Understanding EPub & PDF Files And When Conversion Is Necessary

You will almost certainly have heard of the expression ‘pdf’, you may not be as aware of the file type ‘Epub’. They are just two types of hundreds of different possibilities, but, they are also two of the most commonly used types of file; there is a good reason for this.

PDF Files

PDF actually stands for Portable Document File, it was originally envisioned as a means of sending files between people that did not require specialist software to open and read. Pdf files can be read by Adobe or a host of other pdf readers; you are almost certain to already have a pdf reader n your computer. If you do not then it is very simple and quick to download the reader which will allow you to access a file. It is also free.

Pdf files cannot be edited unless you have permission to do so; this makes them more secure than many other file types. It is possible for a pdf file to have a link, button, video, pictures or even audio incorporated into the file. In fact some are sent as forms; only the boxes which need filling in are editable. You can even digitally sign a file to confirm your acceptance of the terms. They are a very versatile but safe way of transferring information between individuals and businesses.

Epub Files

Epub stands for Electronic Publication. The format is specifically designed to be used when editing and publishing an ebook. It is used by most electronic readers; a book in this format can be uploaded to a variety of book selling portals quickly and effectively. This makes the process of publishing much quicker and easier. Although Google books on Android and iBooks on ios do support the format there are still a few publishers which adhere to their own format. The Book Industry Study Group has tried to get all publishers to agree to a single standard and they recommend epub. It is likely that, at some point in the future this will become the standard for all ebooks.

Why Convert?

If you search on the internet you will find a variety of businesses which offer an Epub to pdf convertor; many of them offer this service for free. The question you may be asking yourself is why would you need this facility?

It would seem fairly obvious why you might wish to convert from pdf to epub; it will allow you to publish your work on a variety of sites and for people to download it to their electronic readers to read at their leisure. In fact, there is a very similar reason to convert an epub to a pdf! There are times when you need to use part or all of an ebook in a presentation or you need to be able to read your work somewhere which does not have access to an electronic reader. When you come across an instance like this you can convert your epub file to pdf and retain the file format, images and layout whilst reading the file on any computer; whether old or new, as long as it supports the necessary version of a pdf reader.