Trade Group Moves to Make E-books More Flexible

By Calvin Reid -- Publishers Weekly, 9/12/2007 6:52:00 AM

E-book publishing took a big step toward format standardization and device interoperability after members of the International Digital Publishing Forum voted overwhelmingly to accept the Open Publication Structure 2.0 e-book specification as an official industry standard. The IDPF adoption of OPS 2.0 along with the ".epub" file format that goes with it (the OPS 2.0 standard uses the .epub file extension for reflowable text) means that publishers can now create one digital book file instead of the 6 to10 formats previously required. 

Nick Bogaty, executive director of IDPF, said the adoption of OPS 2.0 and .epub will mean lower costs for publishers and generate more titles for consumers. The new standard also means interoperability for ebooks with consumers now being able to read non-DRM digital books on any software or device that uses the .epub standard. Bogaty said it is now up to IDPF members such as Adobe, Sony, Amazon/Mobipocket, VitalSource and others, to produce .epub digital books. 

"Publishers are starting to do their conversions and technology companies are implementing the standard into their software," said Bogaty. "I encourage our community to continue to promote .epub. Doing so will significantly grow our industry.