FlipBrowser: Another Step in the E-Publishing Revolution

Windows platform

The promised eBook revolution has not yet stormed triumphantly across the publishing world the way its hearty band of e-publishing warriors had hoped. Maybe they had set their sights too high. Maybe they are guilty of instigating a revolution without enough followers to bring down the paper ramparts. Maybe I'm just going way overboard with dramatic hyperbole.

It's important to realize that it took hundreds of years before traditional paper bound books became the universal method of transmitting ideas. I bet Johann Gutenberg, who invented the means of mass-producing books in the mid 1400s, never believed there would be a Gutenberg Bible beside every Red Roof Inn bed within a year or two. In fact, only about a 180 were ever published. I'm fairly certain eBooks will be more than a curiosity. I'm also fairly certain that eBooks will be delivered to readers much differently than they are today.

FlipBrowser Gold screenshot

When it comes to eBook publishing, people think of products like the Rocket eBook. But there are other ways of delivering e-book content. One of these comes from a company called E-Book Systems. The delivery mechanism is called 'FlipBrowser.' It's a software based Web browser that allows e-publishers the power to do more than create eBooks. They can also create photo albums, instruction manuals and tutorials. These creations can then be posted on Web sites or delivered as e-mail attachments. One of the cool features of the FlipBrowser is the power to turn pages in a book.

Create FlipBooks with this toolbar

Creating e-content for this technology is fairly straightforward. The program uses XML scripting to build your eBooks. This enables you to edit the .OPF (OEB Package Format) files in any text editor. You start by importing pictures and html directly into your book. You can create an image based cover, choose among different styles of binding, create tables of content with links, and add bookmarks. You can build your eBooks with left/right page or centerfold layouts and control the style of the pages. eBooks (accessible in either HTML or Open Electronic Book (OEB) format) are fully scalable and use WYSIWYG printing. This means visitors with alternate screen resolutions can view content full screen. One of the features I really liked is the power to quickly access previously viewed pages. For pre-authored content, you can progressively open the pages while the rest of the eBook downloads. New features include the power to create 'FlipBrowser' books by dynamically linking them to a database using ASP or PERL scripting.

XML Scripting

Unfortunately, the downside of this technology is that the visitor must have a plug-in. In this case, the FlipBrowser. The file is available at www.flipbrowser.com and is 3 megs in size. Another downside is visitors must have IE 5.01 or better to use the plug-in. Currently the plug-in is not compatible with Netscape. A serious deficiency in my opinion. Despite Bill Gate's dreams IE is not yet the only browser in town. Support for Netscape and other browsers like Opera is a prerequisite if this technology is to gain greater acceptance.

To create FlipBooks, you will need 'FlipBrowser Gold.' This can be downloaded as a trial version for 30 days. After that you will have to purchase it for $14.95. The basic player is downloaded for free. There is an extensive library of 143,000 books and photo albums you can check out at www.fliplibrary.com. These have been created from the hundreds of thousands of users who have fallen in love with this technology. You can submit your own content to this expanding e-library.

The ultimate success or failure of any browser plug-in depends on the acceptance of millions of Web users. It took Flash and RealAudio a number of years to become the standard bearers for rich media. Whether 'FlipBrowser' can do the same for eBooks is yet to be seen. But the technology is stable, useful and fun.

Learn more about this technology at http://www.flipbrowser.com/

System Requirements:
Windows 95/98/ME/2000 and Windows NT 4.0
Internet Explorer 5.01 or above
IBM - compatible PC Pentium 166Mhz or better
32 MB RAM (minimum)
9 MB hard disk space
800 x 600 display monitor with 16-bit color display adapter or higher
33.6K modem (minimum)

Source:
http://www.iboost.com/promote/marketing/ebooks/flipbrowser/20028.htm