

An analysis of EPUB3 (and, uh, a bit more) - mikecane
http://sigildev.blogspot.com/2011/02/analysis-of-epub3-and-uh-bit-more.html

======
GHFigs
Awfully ranty. I'll attempt to summarize:

    
    
      - JavaScript now optional but discouraged. 
      Author surmises this will be abused, decries feature creep. 
      - No required Unicode glyph coverage. 
      Thus even though content is UTF-8 or UTF-16, you still can't rely on readers actually supporting the glyphs you want to use. 
      - Author laments reader software that fails to implement EPUB-specific features and practical result of same.
      The specific case of a certain fruit company is vividly rendered in an extended metaphor.
      - A list of smaller features is discussed in brief. 
      MathML support is probably the most interesting to HN. 
      - Cannonical Fragment Identifiers.
      A scheme for identifying *any* location inside an EPUB document, is described as over-engineered and unlikely to be implemented by anybody.

------
bradleyland
Some of his points are perfectly valid, but some come across as anti-progress.
I have a fair amount of experience in the childrens' book publishing industry.
Current ebook formats don't supply the features that educators _know_ improve
learning. Text on the page is important, but supplementary audio and video are
good for learning. Interactivity is good for learning. Right now, the go-to
tool for low-level interactive books is Flash. Yes, Flash. How sad is that?
Monumental amounts of early-stage learning materials are being published in a
proprietary format that is notoriously opaque, and tied to a commercial
"player" that is only available from one vendor. We desperately need tools to
create interactive ebooks that are based on open standards like EPUB, and we
need them soon.

------
mdaniel
> "This book needs more cowbell."

Funny, I feel that way about most websites ... especially a "website in a
box."

I feel his pain and I don't even have to implement those specs.

------
quinndupont
I think more developers should get this passionate about specifications.

