Your Highligts in Books

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Ok so this does absolutely nothing for kindle users.

Yes, but Kindle users don't need this, since Amazon already created a way for bookmarks and highlights to be shared across devices and platforms, even for books that weren't purchased from Amazon.

Shari

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by shalym

Yes, but Kindle users don't need this, since Amazon already created a way for bookmarks and highlights to be shared across devices and platforms, even for books that weren't purchased from Amazon.

Shari

This I know but the OP was talking about a standard to share between Kobo ereaders, Nook ereaders and Kindle ereaders. So his epub link was and is useless for kindle ereaders.
He seems to want to put his highlights on his Nook, kobo and kindle at the same time, if I read his original post correctly.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

And the vast majority of readers have no interest in annotating their books.

I don't annotate. I only highlight possible errors for correction later.

[ODelphi]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Ok so this does absolutely nothing for kindle users.

I do not expect that Amazon can do that anyway.

Nook and Kobo can do it reluctantly. Because,
they can open ePub books.

Their benefit requires that it be. We understand them. There's no reason to be angry with them. But, benefits of some users may be different from this. There's no reason to be angry with them too. :-)

Companies like Icarus and Onyx who already do not sell books can be more cool at this issue.

Actually, Android programs that support such a standard and e-ink compatible, may be better than all. These programs should also support Adobe DRM. Thus, book publishers will be interested. :-)

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ODelphi

I do not expect that Amazon can do that anyway.

Nook and Kobo can do it reluctantly. Because,
they can open ePub books.

Their benefit requires that it be. We understand them. There's no reason to be angry with them. But, benefits of some users may be different from this. There's no reason to be angry with them too. :-)

Companies like Icarus and Onyx who already do not sell books can be more comfortable at this issue.

Actually, Android programs that support such a standard and e-ink compatible, may be better than all. These programs should also support Adobe DRM. Thus, book publishers will be interested. :-)

Why would book publishers be interested? Where is the benefit for them? I just can't see the big publishers caring.

[ODelphi]

Creating an ePub with Adobe DRM will suffice. They do not need to take another responsibility. Various e-book stores sell the book. This is also the case with paper books.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ODelphi

Creating an ePub with Adobe DRM will suffice. They do not need to take another responsibility. Various e-book stores sell the book. This is also the case with paper books.

The overwhelming majority of e-book sales in English are by Amazon. What's the point of proposing a "standard" that doesn't include the largest book-seller in the business?

[ODelphi]

Originally Posted by ODelphi

Creating an ePub with Adobe DRM will suffice. They do not need to take another responsibility. Various e-book stores sell the book. This is also the case with paper books.

And


Publishers do not press the book in different format for each store. Why eBooks get be in different format for each store. :-)

If the number of stores is very small, they can impose on publishers. More stores are the benefit of publishers too. :-)

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ODelphi

And


Publishers do not press the book in different format for each store. Why eBooks get be in different format for each store. :-)

If the number of stores is very small, they can impose on publishers. More stores are the benefit of publishers too. :-)

Now I may be totally off base here, but I will try anyway.
Author writes book, publisher in the case of ebooks uploads to the ebookstore or ebookstores as the case may be. The ebookstore then decides the best format to send it to their buyers. The exception being Smashwords which lets the buyer decide the best format.

In the case of paperbooks, the publisher decides how to best present the book.

In both cases, the publisher has absolutely nothing to do with what the buyer chooses to do with the book afterwards.

Highlighting is not nor has it ever been the publisher's concern.

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Bingo! I read on one device (with primarily one app) and don't annotate. I vary rarely even set a bookmark.

Readers just don't need the type of features the OP is envisioning. Academics do. And when it comes to an academic setting. Ebooks and ereaders just can't hold a candle to multiple physical books (full of physical bookmarks) spread out on a table within easy reach of the student/researcher. They might not ever.

I find it so strange that majority of readers would not make highlights in books. Do you think this depends on the genre of the book being read?

I tend to make a lot of highlights for self-help and technical books

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by skillachie

I find it so strange that majority of readers would not make highlights in books. Do you think this depends on the genre of the book being read?

I tend to make a lot of highlights for self-help and technical books

I, on the other hand, find it strange that other people do make highlights. Reading the text reminds me of "highlight" thoughts I had before.

Also, when I tried annotating textbooks way back in the day, I was later just embarrassed by my early lack of insight when re-reading the text. I thought it was better not to advertise that ineptness to whoever picked up the book after me (including myself). I highlighted the stuff I understood was important, but on re-reading later, I found out it was the stuff I didn't highlight (because I didn't understand it at the time) that was really the most subtle part of the text. Learning is a process, and I have no faith that my understanding at any point deserves to be "set in stone" as notes and highlights.

So, I hope you see that annotation and note-taking isn't for everyone.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by skillachie

I find it so strange that majority of readers would not make highlights in books. Do you think this depends on the genre of the book being read?

I tend to make a lot of highlights for self-help and technical books

I am thinking it does depend on genre. Most readers I know read for pleasure and do not highlight.

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by rkomar

I, on the other hand, find it strange that other people do make highlights. Reading the text reminds me of "highlight" thoughts I had before.

Also, when I tried annotating textbooks way back in the day, I was later just embarrassed by my early lack of insight when re-reading the text. I thought it was better not to advertise that ineptness to whoever picked up the book after me (including myself). I highlighted the stuff I understood was important, but on re-reading later, I found out it was the stuff I didn't highlight (because I didn't understand it at the time) that was really the most subtle part of the text. Learning is a process, and I have no faith that my understanding at any point deserves to be "set in stone" as notes and highlights.

So, I hope you see that annotation and note-taking isn't for everyone.

I see what you are saying.

This reminds me of programming. Your ineptness is always highlighted when your a junior developer but in this case you have no choice but to learn on the way and commit the code for all to see. As you gain more experience and look back at old code and projects you realize how much you have grown and what you misunderstood. The approach is them to smile at your previous self and refactor as required


In the end, you don't know what you don't know and its more or less the same with reading and understanding a book. You learn more and gain additional insights when you re-read the same title multiple times. I don't mind showing that I lacked understanding since if I am re-reading, I would more than likely update my notes or delete the embarrassing ones. But i do see your point.

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I am thinking it does depend on genre. Most readers I know read for pleasure and do not highlight.

Thanks for sharing. I can see readers that read books mostly for pleasure not being interested in highlights at all.

[ODelphi]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Now I may be totally off base here, but I will try anyway.
Author writes book, publisher in the case of ebooks uploads to the ebookstore or ebookstores as the case may be. The ebookstore then decides the best format to send it to their buyers. The exception being Smashwords which lets the buyer decide the best format.

In the case of paperbooks, the publisher decides how to best present the book.

In both cases, the publisher has absolutely nothing to do with what the buyer chooses to do with the book afterwards.

Highlighting is not nor has it ever been the publisher's concern.

User's highlights are for the benefit of publishers. :-) Do you know why? User remembers the book better. He's talking more about the book. He shows the book to his friends. He shares highligts with his friends from internet. That is, user advertises the book. Moreover, he does it free.

[ODelphi]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The overwhelming majority of e-book sales in English are by Amazon. What's the point of proposing a "standard" that doesn't include the largest book-seller in the business?

If Kobo and Nook do this, maybe they can look more sympathetic than Amazon to users.