eBook creation software

[Slavomír Čéplö]

Hi Phil,

there are currently three formats that dominate the ebooks market:

1. PDF
Advantages: nearly universal support, embeds images, embeds fonts.
Disadvantages: does not support reflow/text resize by default.
Software: Adobe and many many others.

2. EPUB (default format for iBooks)
Advantages: supported by vast majority of eink readers and iOS and
Android apps, open, xml-based, utf-8 support, seamless reflow/text
resize.
Disadvantages: not supported by Kindle, limited support for embedding
images, unsuitable for content with specific formatting requirements
(tables, equations).
Software: Calibre (see Claire's message) supports conversion of text
files, but some manual steps have to be done to create tables of
content. There is a number of commercial tools (Adobe InDesign, Quark
XPress, Scrivener, Pages) and services (Lulu > iBooks) which can be
used to create epub files, but all you really need is an xml editor
and a zip packer.

3. MOBIPOCKET 7 (essentially the same format used by Kindle).
Advantages: xhtml-based, seamless reflow/text resize, supported by
Kindle hardware and apps.
Disadvantages: closed (owned by Amazon), most likely moribund, limited
support for non-ASCII alphabets, limited support for images.
Software: Calibre can convert between mobipocket and other formats,
Kindle Publisher Tools .

A fourth format can be added to this list, though I have not yet had
any experience with it:

4. KINDLE FORMAT 8
Advantages: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000729511
Disadvantages: closed (owned by Amazon) tbd
Software: Kindle Publisher Tools.

As always, it all very much depends on the nature of the final product
and the mode of distribution (DRM, non-DRM, iBooks, Kindle) and the
device (Android/iOS hardware, eink reader). For a straight-up book
with text and some illustrations, epub would probably be the best
choice. Something more interactive, possibly including audio and
video, is best handled by native Android/iOS apps.


On Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 06:16, Phillip E Cash Cash
<cashcash at email.arizona.edu> wrote:
> Greetings in the new year,
>
> I received an inquiry from a tribal member on creating eBooks or
> electronic publications for language learning, etc..  I assume here
> that it is to be used for current electronic devices (like iPhones,
> tablets, android-devices, etc).  As always, I would be glad to pass on
> your suggestions & insights.
>
> Phil
> UofA