DFP Article: eBooks

What is an Ebook?

WHAT IS AN EBOOK?
An ebook is simply a book in computer format. Any book can be rendered into digital format for reading on a multitude of electronic devices, including: computer monitors (for desktop, laptops, and some televisions), PDAs (i.e. portable document appliances, including dedicated eReaders), and cell-phones with interactive display screens. Although professionally-produced ebooks have been available for sale to the public since the mid-1990s, they have only just now begun to make an appearance in mainstream marketing due to recent advances in the technology used to create hand-held computerized devices.

EBOOK FORMATS:
The book industry has been fighting over ebook formats for more than ten years now. Many formats have come and gone with only fringe popularity and minimal device support. For works still under copyright protection, the best formats today are Acrobat PDF, Kindle, and EPUB. Both PDF and Kindle formats offer professional quality presentation with reasonable document security through affordable and accessible file-creation programs. EPUB files are more difficult to produce and secure. Unsecured formats, such as TXT and HTML, are fine for works no longer under copyright protection (i.e. books in public domain).

WHAT IS ADOBE PDF?
PDF files are produced with either Adobe Acrobat (the writer, not the reader) or any number of other generic PDF-creation programs. PDF files are what POD (print-on-demand) manufacturers use to print hardbacks and paperbacks. Most PDF files are "fixed page presentations," meaning the text and graphics are unmovable page-by-page and cannot "re-flow" to adjust for font or screen size. PDF ebooks look like print editions, because they are created in the same manner as their companion paperback and hardback editions. Reading a book in PDF format is the next best thing to reading a print edition, because PDF fully supports both text and full-color graphics with good security without impeding readability. PDF editions are by far the best eBook format on the market. Recent advances in PDF creation now allow for limited "line re-flow" (calling tagging). Tagged PDF files do adjust to line width and are therefore now easier to read on devices with smaller screens.

WHAT IS EPUB?
EPUB is a specialized form of HTML, which offers re-flowable text with limited graphics or interactive media support. Basically, EPUB files are just plain text files. Promoters of this format claim anyone can create EPUB files and in one sense that is true. EPUB programming guidelines are free to all who can do the programming and who have access to creation software. To date, there is not yet a free standardized creation software which both creates and secures EPUB files. In addition, some retailers require one kind of EPUB package file while other retailers require another. The key to remember is that all EPUB files are not alike.

WHAT IS KINDLE?
Kindle editions are a form of HTML, which supports re-flowable text and full-color graphics. Originally called "Mobipocket" (or just MOBI) editions, these base files usually have a ".prc" file extension. Like PDF eBooks, Kindles support active content (including hotlinks), graphics, and color. Read PRC files on devices with a MOBI application.

WHAT IS DRM?
DRM stands for "Digital Rights Management" and it has been the bane of the ebook industry since the beginning. In short, an ebook with DRM is sold to the consumer by a seller who "encodes" certain things into the file. Sometimes the buyer's name and information have been encoded inside the file. Sometimes DRM allows the ebook to be read only a limited number of times. Sometimes DRM guards against illegal file-sharing. In truth, most DRM tactics usually just wind up aggravating and frustrating the consumer.

EBOOK FILE SECURITY:
File security is necessary for ebook editions of copyrighted works in order to guard against content theft, content alteration, and illegal file-sharing. However, public domain works (i.e. books no longer under copyright protection) do not need file security, as long as the file in question was distributed for free and not part of a publisher copyrighted edition. Publishers are always looking for ways to provide reasonable file security without making ebooks too difficult for the paying customer to handle. File security is necessary for all copyrighted works. The trick is finding the appropriate level of security that does not get in the way of reading the ebook in question.

EREADER DEVICES:
Dedicated ebook reader devices (generally called "eReaders") have been around since the late 1990s, although few of the original brands are still available today. As of mid-2011, most of the newer eReader devices support EPUB as the ebook default and will play PDF files. Kindle is the main device for MOBI support. Some eReader devices only support files from their exclusive servers, but do keep those files on hand for internet or WI-FI download as the customer needs them. Most of these also allow content purchased elsewhere to be loaded onto the device, but not all. Some of the more versatile eReaders also play music MP3 files, which means they will read some audio books. Before buying a dedicated eReader, go online to read the specifications, including what files it supports and how it operates.

EBOOK PIRACY
Just because a website "claims" to offer non-copyrighted ebooks does not mean it is the truth. Anyone who downloads (for free or for a fee) copyrighted files from such sites, even without knowing the files are still in copyright, is committing copyright infringement which can incur steep fines if prosecuted. Copyright infringement fines start at $25,000.00 per file.

How can people know which books are out-of-copyright and which are not? The general rule is to assume that any book written after 1940 is probably still under copyright. The copyright law of 1978 states that all books written from 1978 forward are considered "in copyright" (even without a copyright registration certificate on file with the US Library of Congress) through the life of the author plus seventy (70) years.

In other words, no book written after 1978 can go out of copyright until the year 2048. That's the earliest date a copyright can lapse, assuming the author died in 1978 and that the author's estate does not renew the copyright. Copyright renewal can be accomplished by either the author (to extend the life of the initial copyright) or the author's estate (to extend the copyright well beyond the death of the author). Because there is always the possibility an author's estate has renewed the copyright, it is better to assume that any book written after 1940 is probably still in copyright.

Despite what some people claim, it is always illegal to share or re-sell ebook files. Ebook files are sold under a standard "single user" license just like any other piece of digital software. That means it is illegal to manufacture more copies to share or to sell. No middle ground exists here. There is no such thing as a "used ebook." Period.

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["What is an Ebook?" (Š2009/2011 Terri L. Branson) updated 08/28/2011 - Reproduction of any kind of this article is prohibited without the written consent of the author]