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What is On-line Publishing?
by JA Santiago
On-line publishing is the publishing of on-line reading material over the Internet. These literary works are available in digital format for access and viewing by computer. A number of on-line books are currently available for viewing onscreen or for downloading to print or to read off-line.
Some companies are beginning to see on-line publishing as a viable alternative to print publishing and have set up websites which sell books on the Internet. There are today about one hundred such publishers mostly concentrated on websites registered in the US who see an entire generation of book readers who are not only computer literate, but expect real time access to information, including books as their market.
Online publishing is seen as a viable altenative to traditional print publishing because it involves the removal of printers and distributors and eliminates printing and distribution costs and the cost of unsold books, which according to publishers approaches a 40% return rate for some books.
Most online books that are bought are password protected and "locked" preventing the purchaser from changing or modifying the book file in any way. Addtionally some books come with the publisher's watermark incorporated into the page design and may also include an encryption tag that prevents online books from being copied and distributed via e-mail.
Online publishers have copied Amazon.com's method of shopping by placing all purchases into a cart, followed by an agreement to a standard licensing agreement not to make illegal copies and then proceeding to the checkout counter. Online payment is executed by keying in your credit card number and other personal details.
Distribution is done by two methods either by providing you with a URL address from which you can download the book you have purchased or by sending it to you via e-mail.