Re: [docbook-apps] EPUB3: missing some meta data

[Keith Fahlgren <abdelazer@gmail.com>]

Hi,

I'm not trying to be evasive about these questions, I just want to be
careful about pointing to the spec itself rather than asserting my own
(possibly false) opinions.

On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 12:25 AM, Bob Stayton <bobs@sagehill.net> wrote:
> I was also wondering about backwards compatibility of the epub 3 files.
>  That is, would an epub3 file work with an epub2 reader?

Yes, that is my personal understanding. The Working Group often
discussed this goal, and the spec has been modified to facilitate EPUB
3 documents working _at a very basic level_ in an EPUB 2 Reading
System.

> Are there other things that can be done to the
> epub3 files to make that experience more satisfying?

Right, so I think we're currently in a transitional phase, where we
want to emit the most EPUB 2-friendly EPUB 3 documents. That said, I'd
encourage the stylesheets to parameterize any of these things for
future versions (when EPUB 2 is super obsolete). The critical items we
know EPUB 2 Reading Systems *really* need:

* NCX
* Basic metadata (title, identifier, language)

EPUB 2 Reading Systems like:

* Extended metadata
* OPF guide, etc


Keith