Why PDF?

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Why PDF?

Post by Guest »

When I browse postman for books most of them are in PDF format(I have seen PDF looking like .txt file was just pasted in them). Sure sometimes there are no other option but there are other formats like epub, mobi, etc., and i can often find the PDF book posted on postman in format like epub on libgen.li. These formats are smaller size and are better suited for an ebook SO WHY SO MANY(and only) PDFs. Is it easier for people to get their hand on PDF; is it that PDF are considered more safe?

Note: I like to use calibre because of text-to-speach and PDF make sometime things harder.
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lgillis
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2022 8:40 am

Re: Why PDF?

Post by lgillis »

There are certainly many reasons for this, and it would be tedious to go into them in detail. Suffice it to say that until recently, PDF was the standard format for books on the PC. With PDF, books look the same as they would in print. (If you think this is ridiculous, take a look at your desktop wallpaper.) This has not changed in the scholarly world. However, the new formats you mention were not developed for the standard PC or by the open source community, but for purpose-built devices that can protect the rights of authors and publishers. If »Calibre« allows you to read novels on your PC and have them read aloud to you in a language you can understand, then that can be considered a significant step forward.

Take a look at the wonderful and free program »pdftotext«. You can use it to create a text file from a PDF. Load it into a text editor like »Emacs« and use »Org« to convert it to »Markdown«. After proofreading and adding paragraphs, export it to HTML. Use »Sigil« to import the HTML and create an »EPUB«. After saving, use »EPUBCheck« to make sure the standard has been followed. You can then add the finished book to your Calibre library.

The W3C references for creating EPUP and Audiobooks are available for free, if you want them, just ask for them. But for the occasional creation of simple books they are not necessary, the free tools mentioned above do a good job.
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