I had an idea for the epub standard, and want to know your thoughts.

[Lavender]

https://github.com/w3c/epub-specs/issues/2738

I raised the issue on this github repo, which I'm hoping is actually the right place to do it. Please share your thoughts. How could this be achieved?

[Quoth]

The problem is that Web/Multimedia people took over Epub during epub2. For epub3 they added loads of stuff for fixed layout (PDF does that) media and "accessibility" without fixing much needed for actual static reflowable ebooks. Evidence is how few apps or ereaders implement much extra in epub3.

[Slevin#7]

Originally Posted by Quoth

The problem is that Web/Multimedia people took over Epub during epub2. For epub3 they added loads of stuff for fixed layout (PDF does that) media and "accessibility" without fixing much needed for actual static reflowable ebooks. Evidence is how few apps or ereaders implement much extra in epub3.

Well, that seems to be a both-way problem. Not only the people responsible for the standardization are doing things without deeper thinking, also the people responsible to make them working on the reader-side are not very willingly to implement at least some of the most wanted features since eBooks were born.

Only one example out of many would be the support for drop-caps, which was implemented in the CSS property initial-letter for :first-letter pseudo-classes. None of the big player like Google Play Books or Apple Books support this most of all wanted design feature.

The deveolpment of the eBook world seems still to be at the place where major browser companies were during the time of the great browser wars. And even when they all agree to implement EPUB standards correctly, there will still be Amazon which gives crap to any EPUB standard...

[DNSB]

Sadly, all too many of the changes between ePub2 and ePub3 seem to be of the "Wouldn't it be great if..." and all too few of the "This will improve the reading experience..." types.

As for dropcaps? Those are a leftover from centuries back and should have been left in the dustbin of history.

[JSWolf]

Speaking of accessibility, are there any programs that use all (or most) of the accessibility options of ePub3?

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Speaking of accessibility, are there any programs that use all (or most) of the accessibility options of ePub3?

They would be for screen readers / TTS systems. Actual ordinary text rendering doesn't need or use any of them.

You've asked this before and it's unlikely the answers have changed.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

They would be for screen readers / TTS systems. Actual ordinary text rendering doesn't need or use any of them.

You've asked this before and it's unlikely the answers have changed.

And nobody has answered that the accessibility features of ePub3 are actually used.

[KevinH]

Yes they are used by Screen Readers that recognize aria roles. If you own a Mac try turning on VoiceOver and playing around with Books.app and the Thorium e-reader. The people at Daisy are really pushing it forward, and now Europe is requiring Accessibility standards be met.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Quoth

They would be for screen readers / TTS systems. Actual ordinary text rendering doesn't need or use any of them.

You've asked this before and it's unlikely the answers have changed.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And nobody has answered that the accessibility features of ePub3 are actually used.

Jon, do you actually read the responses to your questions before responsing? Note that @Quoth stated that they would be used for screen readers / TTS systems. Does that not tell you where the accessibility options are used? Does the word ACCESSIBILITY not give you any clues?

At one point, I seem to recall even listing some devices/applications that use accessibility informaition.