ePub vs. PDF for tech books

Question

Level 1

35 points

ePub vs. PDF for tech books

I'm trying to settle on preferred formats for reading tech books (full of graphic elements) and text-only books (novels, non-fiction expository works) on my iPad2.

PDFs are limited because they lack the page-turning metaphor in iBooks. (Although I've read that Adobe has added tools to inDesign that do support reflowing text, I have no idea whether a properly tagged pdf would support the "swipe to turn the page" UI metaphor in iBooks, nor how one would or could know that a pdf is appropriately tagged to do so).

On the other hand, when I read an ePub book enhanced with graphic elements such as tables, anything beyond a simple text-only table doesn't survive magnification (too small to read at default sizing, too blurry to read when double-tapped). That's especially true for screenshots of dialog boxes or other captures of computer screen elements). Is that a limitation of the ePub format, or is it possible for the ePub to be created so that it's graphic elements are resolution-independent?

Thanks so much,

iPad 2, iOS 4.3.3, ATT/WiFi/16 GB

Posted on Aug 20, 2011 4:57 AM

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Answer 1

dwb

Level 7

33,326 points

Aug 20, 2011 6:56 AM in response to JimRobertson

A PDF file mimics the printed page which has both good and bad aspects. The strengths are that the graphics can scale well, especially if the PDF is output with high quality graphic files (which isn't always the case), and no matter what, when you are told to turn to page 6 you and everyone else is looking at the same page. ePUB and other eBook formats, as they exist now, were created more with fiction in mind than non-fiction to the extent that graphics and tables don't necessarily work well.

At this time I don't see a clear cut winner. For technical writing I prefer PDF files and for fiction (or non-fiction with minimal graphics) I prefer ePub and mobi). The who page swipe thing is irrelevent to me.

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Answer 2

Rudegar

Level 10

183,264 points

Aug 20, 2011 7:01 AM in response to JimRobertson

in ibooks epub er much better handled but if you use stanza as reader it's about the same imho

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Answer 3

JimRobertson Author

Level 1

35 points

Aug 21, 2011 6:15 AM in response to dwb

Minute by minute, I'm vacillating between the two formats. For exploration, I'm using ePub and pdf copies of Robin Williams and John Tollet's Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: A Quick Refernce Guid to Mastering Lion! A few more confounding variables:

I can see why the "page swipe" thing doesn't influence you (in pdf format, the same gesture goes back and forth between pages, just without the curling page.
It's not possible to make notes while reading a document in pdf format.
It's virtually impossible to know what page to turn to in an ePub when it says "as discussed on page 27." Fortunately, many of those internal reference are accompanied by hyperlinks, which (curiously) don't work while reading in pdf format.
It's not possible to select text with the cursor while reading in pdf format (this one really surprised me).

On balance, looks as though ePub will win out for me, but I can't fathom why graphics don't scale. The curling page eye candy in ePub clearly shows that the format supports impressive on-the-fly graphics transformations.

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Answer 4

dwb

Level 7

33,326 points

Aug 21, 2011 6:32 AM in response to JimRobertson

It's not possible to make notes while reading a document in pdf format.

This is true of iBook perhaps but there are other APPs for reading PDF files that do support markup and comments.

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Answer 5

JimRobertson Author

Level 1

35 points

Aug 21, 2011 2:03 PM in response to Rudegar

I've looked at Stanza, but I'm not one bit impressed with its ability to display pdfs. That may reflect the construction of the pdf I was examining, but iBooks didn't have any trouble displaying it--it just doesn't support making annotations.

Actually, Stanza, can display the pdf, but when I select text on which to make an annotation, the selected text is copied to the clipboard with words jumbled in bizarre order.

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