Choosing an eBook Compiler 

 

What is an eBook compiler?

You've written and revised your ebook, hired an artist who has produced outstanding graphics, and now you're ready to actually put together your ebook. What you need to make an ebook is software called an ebook

Compiler.

 

There are many different compilers to chose from, but

first, you need to know exactly what an ebook Compiler

does. Here is the simple explanation:

 

An ebook compiler is a software program that converts

either text pages or HTML text into a single

executable file or an ebook.

 

If you or someone you hired has created a file with

graphics in HTML, you will need an HTML ebook

Compiler. This type of compiler requires a working

knowledge of the HTML tag language. You can also use

software to do this for you, such as Microsoft

FrontPage or Macromedia Dreamweaver.

 

How do you choose an eBook Compiler?

 

There are a large number of ebook Compilers available

on the market, all with glowing sales copy and tekkie

language. It can get very confusing and overwhelming

very fast without some simple guidelines to help you

figure out which compiler is right for you.

 

Choosing an ebook Compiler depends on a number of

factors:

 

1. How did you create your pages? Did you use HTML or

PDF format? There are many more compilers available

for HTML, but you can find some very good compilers

that will covert your PDF files into an ebook.

 

2. Consider how easy the program is to use and the

thoroughness of the software's instruction manual. It

is absolutely necessary that the compiler you buy have

an instructional manual, documentation, or online

"wizards." If it doesn't, your chances of figuring out

how to correctly use the program are compromised, and

the time required doing so is going to be significant.

Many manufacturers of compilers offer a free trial

version so you can play around with it and see if it

suits your needs. Download the trial version and

ascertain that it actually does what it claims to do.

 

3. Security features. If you plan to sell your ebook,

check out the security features of the compiler

software carefully. Security features should include:

prevention of the reader from modifying text, access

only to the pages you assign or by entering a

password, different ways of generating passwords such

as secure passwords, user-friendly, and open

passwords.

 

4. Supported scripting. Find out what scripts the

software supports. Scripting allows you to create

special effects, customize menus, and create and

modify other user interactivity. Choose a compiler

that permits you to include graphics, search windows,

hyperlinks, forms, surveys, etc.

 

5. Pricing. This is a factor that is not always easy

to gauge. The highest priced compilers are not

automatically your best choice. Choose your compiler

based on the necessary requirements for your Ebook.

That means you need to know exactly how you plan to

use your Ebook and what functions you require.

 

Let's look at some of these factors in more detail.

First of all, make sure you have the correct browser

to run the compiler. The majority of HTML compilers

use Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape. Check out

the version that the compiler supports. Compilers that

require a browser will not run on a computer that does

not have the required browser installed. However,

there are ebook HTML compilers that don't require you

to have any browser installed on your computer. These

compilers run on any Windows system.

 

If you choose a compiler that requires a browser,

check to ascertain that the browser is installed

correctly and that it is properly configured to the

specifications of the compiler. Check to see if

certain functions are turned off or on, and make any

adjustments according to the compiler instructions.

 

Security is an essential element of any compiler,

regardless of whether you plan to sell or give away

your ebook. One of the main reasons for using a

compiler is to prevent the reader from modifying the

contents. A secure compiler allows access only to the

pages you want the user to access unless they enter a

correct password.

 

To find out how secure an ebook HTML compiler is, open

an ebook on it. While it is open, check the temporary

directory of your computer. This can usually be

accessed by typing in C:\Windows\temp. If you see a

bunch of files when your ebook is open or running, it

means that your computer is decompressing the secure

data from your ebook before showing the ebook to the

viewer. This method is not secure! It means that

anyone with the knowledge of how to access these

temporary files can steal the secure data and then

they can fiddle with your ebook to their evil heart's

desire. Remember, one of the main purposes of buying

and using an HTML compiler is to protect your

property.

 

Next, let's discuss passwords. When trying to choose

an ebook Compiler, check out the type of passwords

that the compiler supports. Almost all compilers offer

some kind of password protection that insures that the

user can only access the contents they have purchased

from you. However, the best compilers offer varied

ways to generate different types of passwords. Choose

a compiler that gives you the options of secure,

user-friendly, and open password generation.

 

Another important factor when it comes to passwords is

how the compiler generates them. A compiler that has

internal password protection generation built into the

software is more secure than compilers that link to

live Internet password control systems.

 

Find out if the compiler generates passwords online.

If it has this option, it allows you to choose any

payment processing system you want or to do the

payment processing yourself.

 

Next, look into the size of ebook the compiler

supports. The best compilers can create ebooks up to 2

GB in size without decompressing the HTML pages or

images to your hard disk. Usually, ebooks that are 2

GB in size can easily support 6 GB of compressed data.

The catch here is that only text files will generally

be compressible.

 

You do not want a compiler that decompresses this

amount of data when the user attempts to open your

ebook. This would mean that anyone who purchases your

ebook will have to wait for all the data to decompress

before they can access your ebook right after

downloading it. So look for compilers that only

decompress temporarily files that are NOT HTML to the

local hardisk. Non-HTML files include Flash, Word, and

Acrobat files. This type of compiler is more secure

and certainly faster.

 

Make sure the compiler you choose is compatible with

your system software. Check out what version of

Windows it requires, and make sure you have that

version before buying your compiler.

 

Support issues are extremely important. Choose a

compiler that includes an installation program. This

program allows your user to choose a number of

different places on their computer to install the

ebook, to place a shortcut on their desktop, and to

add the ebook, if they choose, to the Start Programs

menu.

 

You also want excellent and accessible vendor support.

Make sure you can access quick technical support! At

three o'clock in the morning, this factor will be VERY

important. Also, check to see the terms of free

technical support offered. Unlimited technical support

is obviously the best option.

 

Check to see if the company that puts out the compiler

software offers a service level agreement. This

agreement is to assure you of their quality response

to your questions or problems.

 

A good thing to consider is how long the compiler has

been on the market. Usually, the version number will

give you an idea. The longer the program is on the

market, the higher the version number, the more bugs

have been worked out.

 

When choosing an ebook compiler, do not be swayed by

incredible promises and dazzling sales copy. Do your

homework first, and then consider all the above issues

and factors before choosing an ebook compiler.

 

Click Here for the best software guide for your new project.

 

Ebooks are Promotional Powerhouses

 

Ebooks are part of the new frontier of cyberspace. They are an entirely new medium for sharing marketing information, ideas, techniques, and expert knowledge. Each day the number of people accessing the Internet grows, causing the exposure of your ebook to increase incrementally. It's obvious why electronic self-publishing has become so popular so quickly.

 

The publishing industry, I hope, does not intend to

forever banish the printed word to the dustbin of

history. Books in print have their own special

qualities and merits, and the world would be

diminished by their disappearance.

 

Having said that, let's look at what makes ebooks so

important and so unique. Ebooks have certain abilities

and qualities that other mediums do not possess.

 

For example, ebooks are fairly easy to produce, and

their production cost is inexpensive. Just think about

it: you don't need a publisher, an agent, a printing

press, offset film, ink, paper, or even a distributor.

You just need a great concept, the ability to write it

or to hire a writer, and the right software.

 

Additionally, ebooks are easily and rapidly

distributed online. They are also easily updated; they

do not require a second print run. All you need is to

go into your original creation and modify the text or

graphics. Because of this flexibility, ebooks can

change and grow as fast as you can type.

 

Ebooks are also immediately obtainable. You don't have

to go to a bookstore or search through endless titles

at an online bookstore. All you have to do is download

it from a website, and presto! It's on your computer,

ready to be read.

 

Ebooks are interactive. This is one of the most unique

and specific qualities that ebooks offer. You can add

surveys that need to be filled out, order forms for

customers to purchase your products or goods, sound

and video that draw your reader into the virtual world

of your ebook, even direct links to relevant sites

that will expand your ebook outward. The potential is

virtually limitless.

 

Ebooks have a particular kind of permanence that other

mediums do not possess. Television shows and radio

shows air once, and then may rerun a few times. Ebooks

remain on your computer for as long as your choose,

and they can be read and reread whenever you choose

to. They can even be printed out and stored on the

shelves of your traditional home library.

 

Another wonderful quality is that ebooks have no

barriers in terms of publishing. You don't need to go

through the endless process of submitting your

manuscript over and over again, and then once you land

an agent, having the agent submit your manuscript over

and over again. Nor do you have to shell out thousands

of dollars for printing a self-published book. All

ebooks require is a writer and appropriate software.

Figure out your market, write your book, post it on

your website, and with the right business savvy, your

audience will come to you.

 

Finally, you have creative control over your ebook.

You don?t have to compromise with an editor or the

publishing trends of the time. You don't have to

haggle with a designer or wait for copyedited galleys

to arrive by snail mail. You are in complete control

of the design and the text.

 

How to Use ebooks for Marketing and Promotion

 

There are innumerable ways to use ebooks to promote

your business and drive quality traffic to your

website. Once posted on your site, you can turn them

into a daily course, which brings your customer back

to read the next chapter. You can use them as a free

gift for making a purchase or for filling out a

survey. Put your ebook on a disc, and you will have an

innovative brochure. Blow your competition away by

inserting the disc into your sales packages.

 

The most effective marketing products are those that

are unique. Copyright your ebook, and immediately, you

have a powerful tool that you, and you alone, can

offer to the public. People will have to visit your

site to acquire your ebook, which increases the flow

of quality traffic and the potential of sales and

affiliate contacts.

 

Make sure that you keep your ebook current. Update it

frequently as the market and trends change. Add new

advice and techniques to show your prospects how your

goods or services can enrich their lives. By

constantly keeping abreast of new trends and

techniques, you can continue to see profits from your

ebook for years after your original creation.

 

Another phenomenal advantage of ebooks is that you can

test their marketing potential without putting out

hardly any cash at all. You can even produce an ebook

one copy at a time, each time you receive an order,

eliminating the need for storage and inventory. By

this method, you can gauge the saleablity of your

ebook, and make adjustments as necessary until the

orders start pouring in. Ebooks allow you to learn

about your market and customer habits and motivation

over a period of time, without risking your precious

financial resources. They also provide you with an

invaluable way to gather marketing information, which

you can use in many different facets of your business.

 

Use your ebook to discover what the specific goals and

problems are in your specific industry. Then figure

out how to solve these problems, and publish an ebook

with this invaluable information. This will increase

the value of your business, upgrade your reputation,

and get you known as an expert in your field.

 

You can extend the value of single ebook by breaking

the book down into chapters for a serial course, into

special reports available on your website, or into

audio or visual tapes. Ebooks can be broken down into

several different promotional materials by excepting

some of the articles and using them to promote your

product. You can include a catalog in your ebook to

promote all the products or services you sell. You can

include a thank-you note for reading your book and an

invitation to download a trial version of your

product. Or you can include a form for your audience

to contact you for further information or with

questions, thereby building your business

relationships and your mailing list.

 

Using ebooks in this manner helps to cut the cost of

individually producing separate promotional materials.

You can use a single ebook to entice new prospects and

to sell new products to your current customers.

 

No other medium has this kind of flexibility and

ability for expansion. Think of your ebook like a

spider spinning a beautiful and intricate web. Now go

and create that web, and see how many customers and

prospects you can catch!