A few questions "Acrobat & eBooks"

[harryglos]

Hey Folks,

I have some questions that have been nagging at me and thought, Hey this is the place to ask them. So here we go...

1. I set my eBook up as a 6 x 9 and 12 pt. New Times Roman. It looks great on a PC and Mac both desktops and 13" laptops. Will the folks with a Kindle, spindle and dwindle have an equally good experience? This is my first foray into the world of eBooks and although my making mistakes is a given, I'd just like to make them as few as possible.
2. I'm a database developer by trade and in that environment I can set security up so a user has to enter a password every time they close and reopen the solution or enter a password once and don't have to enter it again unless they move to another computer. All permissions stay in place from a security standpoint, they can only go where their access privelage allows. Can you set things up in Acrobat X Pro so the reader enters a password only once yet the copy & paste etc is disabled?
3. General help and information:  This is my first eBook and I'm trying to do as many things right as possible, so any pearls of information you can pass along would be most appreciated. One thing I can guarantee is I'll not say anything like "that's not how they do it in New York City".

Oh and one last thing... In Adobe Reader is there a way to set it up so the Bookmarks Bar is always showing? I know it stays open once you open it, but can you set it so it opens automatically at initial opening.

Thanks a lot,

Harry

[CtDave · Accepted solution]

Harry,

For (1) —
I've a PDF (letter page size/portrait orientation) of some length on my Kindle.
After rotating the screen presentation I've no problems using the PDF.
If "actual size" is selected Kindle's magnifier can be used.
Keep in mind that some facilities associated with Kindle viewing of the Kindle eBook format are not going to be available when view the different file format that is PDF.

You might want to consider picking up a Kindle (perhaps a 'gently used' one) so that you can actually view your PDF(s) on a Kindle.

Note that interactivity, such as links within pages or from Bookmarks is not support.

One can view/read only at this time.

The Kindle Fire might do more - don't have one so I cannot speak to that.

For (2) —
You can use Acrobat to establish "security" for a PDF or to require a password to open a PDF.
Problem is document security can be circumvented and what's to prevent someone from passing around the password?
The only effective way to really "lock-down" a PDF is to apply a DRM solution.
Not always economically feasible for an individual / small shop publisher.

For (3) —
Just a thought. As this is your first foray out to town (as it were) you may want to give consideration to initially provided the eBook in Kindle format to the Kindle store.

Look over the self-publishing scheme provided. Idea is to get a product, with adequate protection of your intellectual property, on the street to see how it fairs.

Hopefully, the coffers will begin to fill. That provides revenues to support other avenues.

Example: InDesign CS5.5 to master content. Output routes are available to iPad, Android Tablets, Kindle, other eBook readers.
With adequate revenues in hand DRM for the eBook(s) (PDF or ePub) becomes viable.

For "one last thing..." —

Adobe Reader cannot configure a PDF for Initial View. You must use Acrobat. Configure the PDF's Document Properties.
In the Document Properties dialog there are some tabs. Open the Initial View tab.
You can establish a setting for "Navigation tab" - select "Bookmarks Panel and Page".

Good Luck!

Be well...

[harryglos]

Hey Dave,

Thank you for the reply it was thoughtfully done and I appreciate it. Of course it does beg the question of what are you doing answering a deadbeat like me on a Saturday? I guess only someone answering the post on Saturday could know the answer to that and it ain't pretty!

Harry

[CtDave]

Harry,

Just taken a break from painting the ceiling.

Be well...