E-Book Know-How

E-BOOK KNOW-HOW

Mon. Mar. 12 2012, 8.00 pm

INTRODUCTION

• Definition: An e-book is a book composed of text, photos and drawings in digital form that is read on an electronic device.
• To better understand e-books it is best to look separately at each of the following elements:

1. E-book formats
2. Converting to e-book formats
3. Devices that read e-books
4. Where to find e-books
5. Programs that handle e-books

1. E-book formats

• An e-book format is the software form that an e-book is available on. For example, word is defined by a .doc format, excel by .xls
• Because e-books are just beginning, many different formats exist, each company or person inventing their own
• Some common formats are: CBZ, CBR, CBC, CHM, DJVU, EPUB, FB2, HTML, HTMLZ, LIT, LRF, MOBI, ODT, PDF, PRC, PDB, PML, RB, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT, TXTZ (23)
• Most common formats are: PDF, EPUB, MOBI
• PDF is well known and handled. Problem is that each page is specific, so when viewed on a smaller screen it can't be read. Also you can't change font size & spacing etc
• EPUB is the international acceptable standard since 2007, officially specified in Mar 2011. Used by almost all readers
• MOBI is the standard used by Amazon-Kindle
• Volume of an average paperback with no photographs is 250 kb, with photos 1 MB

2. Converting to e-book formats

• Converting a word or html document to an e-book format can be easily done by special computer software in seconds
• Converting a printed book to an e-book format is more involved. It consists of scanning or batch scanning or photographing the book to jpeg or pdf, OCR with special software to word, correct OCR through Word spelling, proofread
• Time required to convert an average paperback (200 pages) is one hour for flat-bed scanning, 15' photographing, 5' batch scanning (use cutter 1” or 15')
• Time required to check the OCR of a paperback through Word is about 4 hrs
• For more info, see my article Change any book to an e-book: http://nikitasterzis.blogspot.com/2011/07/change-any-book-to-e-book.html

3. Devices that read e-books

• Unlike printed books that need no aids, e-books must be read on an electronic device
• Computers with special e-book software are easily available but require fixed spacing (desk-tops) or are heavy, hot & cumbersome to hold (lap-tops). They also produce eye strain
• Tablets (such as iPad ($500), Kindle fire ($200), Barnes & Noble reader ($200) are more portable than computers and can be read in the dark but cannot be read outside and produce eye strain
• Smart phones (iPhone, etc ($500+)) with 3,5” screens are carried with us giving us the ability to read a book anywhere-anytime: on the bus, at the dentist's, in class. Cannot be read outside, small screen produces more eye strain
• Dedicated e-readers with electronic paper (Amazon Kindle ($79-139)) are the best bet. They are the cheapest device & provide an experience similar to printed books except: a) They don't smell of paper, b) You see the cover of a book when you don't read it, c) If lost, damaged or stolen, loss is more severe than one book & d) They don't need charging (once a month)
• Advantages of dedicated e-readers over printed books: far easier to hold, needs only one hand, can fit 3.000 books (1 book per week for 60 yrs), no more bookcases-all your books with you all the time
• Can change line spacing, font size, better indication of how much you've read, how far to the next chapter
• Dictionary capability by moving cursor, search capability of any word or phrase, can have any book read out to you
• For more info, see my article The Kindle vs the Paperbacks http://nikitasterzis.blogspot.com/2011/04/kindle-vs-paperbacks.html

4. Where to find e-books

• E-books don't need to be bought from a physical store but may be obtained on line
• E-readers (electronic ink, tablets, smart phones) don't even need a computer. You can buy e-books from e-stores (Amazon, iTunes) because these devices have wi-fi capability & 3G capability (optional). Prices are usually cheaper than the corresponding printed book. DRM (Digital Rights Management) means you can only read the book in stated, specific devices
• All books published before 1923 are available for free legally on Gutenberg (and other sites like Feedbooks, Kobo, Stanza.) This alone can write-off the cost of an e-reader
• All books (or almost all) are available for free either as torrent files or from various sites. Torrent files are a bad deal because they are usually derived from a scan/OCR without spelling check. There are however sites that have e-books where the DRM has been removed & they are as perfect as the e-book being sold. For more information read my 4 articles Why Pay for an e-book, on my blog: http://nikitasterzis.blogspot.com/

5. Programs that handle e-books

• How do we convert text to e-book format, how do we convert from one e-book format to the next, how do we read e-books on our computer, how do we keep our books safe when we lose a reader, how do we load a device with books
• We need an iTunes for e-books, and we have it, it's called Calibre
• Calibre is free, open source & better than iTunes because it can load your books on any device (tablet, smart phone, e-reader). It is updated at least every week to incorporate new devices, etc
• It can convert text to any e-book format as well as convert any e-book format to any other to make it available for all devices
• It keeps all books with covers and your comments & rating organized in one place to enable you to back-up against all disasters
• It gives your computer the capability to read any e-book. I think if you plan to get into e-books, you must learn & use calibre
• If you want to edit e-books, best program is Sigil, which is also free & open source
• It can edit any e-book in the epub format as well as check it & create a table of contents as required
  
  

CONCLUSION

I have given you a general outline on what e-books are and what you can do with them. I will try to answer any questions you may have.