| eBooklet Frequently Asked Questions |
What is an eBook?
eBook is short for "electronic book", a digital version of a print book, which is downloaded and stored on your computer's hard drive, a CD or a floppy disk and read on your computer screen or printed out to paper. eBooks are available in a variety of formats that work on different types of computers and use different types of eBook reader software. Some titles are designed to be read online, and others can be downloaded to a desktop computer, laptop or handheld computer/personal digital assistant (PDA) for offline reading. eBook readers are available as free downloads.
What are the benefits of eBooks?
- eBooks can be downloaded in a few minutes (via direct download from the Internet or as an attachment to an email message), instead of having to walk to a brick-and-mortar bookstore or wait for the shipping of a paper book.
- You can create an electronic library of your favorite books which are always accessible on your computer. Computers can store thousands of eBooks and a PDA can store hundred of eBooks that you can read at any time at any place.
- Many eBooks are enhanced with a lot of interactive digital functions, such as adjusting the size of font reading, taking notes, adding bookmarks, highlighting, searching worlds or expressions within a text, or looking up words in a dictionary while reading.
- Lots of eBooks are cheaper than the printed version
- You can download eBooks to your laptop instead of lugging around heavy paper books. eBook's with a built-in dictionary is especially useful for reading technical and business materials. This is especially convenient for frequent travelers.
- If you are a student, you can download all your textbooks to your laptop so the laptop is all you need to bring to class. You can highlight passages, quickly search the text, make annotations, and create bookmarks just as you would with paper books.
- If you are anxious to read the latest bestseller, you can have the instant gratification of downloading and reading it immediately.
What software and hardware do I need in order to read eBooks?
There are basically three ways to read eBooks: 1) on a desktop or laptop computer with a software reading application; 2) on a handheld Palm or PocketPC device with a software reading application; and 3) on a dedicated handheld reading device with integrated hardware and software. Each of these ways has more than one file format or reading application option and each has different methods of encryption for the protection of copyrighted material. Some eBooks require that you download and install special 'reader' software. Other eBooks require no special software -- you simply click the file and the eBook opens. For more information on the most popular eBook formats, software and devices, see our eBook Formats section.
How do I download and read eBooks?
This will depend on the site you download or purchase the eBook from. In most cases, you would simply click the download link for the eBook. This will launch Windows' "Save as..." dialog box. Select a folder (directory) on your computer to save the eBook in (e.g. My Documents). Alternatively you can right-click on the link and select "Save Target As" to save the file in your desired location in Internet Explorer and "Save Link As" in Netscape. If the eBook is delivered as an email file attachment, simply save the file to a folder on your computer. Once the eBook is downloaded, and as long as you have the correct reader software, open the folder where you saved the eBook and double-click the icon to start reading.
How long does it take to download an eBook?
The download time varies, depending on file size, Internet connection speed, and Internet traffic. As a general rule, a 10 megabyte (MB) file takes approximately 25 minutes to download with a standard modem. Or, a 300-page eBook without many graphics can be downloaded in approximately four to five minutes with a 56K modem connection.
What happens to an eBook when I've finished reading it?
A downloaded eBook remains on your computer unless you manually delete it. Some reader software have a feature that enables you to easily organize your eBooks in a "library."
Can I save eBooks to a portable storage device and move them from one machine to another?
This depends on the format. Many eBook files can be moved as easily as any other file. Adobe Reader 6.0 eBooks cannot be moved from machine to machine, as the security of the file is tied to the machine on which the eBook is downloaded. Premium Microsoft Reader eBooks may be moved from machine to machine, as long as each machine has a copy of Microsoft Reader that is activated to the same Passport account as the machine used to download the eBook. All other Microsoft Reader eBooks may be moved from machine to machine. Palm files can be moved using a portable storage device, however you need to install Palm Reader on any machine on which you intend to read a Palm eBook.
Can I print and copy my eBooks?
An eBook is a little bit different from a physical book. You can install it on your computer at work, or your computer at home, or both. (We assume you're only reading one copy at a time.) You can make an archival copy for backup, in case your hard disk dies. You can print out a copy, if you want to.
To protect copyrights, publishers establish their own guidelines for how much of their eBooks can be printed or copied. This means that these permissions will differ from book to book. However in general, once you've read the book, you can lend it or you can give it away to a friend. But if you give it away, you have to delete it from your computer(s), and you have to include any printed copy you made with the digital version. Just like with a printed book, if you give it away, then you no longer own a copy. You can't keep the printed book if you don't keep the digital one. Likewise, you can't keep the digital copy if you give away the printout.
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