Choosing eBook Formats
Publishing Formats
When talking about e-books in terms of formats, we're really talking about the programming process by which the book is produced, plus its final appearance.
There are really only two formats to consider: HTML, which produces an ebook in the form of an executable file (.exe), and PDF which effectively 'prints' the book to the computer screen.
Both types are stored on and read from your computer. Both can be printed out using a standard printer. And both are produced automatically using ebook software. You don't need to learn any special coding, in other words, everything is done for you apart from the writing.
Each has its merits and drawbacks, which I'll deal with separately. But before I do, let me just say that personally I don't see this as an either/or situation.
I publish my ebooks in both formats and let the readers decide which they want to download.
So that you can see this process in action I've provided free copies of my book on First Aid in the Kitchen, which you can download here.
Downloading both ebooks will give you the opportunity to see the difference between the formats, both of which have been produced from exactly the same source files.
It will also give you some handy hints on first aid :0)
Now let's take a closer look at the two systems, starting off with how to create an ebook using standard html code. It's a lot less complicated than it sounds.
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