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I failed to address the primary point of this thread, which is standardization. I currently carry MobiReader, iSilo, eReader, and MS Reader. I primarilly keep MS Reader because of the free dictionaries, to include English -> German and German -> English. I love being able to select a word and then automatically look it up in the dictionary! I like how Mobi can download newsfeeds. I like how I can turn documents, HTML, and other formats into an e-book to read anywhere at any time.
I see it like the telephone system. Any phone will make a call because the foundational technology is standard. If I want a basic phone, no problem. If I want one with Caller ID, an answering machine, and volume control, I can get that as well. E-books should be able to follow the same process. Standardize the text and let the software developers determine how I can use that text.
Can someone explain in laymen's terms why books can't be stored as raw data? If publishers put out raw data, developers could build converters to force it to work with their particular program and with their particular features. This way we all have a common starting point. I was under the impression something similar existed with the old hyper-text of the early '90s. Is this really too hard?
While I love e-books and all that they bring to the table, the greatest weakness is that the format is not standardized and across-the-board compatible. Having to utilize multiple converters and readers just to build a library is often frustrating and enough to make me give up and buy the paper version.
By the by, I'm noticing that more and more libraries are now allowing people to "check out" e-books on-line. They come with a license that automatically expires in about 21 days. I've read a few books this way and it's pretty handy. Beats driving 30 minutes each way to the library or paying $15 - $20 for an electronic book! Anyone else tried this yet?
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