ELECTRONIC BOOK FORMATS
What is a PDF? - It is short for 'portable document format.' It is a computer program that formats a document to make it easier for computers to share while retaining the original formatting (fonts, text, images, etc.). PDF is the default format for static documents. The PDF document is indifferent to the device it is displayed on or the operating system (Apple/Microsoft) used. It is the standard way for people to share electronic documents.
The problem with eBooks created with PDFs is that they can be challenging to read on a small screen, such as on a cell phone, because the text and images do not flow gracefully enough to be read. A PDF file is an electronic file and the basis of every electronic book (eBook).
What Is EPUB? - EPUB is short for 'electronic publication format.' It is a computer program that formats a document to make it easier for computers and small-screen devices to display readable text. EPUB makes the text adapt to every screen size. It can do this because it is like a web page, and an ebook reader is like a web browser. EPUB is the default format for re-flowable documents.
Note: PDF will remain the standard for document sharing for MS Word and Excel.
EPUB is the publishing industry standard because it is designed to make a book's content re-flowable irrespective of the size of the ebook reader screen, portable/mobile device, or computer screen. The most crucial point is that EPUB is the standard 'open format' for the publishing industry and quickly becoming the standard for most reading devices. It is maintained by the Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) publishing group, which develops web standards.
The EPUB format is accepted and distributed directly by most major ebook stores, including Google, Apple's iBookstore, Barnes and Noble's Nook, and Kobo. EPUB is also the format favored by libraries for ebook lending.
The latest version of the EPUB standard is EPUB3.3. This version implements new features that address critical limitations in today's ebooks.
Open Format Vs. Closed Format - Open format means that a wide range of reading devices can display the publication. Closed format means that the publication can only be read on the device it was downloaded onto (meaning it is proprietary to one company).
The problem with eBooks created with PDFs is that they can be challenging to read on a small screen, such as on a cell phone, because the text and images do not flow gracefully enough to be read. A PDF file is an electronic file and the basis of every electronic book (eBook).
What Is EPUB? - EPUB is short for 'electronic publication format.' It is a computer program that formats a document to make it easier for computers and small-screen devices to display readable text. EPUB makes the text adapt to every screen size. It can do this because it is like a web page, and an ebook reader is like a web browser. EPUB is the default format for re-flowable documents.
Note: PDF will remain the standard for document sharing for MS Word and Excel.
EPUB is the publishing industry standard because it is designed to make a book's content re-flowable irrespective of the size of the ebook reader screen, portable/mobile device, or computer screen. The most crucial point is that EPUB is the standard 'open format' for the publishing industry and quickly becoming the standard for most reading devices. It is maintained by the Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) publishing group, which develops web standards.
The EPUB format is accepted and distributed directly by most major ebook stores, including Google, Apple's iBookstore, Barnes and Noble's Nook, and Kobo. EPUB is also the format favored by libraries for ebook lending.
The latest version of the EPUB standard is EPUB3.3. This version implements new features that address critical limitations in today's ebooks.
Open Format Vs. Closed Format - Open format means that a wide range of reading devices can display the publication. Closed format means that the publication can only be read on the device it was downloaded onto (meaning it is proprietary to one company).