| E-Books are electronic files that can be read on a | | | | - EXEs can incorporate as much flexibility as web |
| computer. Most often they contain content (similar to a | | | | sites. For example, animated graphics are common |
| book), but they can also contain reports, reference | | | | place in EXEs, as are ezine subscription forms, |
| information, graphics, animations, video, or even | | | | embedded audio or video, and so on. In contrast, most |
| interactive software-like features like forms. As far as | | | | PDFs are rather plain and for most part limited to static |
| E-Books for PCs are concerned, there are two main | | | | display of content. |
| kinds: PDF and EXE. | | | | - Good EXE compilers offer some specific features |
| - PDF files are electronic documents that can be read | | | | that are either unavailable or beyond the reach of |
| using the Adobe Acrobat reader. There are quite a | | | | most PDF authors. For example, a "Search the |
| few different ways to create PDF files. When viewed | | | | E-Book" function, or the ability to password protect |
| in the reader, they tend to look like printed pages. | | | | specific pages in the E-Book. |
| - EXE files are self-contained programs that users can | | | | All this is very well, but why would you want to create |
| run under Windows without additional software. Most | | | | an E-Book? There are many possible reasons: |
| EXE format E-Books are made using software, | | | | - You could create an E-Book which you give away |
| known as an "ebook Compiler", which converts HTML | | | | (and perhaps allow others to give away or sell) as a |
| files (the same format used for web sites) into EXE | | | | promotion tool for your business. |
| format. You can prepare these HTML files, before | | | | - You could create an E-Book that you sell online. |
| compiling them into an E-Book, using web page design | | | | - You could create an E-Book as documentation or |
| software, or even those word processors which have | | | | instructions for another product or service. For |
| as "Save as HTML" feature. | | | | example, our bingo card maker software for teachers, |
| There are advantages and disadvantages to both | | | | Bingo Card Printer, comes with an E-Book explaining |
| formats: | | | | how to use the software. |
| - PDFs have the advantage that they work on a | | | | Hopefully this brief introduction to E-Books has given |
| variety of computer platforms (because Adobe | | | | you some idea of what is possible, and why you might |
| Acrobat is available on multiple platforms). EXEs are | | | | want to explore the area further. I encourage you to |
| designed only for Windows - however it should be | | | | do so: apart from the satisfaction of being an author, |
| noted that more 90% of computer users use | | | | E-Books offer a powerful opportunity to promote an |
| Windows, and even Linux and Mac users can often | | | | existing business, or even the possibility of earning |
| run Windows software using an emulator. | | | | money directly by creating E-Books which you sell. |