This is entirely incorrect. We have not made contact with Liz Burton and certainly not suggested a conference call. This thread has just been brought to our attention and I am perfectly happy to post a detailed response to both Liz’s article and some of the follow-up (as soon as I work out how to submit a longer piece).

I remember in the late 90’s that many of the independent ebook publishers used ISBN because of its mystique: “my ebook has an ISBN, thus it is a real book.” I no longer see ISBN having that same mystique, so the real question is what good does ISBN serve that another identifier can’t?

I’m not criticizing here, but simply want to be convinced with a compelling argument. Anyone?

I remember in the late 90’s that many of the independent ebook publishers used ISBN because of its mystique: “my ebook has an ISBN, thus it is a real book.” I no longer see ISBN having that same mystique, so the real question is what good does ISBN serve that another identifier can’t?

I’m not criticizing here, but simplyy want to be convinced with a compelling argument. Anyone?

The second choice, that of simply bundling multiple formats in one package, would also seem to solve the problem.

That’s been what I’ve suggested all along if it were somehow made an issue such that I would have to buy more ISBNs.

Right now I bundle 8 formats anyway, so no skin off my nose. Format? ZIP. That’s the format.

Unless I’m mistaken, what the ISBN people are saying is that if you submit a single file with its ISBN, the vendor/distributor would then give each format derived from that initial file its own ISBN. Which would come from a block with the vendor/distributor’s prefix, not the publisher’s.

To put it in real terms, one now submits to Fictionwise an RTF file, with an identifying ISBN if you use them. They convert that file into 11 other formats. By the policy the ISBN people insist is necessary, if the publisher doesn’t supply a separate ISBN for each of those formats, Fictionwise would do so using numbers from a block assigned to them, with their prefix.

A vendor would, one assumes, have more of an option where this is concerned. A distributor, however, like Lightning Source Digital or Overdrive, wouldn’t. As long as the number of formats is limited to, say, MS Reader, Palm and PDF the requirement would be annoying but probably bearable. If, however, the distributor opted to provide all the main formats, we’re back to needing my original problem with this situation.

The second choice, that of simply bundling multiple formats in one package, would also seem to solve the problem.

Nevertheless, until we see that day, it sounds like a good reason for anyone who has the option to simply not purchase ISBNs. They are clearly a tool of an old, physical copy-based system, and as such are out-of-sync with the digital market and its unique needs.

The ISBN organization argues that this isn’t the case, as they are negotiating with vendors and libraries and whatnot to supply them with ISBNs. These would have a prefix unique to each channel/user. They could then apply THEIR ISBNs to those formats publishers don’t. This is their way of denying the policy is a problem.

However, that means publishers who distribute their books through multiple channels and don’t assign an ISBN for each format will have books with as many different ISBNs as there are channels. If they use ISBNs to track sales…well, it will just be an incredible record-keeping nightmare even if there’s no copyright infringement involved.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the problem is a blurring between the words “form” and “format.” The two have, in many cases, come to be used interchangeably when they aren’t perfect synonyms. The edition of a book is the form in which it’s published: hardcover, paperback, ebook, etc.

“Format,” in digital terms, is the equivalent of layout in a print book. One lays out a print book so that its content can be readily accessed by the reader. One formats an ebook for the same reason. If you then burn the ebook(s) onto a CD or DVD, THEN you have a different edition, which would need a unique ISBN from the digital version.

“The ISBN standard (ISO 2108) clearly states that ‘each different format of an electronic publication that is published and made separately available shall be given a separate ISBN.’ ”

So Baen’s webscriptions and Fictionwise’s Multiformat ebooks only require a single ISBN, since the individual formats are not made separately available – you buy the ebook, not the format.

It might be worth raising this point with them if you’re not using separately available formats.