e-pub license and format

How do you guys charge for an e-pub license?  Is it a separate charge only?  I was considering a big discount to those who purchased the entire desktop family.  Also, is there a special format to deliver in or will the desktop files suffice?

Comments

  • I have yet to sell an epub license, so I shouldn’t offer my opinion on pricing.

    However, I have tinkered with epub files and I say desktop files work just fine. After all, epubs are just zipped HTML, CSS and whatever else the book needs. One of the main softwares used to edit epub is Sigil, which offers instructions on how to include custom fonts here: http://web.sigil.googlecode.com/git/files/OEBPS/Text/tutorial_embed_fonts.html

    Also, EPUB 3 specification includes OpenType (OTF/TTF) and WOFF font formats: http://www.idpf.org/epub/30/spec/epub30-overview.html#sec-fonts
  • Chris LozosChris Lozos Posts: 1,458
    Thanks, Henrique!

  • kupferskupfers Posts: 259
    I usually use the woff files for epub because they are smaller and (should be) improved for screen over the normal desktop fonts. I do appreciate when foundries price their epub licenses very friendly though. I cannot understand the pricing schemes of some. A small individual book isn’t an app or comparable with a server license. 
  • kupferskupfers Posts: 259
    I think everyone agrees that licensing of (everything but desktop) fonts should become easier and more transparent but we still have to see the good practice examples and the broad acceptance of these from the market. I think Fontstand is a great step in this direction when it comes to desktop fonts and comping. But I would like to see more attempts for contemporary solutions to licensing given the fact that most things designers design these days live in several media. And these are still usually covered by different, individual licenses except an enterprise agreement.
    I proposed a differently-sized-buckets approach before (and will put this idea out again in my ATypI session): why not combine a 1-title ebook license + a 1-seat desktop license with a 1K web license in a size “Small” bucket. If the customer needs a bigger amount of one of those things, they need to get the next tier. That reflects the scope of the use and the size of the company in a rough but simple way and would reduce the number of individual licenses a foundry has to maintain, and a customer has to understand. It would also mean an increase in price, which a lot of casual users will complain about. But who only needs the fonts to make a one-off wedding invite or occasionally play around with has Fontstand for the high-end-market and tons of free/cheap options on the other end.
  • I read your last paragraph as being self-contradictory, but maybe I'm not a great reader.
  • kupferskupfers Posts: 259
    Can you elaborate? I’m not a good English writer and reader.
  • The details of font licensing aren't going to get simpler. And we really need to get better at how we handle them. An easy, automated, à la carte license that discounts as options are bundled together is certainly an ideal solution, I'm just trying to think through an actual specific way to think about the somewhat complicated ePub part.

  • This may be a moot point or question, but have we exhausted the models used by image licensing, which is based on usage?
  • Ray LarabieRay Larabie Posts: 1,376
    I offer a flat rate eBook license for about 2.5 the desktop price. Unlimited books, unlimited titles.
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