Book Uploads Posting Guidelines

[Hadrien]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Remember, MobiPocket is NOT just for the iLiad. It runs under Windows,on the forthcoming Cybook Gen3, PDAs, cell phones, etc. So a MobiPocket formatted file is good for more people then just iLiad owners. You PDF that you've formatted does look nice, but for the Cybook Gen3 or Sony Reader, it's not going to look so nice. Sometimes you do have to think of the greater good. And the greater good says that MobiPocket format is best overall for use with MobiPocket readers.

The greated good would be epub then. According to the latest posts on Mobipocket forums, it'll be supported by their software in the near future and we already know that it'll be supported by Adobe and Sony too.
That's the only format that should work everywhere in the near future. I don't think we can expect Mobipocket on a Sony device for the moment, or that we'll ever see LRF on a non-Sony device.

PDF can work everywhere if you don't store them, but generate them on the fly with the right formatting. Can be a pain in the a** if you have multiple devices yourself, but the format itself can work on a very large number of devices if you follow this rule.

[readingaloud]

I heartily endorse the idea that MobileRead is for people who use any of many different platforms. It doesn't follow that content on it should be limited to the least capable ones.

Note, please, that I asked my original question because the PRC format was the only format accepted by the only category under the description: "iLiad Book Uploads: Share your e-books made specifically for the iRex iLiad". I now understand that this is a bad description--that the link is really to another category. What I fail to see, however, is why there shouldn't be a category that follows the description--books formatted specifically for the iLiad.

My heart goes out to people who are trying to read books on cell phones and PDAs. I'm glad that somewhere there are folks wrestling with the problem of how to make text readable on them. But I'm afraid that I don't have a clue about how to do this, and I have no desire to learn. Perhaps if I were a better person, I'd put aside my own preferences and work for the "greater good". As it is, I put my efforts into making the books that I want to read. I'm willing to share that effort, but not to redirect it into making books I have no desire to read.

I, for my own use, format books for the platform I prefer to use. If I thought that others would benefit, I would occasionally invest a little extra time in making the book look especially nice, partly because I'm not really a terrible person, and partly because I might occasionally benefit from a similar effort from someone else. I don't see that there would be any harm in letting me do that.

[cfw123]

Once Amazon gets their Chinese producers of the Kindle to produce in real volume (they say June 2008), the Kindle will quickly outnumber all other ebook readers combined. Not saying that is right -- just that this is what will obviously happen. I do love my Kindle (got it Dec. 4th) but I know that there must be room for others, else the Kindle will never be improved. And of course Kindle will be internationalized once Sprint goes everywhere -- but not before the domestic market demands have been met.

So whatever format conversion programs that are produced, must always produce true Kindle files -- single file per ebook, B&W illustratios 600x800 max with only 4 grey scale levels, etc. There must be an ebook cover page (full size 600x800), TOC with links to the chapters, etc. For many this will be a lowest common denominator format, but it is still necessary -- at least as an option.

Input must accept the common ones such as PDF's (with hopefully some improvements over what we have today), DOC, html, rtf, txt, and whatever is around.

Such a program will liberate us from the mess that is there today.

Charles Wilkes, San Jose, Calif.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by cfw123

And of course Kindle will be internationalized once Sprint goes everywhere -- but not before the domestic market demands have been met.

Sorry Charles, I'm not with you. Could you explain what you mean by "once Sprint goes everywhere?" Sprint is a CDMA network; the rest of the world uses GSM. Sprint is never going to go "everywhere"!

So whatever format conversion programs that are produced, must always produce true Kindle files -- single file per ebook, B&W illustratios 600x800 max with only 4 grey scale levels, etc. There must be an ebook cover page (full size 600x800), TOC with links to the chapters, etc. For many this will be a lowest common denominator format, but it is still necessary -- at least as an option.

This is exactly what MobiGen does.

Look forward to seeing your book uploads, Charles!

[slussen2]

Can someone explain exactly how you upload books to this site?

[HarryT]

Click the "Go Advanced" button at the bottom of the posting box. That gives you a fancier posting screen with a "Manage Attachments" button. Click that button and you'll go to a pop-up window which lets you add (or remove) attachments to the message.

[JSWolf]

If you are using Book Designer to output PRC eBooks, please check that the filename is complete. Book Designer tends to limit the length of a filename to only so long. So some of the PRC eBooks we have here have filenames that have been needlessly truncated. Just check and if that is the case, just rename the file to fix this. It is a limitation in Book Designer.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you are using Book Designer to output PRC eBooks, please check that the filename is complete. Book Designer tends to limit the length of a filename to only so long. So some of the PRC eBooks we have here have filenames that have been needlessly truncated. Just check and if that is the case, just rename the file to fix this. It is a limitation in Book Designer.

I still notice some people have yet to read this message. Please follow the directions. It makes it better for people downloading the eBooks if they are uploaded witht he complete filenames in tact.

[slussen2]

Thanks Harry, will bear that in mind.

[AlexBell]

Err, I'm not sure if my queries should go here - please move this reply if it's in the wrong place.

I'm almost ready to upload the very first ebook I have produced; it will be Twain, Mark - The War Prayer. It's very short but I haven't found it anywhere else and I think it's a very important topic. Anyway ..

1 Is there anyone who would be willing to 'beta test' the ebook before I upload it - to check for style, readability etc?
2 I have no graphic or visual abilities whatever - where can I get something like the 'Mobipocket Free ebook' cover on which I can overwrite the title?

Regards, Alex

[pdurrant]

1. I'd be happy to take a look at your eBook.
paul@durrant.co.uk
But the alternative is just to upload it - if there are problems, you'll get feedback, and can replace the original eBook with a revised version, as you can edit your posts, including changing the attachments.

2. I try to find an out-of-copyright cover for the book, using google image search, or abebooks. Then I tidy it up a little, possibly adding in new text for title and author.

For your book, an abebooks search turns up no covers for early editions, but a google image search finds a nice painted portrait of Mark Twain from the 1890 by Carroll Beckwith. This is well out of copyright, and will do nicely. A quick addition of some text to the image, save as JPEG less than 59KiB (to be on the safe side - Mobipocket doesn't like images bigger than 60KiB or so) and a cover is ready (attached). No artistic talent required!

Paul

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Err, I'm not sure if my queries should go here - please move this reply if it's in the wrong place.

I'm almost ready to upload the very first ebook I have produced; it will be Twain, Mark - The War Prayer. It's very short but I haven't found it anywhere else and I think it's a very important topic. Anyway ..

1 Is there anyone who would be willing to 'beta test' the ebook before I upload it - to check for style, readability etc?
2 I have no graphic or visual abilities whatever - where can I get something like the 'Mobipocket Free ebook' cover on which I can overwrite the title?

Regards, Alex

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[AlexBell]

Thanks again, Paul. It's a pleasure doing business with you.

The graphic you found is a lot better than the one I borrowed from Wikipedia. I've downloaded it, and will build the ebook again and upload it tomorrow.

Regards, Alex