The electronic book, or "e-book", is about to take a step forward this week thanks to an Irish initiative to redefine the online and reading experience through the personal computer.
Devised initially for children's books, a new interactive e-book format devised by Kinsale-based authors Colin and Jacqui Hawkins and developed by Dragnet Systems, also based in Kinsale, Co Cork, will be launched today.
The format is a downloadable interactive package that cannot be copied or forwarded by computer users.
The initial e-book series produced by the writers and Dragnet is an electronic version of the popular Pat and Pals books which are used to teach children to read. The e-book versions use animated characters and voiced readings of the stories for children to follow and repeat.
Since the inception of the e-book, publishers have been struggling to overcome two major problems. The first is how to distinguish an e-book from a physical book that you buy in the book store. The second is how to protect it from copying and piracy.
Dragnet has used an industry-standard digital rights management system, created by US market leader Macrovision, to overcome the latter. Any attempt to copy or forward the download directs the user to a trial purchase offer.
However, it is for its design and functionality that the Irish e-book solution is beginning to attract attention in the publishing world.
The e-book not only contains the text and animations of the physical book, it also provides access to literacy development games within the download as well as access to a website.
This focus on interaction in the animations and games means it is much more like an e-learning package than the conventional e-book.
It raises the stakes in terms of what publishers have to deliver to an audience to meet their expectations of web-based products.
The development has been self-funded by the Hawkinses and Dragnet, and includes administration functions to allow authors to manage the sale of their books and e-books across the globe.
The Kinsale team is now in discussions with two major publishers about a possible roll-out for their inventories.
The first five books can be viewed from today at www.patandpals.com
Dragnet Systems are at www.dragnet-systems.com