Benefits of Ebook

imply put, an eBook is a special computer file, which contains the text of a printed book. The file may be read on a personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), or an electronic device designed specifically for reading eBooks (eBook reader). eBook readers have many features that are simply not available with standard printed text.

	It is economically feasible to publish low demand titles
	No shipping and handling charges when purchased online
	Books never go out of print
	Authors have the ability to self publish and distribute their own books inexpensively
	eBooks may be download quickly at home, or kiosk in store, via an Internet connection
	eBooks cost less than traditional books
	Look up words with dictionary software (included with most eBook readers)
	Search for specific text - find that quote in seconds
	Annotate or highlight text
	Teachers may prepare customized e-Textbooks for their students
	Read in the dark or low light conditions
	Carry several books in one small package
	Subscribe to magazines, newspapers, and other periodical content
	Choose different fonts (text) sizes in which to read
	Copyright protected through software (prevent unauthorized duplication of eBook content)
	eBooks may be customized to suit an individual’s specific interests and tastes
	Save eBooks on the Internet or Personal Computer (create your own virtual library)
	Enjoy content which includes audio and full motion video
	Create links between multiple eBooks
	Lawyers and doctors may carry volumes of material in a small package
	The visually impaired may switch to audio mode and have en eBook read to them.
	Reduce environmental waste (save trees, and reduce pollution from delivery trucks)
	Reference material in eBook format may be easily updated
	Libraries may "Loan" eBooks by setting a time period in which an eBook may be read
	No expense for overstocking or missed sales from out of stock books

Before eBooks can create literary nirvana and truly benefit the general public, five things must continue to develop and improve; (1) Content creation and publication; (2) eBook software; (3) eBook reader hardware; (4) eBook standards formation; and (5) eBook education, distribution and promotion.

1. Content Creation and Publication

The Current State of Publishing

Content refers to the original creative work we are all interested in reading. Whether it is in printed or electronic format compelling content is what drives us to purchase reading material. Remarkably the fashion in which written material is packaged has not changed much in hundreds of years. In fact, it can be argued that the quality of both the physical characteristics and content of books has declined over the last generation. Mass market paperbacks have taken the place of leather bound editions, and commercial fiction gets prime real estate in book stores, while the literary fiction collects dust in the rear.

The printing, storage, distribution and marketing of a book makes publishing a very risky business. Understandably, publishers will publish what they believe will sell in large enough volumes to turn a profit. Simply publishing what one believes will be profitable is usually inconsistent with publishing a wide range of quality literature that appeals to a diverse readership. eBooks promise to reduce the financial risk of publishing.

eBooks have the potential to allow the market place to operate in a more rational fashion. In the purest form; an author writes a book which the reader then reads. In today’s marketplace many other factors are inserted into the process before a book ever reaches the reader. In fact, more often than not, the book is killed before it can reach the reader’s hands.

Even after the traditional book survives the arduous publication process, its life may be limited for a host of reasons. Some of those reasons include decisions that limit; how many copies should be printed; how will the book be distributed; and how long will store keep the book in stock.

An Author Must Be More Than An Author

Today an author must also be a showman, with the ability, time and desire to tirelessly self promote. Authors need to do this in order to generate enough interest in their book to keep it on store shelves. Imagine requiring a professional basketball to learn brain surgery in order to play on the team. Occasionally we’ll find someone with both skills but it is much easier to find someone with one. Similarly, the skills required to write a great novel are unrelated to the skills required to promote that same novel. In today’s environment a writer, especially a relative unknown, is at a serious disadvantage if they don’t have the energy, temperament, time and charisma to sell their book.

With eBooks the cost of book publishing is greatly reduced. One simply has to take the text of a book and convert it into a format useable by an eBook reader. The cost of storage and distribution is negligible. An eBook is simply data stored on a computer.

The only risk associated with authoring an eBook is the time invested in writing it. Today most authors write their books on computers. A eBook can be generated from the original document on the computer in a few minutes. The resulting file may be

uploaded to an eBook retailer for immediate availability on-line. The publication decision is left entirely up to the author.

The risk to the reader is less for two major reasons; (1) eBook versions of a book cost less than their paper based counterpart and (2) Typically readers are allowed to download, for free, a chapter or more of the book to read at their leisure. Unlike the trailer for a movie, this is an actual sample of the book, not just the highlights. The reader gets a chance to read the author’s material and make a determination of whether or not it will satisfy their need. This is happening today; on-line book sellers provide excerpts (essentially eBook excerpts) for their on-line customers.

Of course one might argue that the current publishing process helps screen out bad books by preventing them from reaching the marketplace. The publishing industry is currently rife with stories of excellent books that can’t get published and poor ones that do. Publication of eBooks moves the publication decision from the publisher to the author. As a result, the reader is allowed to read, not what the publisher decides to publish, but what the author decides to write.

Authors Decide What Gets Published

One might also argue that the public would prefer for the publishing industry to filter out the "bad" books and make the final determination of what gets published – particularly in an eBook environment where virtually anyone can publish and the number of titles available has increased dramatically. Again, the individual reader, if given the opportunity and complete access to information, is much better at determining what will best satisfy their needs. A perfect example of this is the World Wide Web: Today there are perhaps 3,000,000 web sites. Obviously no one has time to visit them all. But good news travels fast online. We learn pretty quickly where to find the good web sites.

2. Ebook Reader Hardware

While it is possible to read eBooks from most vendors on your PC or laptop. Purchasing a dedicated eBook reader may be more convenient. The next few vendors sell specialized eBook reader devices and or software. There is quite a bit to choose from in terms of price and functionality – which tends to make the selection process.

One important aspect of eBook readers currently available is that, an eBook purchased for use with one vendor’s eBook reader may not always be read on a different vendor’s eBook reader. For example, an eBook title formatted for NuvoMedia’s Rocket eBook can not be read on SoftBook Press’ SoftBook and vice versa. When purchasing an eBook reader one is committing themselves to that vendor’s list of available titles and eBook reader’s features.

3. Ebook Reader Software

Many Choices

Just as there are many options for eBook reader hardware, there are more choices for eBook reader software. From a reader’s perspective, once the eBook reader hardware has been made, the software decision is made as well. However, from an author or publisher’s perspective the decisions are far from over.

Each eBook reader requires that the text of the book be in a specific, usually proprietary format. That means if an author wants his book to be read on the PalmPilot, SoftBook or Rocket eBook readers, he needs to have it formatted in three completely different ways.

To complicate matters further, the eBook format chosen will also determine, at least today, determine who and how your book will be sold. For example, barnesanoble.com sells eBooks, but only rocket eBooks. PalmPilot owners must go to peanutpress.com or another similar site which sells eBooks formatted for the PalmPilot – keep in mind each vendor’s eBooks will be formatted differently and will require adding additional eBook reader software. It is very much like the early days of word processing software for personal computers: An Apple PC created document could not be read on an IBM PC. It is likely consumer demand, as in the PC industry, will drive more interoperability between vendor’s products.

4. Ebook Standards

Standards, in this context, are the rules which define how eBook files are formatted. In much the same way the English language defines the rules which allow us to exchange ideas with each other verbally, an eBook standard makes it possible for eBook files to be read by any manufacturer’s eBook reader.

Standards also help protect the consumer’s investment in technology. For example, the Open eBook compliant products will not become obsolete over night. Future enhancements to the Open eBook standard define provisions for backward compatibility. If next model of the Maytag refrigerator, for example, adheres to the Open eBooks standard, you may be able to display Sylvia’s or B. Smith’s recipes without having to worry which vendor generated the eBook recipe.

Standards also have the negative effect of slowing progress for vendors who wish to introduce enhancements. For example lets look at Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) web browser. IE browsers supports enhanced functionality, which are not part of the current HTML standard. The good part is, web pages taking advantage of the Microsoft specific enhancements can do some really cool stuff. The bad part is that if you view the page using a browser other the IE the page may not display properly – even though that browser may adhere to the current HTML standard.

The Open eBooks standard is based upon extensions to HTML 4.0, the very same format used on web pages.. This specification defines a format which allows anyone to create content that will work on all devices that adhere to that format. As discussed earlier the software required to create eBook content is freely available via the internet at no cost.

Today, eBook files come in many proprietary formats. For the purpose of our discussion I’ll focus upon the format promulgated by the Open eBook Authoring Group -- the open eBook 1.0 specification. The open eBook standard was finalized in November 1999. Future version of this standard may provide provisions for multimedia and copyright protection.

Again, vendors wishing to provide additional functionality in their eBook readers, which is not specified in the current Open eBook standard will trade this off for interoperability with other vendor’s readers. This will continue, standards notwithstanding, as vendors vie for competitive advantage, in order to garner market share for their eBook readers and software.

5. Ebook Trends

"Booksellers and their distribution network account for 40% to 60% of the consumer price of any publication. Publishers are forced to pay for all aspects of publication and absorb all of the risk of failure, before the possibility of payment, which is further delayed after the sale of the publication by their distribution agreements."

"By removing the costs of printing, warehousing and the physical distribution of paper books (since returns reach 40%), publishers will realize a dramatic improvement in profit per sale by using eBook. Furthermore, they will substantially reduce the risk involved in releasing new titles. eBook provides publishers a turnkey e-business solution that allows them to focus on traditional sales channels. Librius has secured contracts from 29 publishers for digital content and has identified potential anchor tenants as distribution partners."

The current book production process is designed to produce a printed page. The output of this process has, for a number of years, been a digital file used either to produce film or more recently as input for a direct to plate system printing system. These files containing the title have been stored for future use.

Until now, these files have only become an asset by taking them back on press. This expensive and time-consuming proposition often prevented a publisher from realizing any additional revenue from an editorial and marketing investment in a title.

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