Thus, even if a company like Follett wants to use a proprietary “use only our reader” approach, it is perplexing why they don’t use ePub with their own DRM encryption (I’m assuming they are using a format which is not ePub-based.)

They get what they want, and don’t saddle publishers with YAPF (”yet another proprietary format”). This also allows their publications to be read on the widest range of platforms since the ePub format (based upon the OPS/OPF/OCF specs) was designed for a very wide range of platforms.

Until I hear differently, I sense Follett’s business model is more about having a proprietary format (including its own proprietary DRM) so no one else can build a competitive reader to access books in their format.

“a downloaded Follett eBook will no longer open in Adobe.”

Maybe this just applies to books converted to this format, you might be thinking. Check the FAQ farther down:

“Can I read other companies’ eBooks in the Follett Digital Reader?
While that feature is not available in this release, we are continually evaluating feedback from our customers, and will be adding features in subsequent releases that are important to educators and life-long learners.”

Seriously, we as consumers need to get out our torches and pitchforks (literally or figuratively, I’ll leave that up to you…) and demand that publishing companies, software makers, distributors, libraries, and everyone else involved stop this nonsense.

Let me make it clear for any of them that might read this. You won’t do anything for or with ebooks because you say they aren’t popular and aren’t catching on. No one reads eBooks you complain.

eBooks will NEVER catch on until they are easier to read than print books.

The first step involved is getting a universal format, and purging all others. When someone views a web page, they look at an HTML file. We need a format that is that universal for books. Right now, if Grandma wants to read an eBook, she has to decide on whether to read on a computer, or a dedicated reading device. Then she has to pick a device. Then she has to find content. No problem, she can go to her favorite search engine and look there, right? Sadly, no. She might find books (maybe) but they probably won’t be in the right format for the device. Or worse, she’ll find a great site like Feedbooks or Munseys… and have no clue which format to download.

There are many problems in making eBooks easier than print books. The first step on a long journey is creating and settling on a universal eBook format.

Why have we created our own Digital Reader? First, we wanted to remove our dependency on other technologies we have licensed so we can be more responsive to our customer needs in K-12 and public libraries as we innovate new solutions today and into the future. We also wanted to ensure we can offer our customers affordably priced eBook solutions without having to pass along other fees to cover licensing from 3rd party technology providers.

In addition, picture books and other graphics-intensive books come alive and work much better with the Follett Digital Reader – just like their paper equivalents – versus competing formats.

The sum total is that Follett is expanding its customers’ options and delivering products and services best suited to their needs. The last thing Follett wants to or will do is make it more costly for our publishing partners to flow their content through Follett’s extensive distribution channels and markets. Our Digital Reader 1.0 does not preclude our support for other formats, such as ePub, in the future, but we’ll continue to evaluate those needs based on feedback from our valued customers – publishers, schools and libraries.