Why are the downloadable files in ZIP format?
Browsers are often set to display PDF files directly from a link on a web page without prompting for them to be saved and they become subsequently ‘lost’ when the the browser is closed.
The ZIP format is the only universal file type that reliably prompts the Customer to save the download.
When presented with a ZIP file for download, the user is invariably asked how and where it is to be stored. Double-clicking on the download ZIP file will permit immediate access.
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File types used.
The most common file we use is the Portable Document Format [PDF] which is a universal ‘cross-platform’ product permitting it to be read on any device regardless of operating system.
It is a perfect format when viewing old documents or books and displaying in the original form, with the associated searchable text embedded within.
Other formats include the .mobi for Kindle users and the.epub for most other readers. The .mobi file is Amazon’s proprietary variant whereas the .epub is more widely used by everyone else. These files are often extremely small and download in a trice.
The latter two formats are absolutely ideal for ebooks which are predominantly text-only, or with just a smattering of small graphics or images.