The Open eBook Forum (Open Electronic Book Forum or OEBF) is an organization whose purpose is to develop a specification for electronic content, based on existing HTML and XML standards, that allows electronic book content to be viewed on various devices (PC display, PDA , or eBook reader) and all platforms. The OEB Forum brings publishers, authors, agents, distributors, hardware and software vendors,and programmers together to work towards creating this common standard in "dual-stream publishing", the simultaneous production of both electronic and print media.
Goals for the OEB Forum include:
- Providing a forum for the discussion of issues and technologies related to electronic books
- Developing, publishing, and maintaining common specifications relating to electronic books and promoting the successful adoption of these specifications
- Promoting industry-wide participation of electronic publishing through training sessions, guidelines, and demonstrations of proven technology
- Identifying, evaluating and recommending standards created by other bodies related to electronic books
- Encouraging interoperable implementations of electronic book related system sand providing a forum for resolution of interoperability issues
- Accommodating differences in language, culture, reading and learning styles,and individual abilities