Why ePub 3?

[JSWolf]

Are there any programs/apps/Readers that don't like ePub 3 even if they are just ePub 2 in an ePub 3 suit?

[HarryT]

If I convert a Kindle book to ePub in Calibre, is that ePub2 or ePub3?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Are there any programs/apps/Readers that don't like ePub 3 even if they are just ePub 2 in an ePub 3 suit?

This is precisely why no one takes you seriously: your constant assumption that an epub3 needs to to contain epub3-only features to justify its existence. There is no such thing as an "epub2 in an epub3 suit." A backward-compatible, text-only novel being sold by commercial epub retailers in the epub3 format IS an epub3 in every way shape and form. It meets the spec. It's not wearing an "epub2 suit." It doesn't need to take advantage of epub3's whizzbang features to justify its existence. That fact that it could just as easily be made into an epub2 does not imply that it needs to be.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

If I convert a Kindle book to ePub in Calibre, is that ePub2 or ePub3?

Epub2 (even if the kf8 Kindlebook was created from an epub3).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Epub2 (even if the kf8 Kindlebook was created from an epub3).

Thank you .

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem for ePub 3 is that most ePub reading software doesn't implement ePub 3 enough or hardly at all. Take all those old Sony Readers out there. They'll never support ePub 3.

You seem to be inconsistent in your desire to keep older e-book formats around. You have come out against Amazon retaining MOBI format even though there are Kindle devices still in use that only support that format and it is adequate for handling simple e-books.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Because Mobi needs to go away forever.

[fbrzvnrnd]

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

Well, while I am certainly in the "why not" camp regarding epub3 (in theory, though not always in practice) I will never buy an "online/offline digital publication." An ebook has to be an offline affair. Period.

I don't think so. I have build some ePub "connecting" internet to have news about the ebook's contents. I think Digital Publications could be the next step in digital reading where EPUB3 missed.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

If I convert a Kindle book to ePub in Calibre, is that ePub2 or ePub3?

That depends on how you do it. If you use the KindleUnpack plugin to shift the KF8 to ePub and you are set to auto, you can get ePub 3 or ePub 2. You can also force KindleUnpack to give you ePub 2 or ePub 3.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

This is precisely why no one takes you seriously: your constant assumption that an epub3 needs to to contain epub3-only features to justify its existence. There is no such thing as an "epub2 in an epub3 suit." A backward-compatible, text-only novel being sold by commercial epub retailers in the epub3 format IS an epub3 in every way shape and form. It meets the spec. It's not wearing an "epub2 suit." It doesn't need to take advantage of epub3's whizzbang features to justify its existence. That fact that it could just as easily be made into an epub2 does not imply that it needs to be.

One thing I've never seen in an ePub 3 is the use the the nav. I've never see it used. With a backwards compatible ePub 3, what programs/apps display the nav? If we dropped the NCX, would the nav be displayed for programs/app that are ePub 3 compatible?

My question, is what ePub 3 compatible programs/apps use any of the features of ePub 3 in a backwards compatible epUb 3?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

One thing I've never seen in an ePub 3 is the use the the nav. I've never see it used. With a backwards compatible ePub 3, what programs/apps display the nav?

None. Epub2 renderers use the ncx. The term "backward compatible Epub3" is misleading. Backward compatibility is inherently built into the epub3 specifications. The epub2 renderer should gracefully fail to display (or play) epub3 content it can't handle--and not blow up spectacularly. It's not the addition of an ncx that makes a text-only epub3 backwad compatible. Adding it just ensures that devices/apps that require one won't go boom.

The commercial epub3s you're mistakenly describing as "epub2s wearing an epub3 suit" are fully blown, spec-compliant epub3s. They've merely had ncxs added to them.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

My question, is what ePub 3 compatible programs/apps use any of the features of ePub 3 in a backwards compatible epUb 3?

The answer is "all of them". Epub3 engines render Epub3s using epub3 specifications. And commercially sold epub3s comply with the epub3 specifications (or as close as commercially sold epub2s comply with the epub2 specs, anyway). Your insistence that the commercial epub3s being sold today are some sort of special hybrid format intended to work on older devices is misguided. They are full-blown epub3 books with an optional ncx file added. The fact that they're primarily text-only, reflowable books is neither here nor there. The vast majority of ebooks being sold are text-only, reflowable books.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The answer is "all of them". Your insistence that the commercial epub3s being sold today are some sort of special hybrid format intended to work on older devices is misguided. They are full-blown epub3 books with an optional ncx file added. The fact that they're primarily text-only reflowable books is neither here nor there. The vast majority of ebooks being sold are text-only, reflowable books.

I was under the impression that the metadata had changed between ePub2 and ePub3. Is this not the case, or is ePub3 metadata a superset of ePub2?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I was under the impression that the metadata had changed between ePub2 and ePub3. Is this not the case, or is ePub3 metadata a superset of ePub2?

You're correct. The metadata has changed. And the commercial epub3s sold today comply with epub3 metadata specs (usually). That's what I mean by them not being specially "diddled" to ensure compatibility. The metadata change doesn't affect those epub3s' abilities to be read by RMSDK-based epub2 rendering systems.

[KevinH]

The epub3 spec requires an epub3 reader to simply ignore epub2 non-dc metadata, so using epub2 meta tags inside an epub3 allow for things like cover detection to still work when viewed on epub2. Including the optional opf guide in an epub3 helps in a similar manner without violating epub 3 specs.

[JSWolf]

When ePub 3.1 is finalized, will there still be backwards compatibility with ePub 2?