Re: Minutes from EPUB.Next

I’m not sure that the standards of design for web content and consumption of information correspond diametrically with those of epub content design. The experience of consuming epub content through a reader is so different as to be almost outside the scope of comparison (in my humble opinion). What makes more sense to the dissemination and update of epub is the basic twinning of the content object and the reader (much as with the use of Libby in library ebook loans) or ibooks (if it would stick closer to epub3 standards for production).

I am speaking from my own bias but I cannot say that I like reading off of a computer monitor, no matter what app is delivering the content… but, I am very happy within a reader app on an ipad… because it is a simple and clean and it retains the book scope.

ruth tait
https://www.artbyrt.com
O: 613 604 2781



> On Oct 28, 2021, at 2:20 PM, Leonard Rosenthol <lrosenth@adobe.com> wrote:
> 
> Sorry I was unable to attend the meeting – too many other standards going on right now.   I did, however, have a chance to review the minutes – thanks to Tzviya for providing them.
>  
> Ignoring the incorrect information about PDF, its use as a document format and its ability to be made accessible (in compliance with national and international standards, including WCAG) – I did want to comment on the larger question about “Replacing PDF”
>  
> Andrew and Tzviya said it very well at the end of the meeting – people who are moving away from PDF for publications are moving to the web (aka HTML).  We’ve talked to many customers in many segments around the world on this particular topic.  What we learned is that they are choosing to do so for a variety of reasons including (but not limited to):
> - They know what the web is (and the corollary, they don’t know what EPUB is)
> - Everyone has a web browser (and the corollary, they don’t have EPUB Readers)
> - They already have tools that produce HTML (and the corollary, they don’t have EPUB tooling or don’t know how to use it)
> - They can easily update the material and ensure that recipients are always looking at the right thing.
>  
> So as mentioned by a number of folks – this group needs to figure out whether the goal is to provide a better reading/consumption experience “on the web” (aka in browser) *OR* to compete with PDF as a packaged format for “off the web” content distribution and consumption.   As others said – trying to do both isn’t working well for EPUB…
>  
> Leonard
>  
> From: Siegman, Tzviya <tsiegman@wiley.com>
> Date: Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 12:03 PM
> To: PBG Steering Committee (Public) <public-publishing-sc@w3.org>, W3C Publishing Business Group <public-publishingbg@w3.org>, public-publishingcg@w3.org <public-publishingcg@w3.org>, public-epub3@w3.org <public-epub3@w3.org>
> Subject: Minutes from EPUB.Next
> 
> Hi All,
>  
> Thank you for attending our community meeting on 27 October.
>  
> Here are minutes https://www.w3.org/2021/10/27-epub.html <https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2021%2F10%2F27-epub.html&data=04%7C01%7Clrosenth%40adobe.com%7C240fc1e0d03d4e5577b008d99a2c6af1%7Cfa7b1b5a7b34438794aed2c178decee1%7C0%7C0%7C637710337831636934%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=2A3GXAw1pvhmVUeBQ0FJu3GIPKX8BXKReeVI4BjBJpU%3D&reserved=0>.
>  
> We plan another community-wide meeting in about 6 months.
>  
> Thank you,
> Tzviya
>  
> Tzviya Siegman
> Information Standards Principal
> Wiley
> 201-748-6884
> tsiegman@wiley.com <mailto:tsiegman@wiley.com>