AZARDI Frequently Asked Questions

What makes AZARDI different to other readers?

Quite a few things:

Standards compliance. We want it to be strictly compliant to the IDPF, and future releases will get stricter (or is that more strict?). At present there is no such reference except the validation service.

ePub Promotion. ePub is the only open e-book resource. We want to see really good ePubs created and distributed and the Check/Edit modes make that easier.

Comprehensive, complex content. Book content is more than trade books and novels. ePub can do just as much for education, training, catalogue, manual, reference and other types of content. The presentation styles of existing readers are not optimized for this type of content; AZARDI is!

Why isn't there a Library or Book management interface?

That's coming. Here at Infogrid Pacific we use AZARDI internally to check our own production files. Dropping ePub files into a directory, opening and QC'ing them then on to the next one is very fast. 

Also we have a different approach planned for library functions. We don't want to trap ePub files into the reader internal organization structure the way most readers do. The implication with that is rigid DRM control. There is a better way.

The planned library functions will see library management as a companion product feature rather than an integrated one. It will allow users to move books in and out of a folder or URL location at will, and AZARDI will dynamically update the library metadata from the file location. Step two is we want to make it easy to store books in shareable online locations. Step three is to implement a remote library mode so books can be lent and borrowed, including enforcing standard fair-use rules.

Meanwhile, enjoy the freedom of just clicking an ePub file and see it opening instantly in AZARDI. 

Will you support Paginated Presentation?

We support pseudo pagination, or if you like scrolling pagination. But depending on the content the last line may not always fit cleanly into the viewport. We have two positions here: 1) Paper metaphors are OK, and possibly appropriate for eBook reader devices (but maybe not), but paper metaphors should not be the only definition of what a reflow e-book Reader can be. 2) Complex, interactive and dynamic content needs to be able to define its own area model. If that is the viewport window - well and good, if not, the content is more valuable than the device and should not become the victim of quirky viewport behaviour. 

There is a lot of content that simply is not suitable for e-Ink or mobile devices, but still has inestimable value in electronic form. We don't want to remove massively linked indexes, or limit resource sizes because of device limitations. AZARDI is about freedom to do what is needed with the content without thinking about device limitations.

Are you looking at any other eBook formats?

Absolutely not. That would dilute our strategy. In our day to day work we make all the proprietary eBook formats for commercial publishers, but they are generally limited in presentation features and are backward looking.

We work with authors, editors and publishers. And we see many of them wanting to do great things with e-content. But they are trapped between multiple eBook formats, multiple DRM strategies, old and complex technology strategies and noisy distribution systems.

ePub is a ray of light, which will probably not illuminate everyone, but it does give the content distribtion business the chance to de-babelize. AZARDI is attempting to be a beacon for what e-content can be. 

Why are you creating yet another eBook Reader?

There is no ePub eBook reader application available that is on specification other than Bookworm, and that is an online ePub reader. For various reasons other available ePub readers are only really suitable for basic novels and simple trade and retail type books. The ePub format is capable of so much more. There is no really reader available that will adequately work with massively linked academic and reference material, or complex X-Y layout textbooks, or interactive content of any type. That is where AZARDI is positions - for the really complex stuff.

There is room out there for a thousand e-pub readers, as long as they are all standards compatible and the books move freely across them.

Will AZARDI support DRM?

Maybe, but we will always maintain a full and free version. For example we are actively working on Social DRM (watermarking). The whole points of AZARDI is to move away from the babble of integration services, devices and formats, and focus on the one available (and good) international standard, ePub!  We do have plans for a sealed book, but that is about content security not really DRM. Documents will still be device portable.

Need more information?

If you have a question or suggestion about AZARDI, why not drop us an email here. 

You can also get more information (if a little technical) at our ePub webblog.