to whatever I want.
  
• Do you know what format/s your eReader can read when searching or do you expect all eBooks to be read by your eReader?
  It's not really about formatting so much as it is about DRM. If the content ships without DRM you can convert to any format you want. As for knowing which DRM implementations are supported: Mostly. It is hard to know exactly which DRM implementations will be supported by some of the up-and-coming eReaders which is really irritating. Also the iPhone's support changes all the time with the addition of new apps.
• Before you bought your eReader did you know about software to convert a format to your eReaders format? If you didn't would you have liked to have been informed by the retailer?
  Since I used a non-dedicated reader first (DS Lite), conversion software was one of the first things I had to learn. In general though it would be good if distributors made it clear what can and can't be converted for use with their device.

Thanks

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do think that if someone sees readers being referred to as an eReader and then goes to Fictionwise and sees that the preferred format is eReader, then I think we may get people purchasing eReader format when the reader doesn't support it. So basically, it's not a good idea to cause such confusion when there is no need.

My point is the casual buyer, who isn't going to be on this site (thus not informed and possible to get confused), will never go to a site like Fictionwise.

They'll buy a Kindle or Sony and never look anywhere beyond the attached stores, as those are the mass marketed devices and neither Amazon or Sony are going to do anything to point out to these joe six packs that they can buy books from other stores. And they aren't going to take the time to search it out on their own. Just like the average iPod owner only buying from iTunes.

Thus eReader isn't going to confuse them, the vast majority of people shopping at standalone stores like Fictionwise are probably of the more informed breed.

But the real solution is just for that format to die off, as eReader will probably catch on as the term for the devices. Especially if they can't come up with anything better than Liseus or however the hell you spell it.

[alecE]

Originally Posted by Book Depository

• When buying/searching for eBooks do you search by format or by eReader?
  I browse by subject/genre, when I find a title I want I'll accept any format my Sony 505 liseuse can handle
• Do you know what format/s your eReader can read when searching or do you expect all eBooks to be read by your eReader?
  I do know what formats can be read, but I take the view that epub is the preferred format. I'm willing to download free/cheap alternative formats (usually pdf), but will then convert them to epub. Anything I have to pay real money for has to be epub (and I'll then strip off the DRM so I can make corrections and/or guarantee I'll always be able to access these titles. I will NOT re-distribute).
• Before you bought your eReader did you know about software to convert a format to your eReaders format? If you didn't would you have liked to have been informed by the retailer?
  I knew virtually nothing until I came across MobileRead. The Sony Store where I bought my 505 liseuse knew very little about formats.

More generally, I consider proprietary formats, whether for eBooks or anything else, to be deadends. So an open standard such as epub automatically gets my vote and my money.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Book Depository

I would love to know how everyone decides how they buy their eBooks regardless of being free or paid for.

A few questions:

• When buying/searching for eBooks do you search by format or by eReader?
• Do you know what format/s your eReader can read when searching or do you expect all eBooks to be read by your eReader?
• Before you bought your eReader did you know about software to convert a format to your eReaders format? If you didn't would you have liked to have been informed by the retailer?

Thanks

epub.

[PennyPie]

Since Calibre does a great job of conversion, I search by title or author, acquire my book, then take it to Calibre & convert it to epub. I save both formats for posterity, as I may want to have it available in the future in another format (Planning on getting another device sometime in the future) and want options, if necessary.

[Jonas777]

Originally Posted by Book Depository

Do you know what format/s your eReader can read when searching or do you expect all eBooks to be read by your eReader?
Thanks

As someone else also said: I expect all ebook to work in my device, but I get disappointed a lot.

Rumours is that Swedish publishers will try watermarking instead of encryption like Amazon and others. So maybe next year I will be able to read Swedish books on my kindle. If not I will be disappointed again.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I would interpret the term "eReader device" to mean "a device that supports the eReader book format", just as an "ePub device" would be "a device that supports the ePub book format".

well we all know that "ebook reader" is the accepted term.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

neither Amazon or Sony are going to do anything to point out to these joe six packs that they can buy books from other stores.

I'm really not sure what you mean by that. Sony's eBook Library software in the UK offers you a choice of several different stores to buy your books from (Waterstones, W.H. Smiths, etc), none of which is a "Sony" store, and Sony make it perfectly clear that you can buy eBooks from any store that sells ePub format books.

[orwell2k]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's not narrow. I think it's the way it should be. eReader has a meaning and to try to give it yet another meaning, that's wrong. Let eReader have the meaning that it means and use other words/phrases to say what you mean. Less confusion that way for sure.

I think it's the way it should be.

Thinking it should be that way doesn't necessarily make it reality.

I like the term eReader for the devices, and have personally never been confused given the context of the term (either referring to a format eBook or a device). But I can understand how others may be confused, especially with the variety of formats out there.

There seems to be some room for confusion in your adopted standard of using the term "readers" in general and Reader for Sony. And it would seem that under this guideline one could adopt e-Reader or e-reader as an acceptable term because it is different from eReader (hence removing confusion)?

Originally Posted by kennyc

well we all know that "ebook reader" is the accepted term.

Really? (I saw the sarcasm)

But I agree it's descriptive, succinct, and accurate. The only problem will be, however incorrectly, the natural tendency to use a shorthand, which becomes quite obviously and even more succinctly "eReader" (or e-reader, e-Reader, etc.)?

I guess if e-Reader (or e-reader or eReader) ever becomes a "standard" and "accepted" term, we'll then have endless arguments about whether it's short for "eBook Reader" or "Electronic Reader" (as in the "e" in e-mail)...

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Who knows. Again, only us geeks here know anything about these formats.

Most folks are just going to buy a Kindle or Sony (or Nook) and use the attached stores and never worry about the formats, coming to sites like this, looking at other e-book stores etc.
..

I don't think so. Anyone who has been using any consumer technology for any amount of time is aware of format issues like beta vs. vhs mp3 vs cd vs ipod etc. CD vs DVD vs Blue-Ray vs HD-DVD etc. etc. etc.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm really not sure what you mean by that. Sony's eBook Library software in the UK offers you a choice of several different stores to buy your books from (Waterstones, W.H. Smiths, etc), none of which is a "Sony" store, and Sony make it perfectly clear that you can buy eBooks from any store that sells ePub format books.

I stand corrected in that case. I figured they were like Amazon and did nothing to hint that you could buy books elsewhere, as the one person I know with a Sony is a casual/non-techie type and gets stuff exclusively from the Sony store.

But I didn't mean that negatively. I went with the Kindle as from searching I saw that I'd be able to find pretty much every book I'd ever want to read between the Kindle store (and things like Feedbooks for older, public domain books) and that the prices were generally cheaper than other ebooks stores.

So being tied to one store, for me, was an advantage as convenience is my number one concern after price and selection. DRM is a non-issue as I never re-read books, and would by a hardcover of the rare book I do want to re-read periodically (just got the 3 volume, hardcover illustrated set of Lord of the Rings for example).

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I don't think so. Anyone who has been using any consumer technology for any amount of time is aware of format issues like beta vs. vhs mp3 vs cd vs ipod etc. CD vs DVD vs Blue-Ray vs HD-DVD etc. etc. etc.

Yeah, but again, it's the know-nothing Joe Six Packs that decide things.

VHS beat out the superior beta max because it caught on with non-video philes....and primarily because it had porn and beta didn't.

Blu Ray won out because of being included in the PS3 which gave it a big sales boost over HD-DVD since you had gamers getting a blu ray player they wouldn't have bought other wise. And again, Blu Ray had porn.

CD has stuck around over superior formats like SA-CDs and DVD-A as joe six packs don't care enough about sound quality.

So I stand by my point. The knowledgeable folk on this site will have very little impact on what format wins. And the format that wins the ebook war will likely be whatever format is tied to the first multifunction devices (tablets, future smart phones whatever) that catch on in the mainstream more than a dedicated reader ever will.

If we're lucky,that will be an open format like ePub. If we're unlucky it will be a proprietary format made by Apple, or Amazon or whoever finds a way to get devices that read their ebooks into millions of peoples hands. But in either case, we'll have little say in the outcome.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Yeah, but again, it's the know-nothing Joe Six Packs that decide things.
...

So I stand by my point. The knowledgeable folk on this site will have very little impact on what format wins. ...

This wasn't about winning. You said that no one except techies were aware of format differences. I corrected you.