An eBook Publisher's Dilemma: Should I Use PDF or EXE Format?
BY MICHAEL SOUTHON
If you write and publish eBooks, sooner or later
you will probably be faced with a dilemma — should you create your
eBooks as .exe files or .pdf files?
PDF, which stands for Portable Document Format, is
the file extension for files created with Adobe Acrobat.
EXE, which stands for 'executable', is the
extension for files created by eBook compilers.
PDF is widely considered to be the 'industry
standard' for eBook publishing, and for good reason. Here are some of
the advantages of PDF files over EXE files:
- With most eBook compilers you have to set up
each page of your eBook as a separate web page. With Adobe Acrobat you
can use a single MS Word file as the source document.
- PDF files automatically number each page — EXE
files don't.
- PDF files are very easy to edit — you can
insert pages, replace pages and delete pages (and the page numbering
is automatically adjusted).
- Printing from a PDF file is much easier than
printing from an .EXE file.
- The 'bookmark' column on the left side of a PDF
file makes navigation very easy — much easier than in an EXE file.
- PDF files compress better than EXE files, so
you end up with a smaller, more manageable file.
- It's virtually impossible to transmit a virus
through a PDF file — EXE files are susceptible to virus transmission
and can become corrupted during download.
- Finally, by using PDF you automatically expand
your potential market because PDF files can be read on both a PC and a
Mac (EXE files can only be read on a PC). Over 8 percent of the online
population in the U.S. are currently Mac users (http://www.nielsen-netratings.com)
— not a huge increase in your market, but nevertheless significant.
But EXE files do have some advantages over PDF
files, and perhaps the most important of these is price — most eBook
compilers are a fraction of the cost of Adobe Acrobat.
Another advantage of EXE files over PDF is the
rebranding feature. The following eBook compilers all have a built-in
rebranding function:
If you use free eBooks as a viral marketing tool,
rebranding is the key to success, because people are much more likely to
promote your free eBook if they can customize it with their own
affiliate links.
Copyright: © 2004 Michael Southon
Michael Southon has been writing for the
Internet for over 3 years. He has shown hundreds of webmasters how to
use this
simple technique to get massive free publicity and dramatically
increase traffic and sales.
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