Hachette Book Group chooses epub

jasonkchapman · 10-26-2007, 02:51 PM

According to this Publishers Weekly item, Hachette Book Group (Little, Brown and Company, Orbit, etc.), has become the first major publishing house to standardize on the .epub format for all of its e-book content.

AnemicOak · 10-26-2007, 03:13 PM

Interesting, hopefully more publishers will support it as well.

Now Sony just needs to get .epub implemented on the Reader.

JSWolf · 10-26-2007, 03:25 PM

So what this Hachette Book Group has done is make themselves Windows only. Nice job there.

AnemicOak · 10-26-2007, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So what this Hachette Book Group has done is make themselves Windows only. Nice job there.

I'm not sure I understand. I didn't see anywhere in the article that they were going exclusive .epub and dropping the formats they already do. I'd think it's to early in the format to make that move. Isn't Digital Editions an .epub reader? That's available in Windows & Mac OS, with a Linux version coming. I'll admit I don't know much about the format yet.

IceHand · 10-26-2007, 03:38 PM

Uhm, is there already some sort of DRM for epub? As far as I know it's possible, but not in the specs – so what are they using? No DRM at all? That would be great, but not very likely, or would it?

davidrothman · 10-27-2007, 10:50 AM

Straight from Hachette:

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...4691103&EDATE=

The press release could have been clearer, but it would appear that Hachette is saying to distributors, e-tailers, etc., "Look, we'll give you our books in .epub and you can take it from there."

The release reads: "The new standard will enable Hachette Book Group to produce and send a single digital publication file and ISBN that can be used on any digital platform that is capable of rendering an .epub file."

At first glance this might suggest that something happening directly at the end user level.

BUT as I interpret it, Hachette will essentially be using .epub as a distribution format for other companies, which can then convert it into proprietrary formats with the proprietary DRM so dear to us all (sarcasm alert).

Certainly, the ereads.com blog presents Hachette's .epub as a distribution format: "The underlying message here is that Hachette is telling retailers that if they want to sell in a specific format it is their own responsibility to convert it to that format: Hachette will not burden itself with the cost of producing multiple formats."

See:

http://www.ereads.com/2007/10/major-...new-ebook.html .

For my take in my Publishers Weekly blog, see

http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog...350016435.html

The Hachette move is wonderful news for us standards-oriented type, but it's just a first step.

David Rothman | http://www.teleread.org/blog

IceHand · 10-27-2007, 12:07 PM

Ah, thanks for clearing that up.
I read your take in your Publishers Weekly blog and there was one thing that really concerns me: that the big publishers might convert to epub, but everyone uses a different kind of DRM, which might actually worsen the E-Babel situation. I hope for the best though ...

jasonkchapman · 10-27-2007, 12:48 PM

It makes total sense to me. If all of the publishers moved to .epub, the distributor types like Mobipocket, Sony, etc., would only need one standardized set of tools to get from source to final distribution file.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 10-27-2007, 06:17 PM

OR... the distributor could just sell the ePub file.

Hadrien · 10-27-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

OR... the distributor could just sell the ePub file.

... without DRM.

jasonkchapman · 10-27-2007, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadrien

... without DRM.

When that happens, I want the down coat franchise for Hades.

Hadrien · 10-27-2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

When that happens, I want the down coat franchise for Hades.

It's happening for the music industry. The book industry should be looking forward, not backward.

10-26-2007, 02:51 PM	#1
jasonkchapman Guru Posts: 767 Karma: 2347 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: NYC Device: Sony Reader, nook, Droid, nookColor, nookTablet	Hachette Book Group chooses epub According to this Publishers Weekly item, Hachette Book Group (Little, Brown and Company, Orbit, etc.), has become the first major publishing house to standardize on the .epub format for all of its e-book content.

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10-26-2007, 03:13 PM	#2
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Interesting, hopefully more publishers will support it as well. Now Sony just needs to get .epub implemented on the Reader.

10-26-2007, 03:25 PM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	So what this Hachette Book Group has done is make themselves Windows only. Nice job there.

10-26-2007, 03:38 PM	#5
IceHand Linux User Posts: 323 Karma: 13682 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany Device: Kindle 3	Uhm, is there already some sort of DRM for epub? As far as I know it's possible, but not in the specs – so what are they using? No DRM at all? That would be great, but not very likely, or would it?

10-27-2007, 10:50 AM	#6
davidrothman Connoisseur Posts: 60 Karma: 32 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA Device: Paperwhite, $50 Fire, iPad Air 2, Nexus 6, Kobo Aura H2O	Straight from Hachette: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...4691103&EDATE= The press release could have been clearer, but it would appear that Hachette is saying to distributors, e-tailers, etc., "Look, we'll give you our books in .epub and you can take it from there." The release reads: "The new standard will enable Hachette Book Group to produce and send a single digital publication file and ISBN that can be used on any digital platform that is capable of rendering an .epub file." At first glance this might suggest that something happening directly at the end user level. BUT as I interpret it, Hachette will essentially be using .epub as a distribution format for other companies, which can then convert it into proprietrary formats with the proprietary DRM so dear to us all (sarcasm alert). Certainly, the ereads.com blog presents Hachette's .epub as a distribution format: "The underlying message here is that Hachette is telling retailers that if they want to sell in a specific format it is their own responsibility to convert it to that format: Hachette will not burden itself with the cost of producing multiple formats." See: http://www.ereads.com/2007/10/major-...new-ebook.html . For my take in my Publishers Weekly blog, see http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog...350016435.html The Hachette move is wonderful news for us standards-oriented type, but it's just a first step. David Rothman \| http://www.teleread.org/blog

10-27-2007, 12:07 PM	#7
IceHand Linux User Posts: 323 Karma: 13682 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany Device: Kindle 3	Ah, thanks for clearing that up. I read your take in your Publishers Weekly blog and there was one thing that really concerns me: that the big publishers might convert to epub, but everyone uses a different kind of DRM, which might actually worsen the E-Babel situation. I hope for the best though ...

10-27-2007, 12:48 PM	#8
jasonkchapman Guru Posts: 767 Karma: 2347 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: NYC Device: Sony Reader, nook, Droid, nookColor, nookTablet	It makes total sense to me. If all of the publishers moved to .epub, the distributor types like Mobipocket, Sony, etc., would only need one standardized set of tools to get from source to final distribution file.

10-27-2007, 06:17 PM	#9
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	OR... the distributor could just sell the ePub file.