FAQ 1

CONFUSED ABOUT EBOOKS? THEN READ ON...

We have had an amazing response to our first eBook The Criminal History of the Papacy and if you were one of our readers who sent in your comments, we thank you for taking the time to do so. From some of the queries that came in, however, it appears many people are confused about eBooks or are not up with the latest in this growing trend. We thought it opportune to explain what eBooks actually are and discuss the pros and cons of buying a book in this format.

We are not replacing our printed books with eBooks. This is an important point. We will be carrying eBooks from now on as an additional product line, an added service to our customers as many people have indicated that they would like to have the product they buy available immediately.

 For the record, all of us at Joshua Books like holding a printed hard-copy in our hands; the smell of the printing, feeling the texture of the cover and paper stock, the sensation of holding something solid. However, we have to move with the times and we believe that eBooks are just another mechanism to get information to you and they will not replace the printed version entirely.

What is an eBook?
An eBook (“electronic book”) is a digital product which you download onto your computer usually from a website. Many eBooks are free, but for the better quality ones, there is normally a charge ranging from around $5.00 to more than $100.00.

An eBook, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary of English, is “an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a personal computer or hand-held device designed specifically for this purpose”.

What are digital products?
“Digital products” (as opposed to “analogue products”) include electronic products that are downloaded to a computer and run with a program. Examples are eBooks, audio books, MP3 music, videos/movies and the like.

How do I view an eBook?
EBooks are usually read on devices such as personal computers, some mobile (cell) phones and PDAs. Dedicated hardware devices known as “e-Readers” or “e-book devices” are also available to read eBooks. Apple have released their iPad, which is ideal for viewing eBooks, among another things, and Amazon has their “Kindle” format and device for reading their electronic books. As time goes by, there will be more and more of these devices available.

As the majority of eBooks come in PDF format, there is no need to purchase any special equipment for viewing. The computer you are viewing this page on is fine—all you have to do is ensure the free Adobe Reader program installed.

What format do eBooks come in?
As with all digital products, formats are changing all the time, but the tried and tested format for eBooks is PDF (Printable Document Format). The program everyone seems to be using to view their PDF files is Adobe Reader which is available here for free. This is a very versatile program and allows you to easily print out any PDF file.

There are other less popular formats available, but these require specialised software to be installed on your computer to view and operate the eBook. In this case, the eBook file can only be read using the specialised software, which limits the reach throughout the market.

What are the benefits of an eBook?
There are numerous advantages to buying an eBook as opposed to a printed hard-copy book, some of which are:

• No shipping costs to pay.
• Easy to make a copy (see below).
• Usually available at a cheaper price than the print version.
• Interactive and can have embedded links, audios, videos, etc.
• Downloadable, instantly available, so no waiting for delivery.
• Less physical space—a 1Gb memory stick can hold around 1,000 eBooks. (Try carrying that many normal books in your pocket!)
• Can be updated very easily by the author, so the copy you buy is the latest version.

Are there any disadvantages?
The biggest disadvantage with eBooks is that you cannot hold the book in your hand as a normal-sized printed book. You can print the eBook out on your printer to form a hard copy, but it will never look like a book you would buy in a bookshop. From the authors’ and publisher’s point of view, an eBook can easily be pirated, however, as there are far more honest people in this world, the wheels of the publishing industry will not fall off due to the popularity of digital products.

Can I buy your eBook as a printed book?
The answer to this is usually “No”—Joshua Books does not currently publish the same book as a hard copy and a soft copy, and if we did, it would be clearly mentioned on the website so you would have the choice.

You can print out a PDF eBook on your own printer and use a staple or a bulldog clip to bind it or mount it in a display folder. A better method is to take the PDF file down to your local print shop and they will professionally print and bind it for a small charge.

I look at my computer all day, so why would I want to look at my computer after work?
Good point! However, if you print out your eBook, you can read it anywhere and at anytime. eBook readers, such as those mentioned above, can read PDF files and some, like the Amazon Kindle, have a “paper-like” screen that is easy on the eyes.

Can I make a copy and give it away?
You can, but you shouldn’t. Material in most eBooks is copyright and you are doing a disservice to the author, publisher and anyone else involved in getting the eBook to you if you do. It is the same thing as burning (pirating) a copy of a movie or DVD.

How do I buy an eBook from Joshua Books?
You can buy an eBook from our website just as easily as you can a hard-copy book, except that it will be available to you immediately. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Add your selected product to your Cart and proceed to the Checkout where you enter your details. This produces a “Pending Order”, a copy of which is sent to you via email.

Step 2: Proceed to the PayPal payment area and enter your credit card details. PayPal automatically verifies your card and accepts payment. Our website is notified and your “Pending Order” is changed to a “Confirmed Order”. You will be sent a “Payment Confirmation” email from PayPal and a “Download Info” email from our website.

Step 3: From PayPal, proceed back to the Joshua Books website and you will be taken to an “Order Confirmation” page at the bottom of which you will find a link to download your eBook. You can click on this link to download your product immediately.

Step 4: You may wish to check out your emails now or at a later time. Open up the Joshua Books website in your browser and go to the Downloads page (the link is in the LH menu on every page). Copy and paste the “Download Code” given to you by email and your eBook will start to download. Save it to your computer (eg. to your desktop or in a folder in My Documents). If you make a mistake, do not worry—you are given three attempts to do this within five days.

Step 5: Read your new eBook on your computer, on your eBook reading device or print it out on your own printer or take it down to your local print shop for a nice looking hard-copy.

To have a look at our range of eBooks, go here. Enjoy your new eBook and feel free to send a comment or testimonial to our Webmaster here.

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