Re: [epub] Ebooks formatting

[drmani@xxxxxxxx]

Hi Ray

> 1.  Which is the better (more universally accessible) format:   PDF?  HTML?
> Some other proprietary  or locked "e-book" format?

I've opted for PDF for several reasons:

- the formatting is exactly as you design it, and is great to print out.
- the Acrobat reader is bundled with most PCs, and can be downloaded
for free
- security features with Adobe Acrobat are good enough for most
ebooks.
 
> 2.   Should ebooks be locked so that only the purchaser can open them... should
> the lock be tied to  one machine? Is it worth the effort to go to such extreme
> security?

Depends on your product.  I've simply locked my ebook to protect
text from a simple CUT/COPY command, but not much more.
If someone is determined to, they could sit down and type out
the entire ebook and append their name to it :-)

> 3.  When you sell your ebooks, are they emailed to the purchaser upon payment?
> a password/secure link set up so they can download at their leisure?

I have put them up on a secure section of my website and email
the buyer the password and URL to the section.  There have been
instances where buyers have misplaced the URL or password
and had to write to me again, but overall this hasn't been a
very big problem. 

> 4.  Do you allow your ebooks to be printable?  Or must purchasers read them on
> the screen?

Printable.  Not everyone is comfortable with online reading.  Also,
remember to include pagination on your ebook, so that if it is
printed out, the sequence of pages is easily identified.   


Mani Sivasubramanian, M.D.
The Ezine Publishing Guide
http://www.DrMani.com/ezine-publishing/index.htm


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