Since the launch of Office 365 for Exchange Professionals back in May one of the most frequent requests we’ve received is for a Kindle version of the ebook.
While we worked on writing and editing the book we were interested in the idea publishing to the Amazon Kindle store but a number of technical challenges got in the way (which Tony Redmond describes here), and we shelved the idea pretty early and focussed on finishing the book and getting it launched at Ignite and here on Exchange Server Pro.
Our original intention was not to create a Kindle version. The work necessary to format a large and complex book (many tables, graphics, and footnotes over the 630-odd pages) didn’t seem worth the effort, especially when we had a perfectly good EPUB version already available. In particular, we weren’t happy with the way that code examples are treated. And the way that Amazon publishes Kindle books through its Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform didn’t seem to match our desire to create frequent updates for the book.
However, we continued to receive a number of requests to support Kindle and so resolved to attack the problem again. After working through some “interesting” conversions, a Kindle edition is now available in Amazon stores worldwide.
As Tony goes on to explain:
We will continue to sell the book on ExchangeServerPro.com, where you can download PDF and EPUB versions. Amazon is easier for those who only want to read the book on a Kindle and like the way that Amazon wirelessly delivers content to Kindle devices. We actually believe that PDF on a PC is the best reading experience, but we want to support choice.
So in summary, Office 365 for Exchange Professionals can be purchased in PDF and EPUB formats (you get both formats) here on Exchange Server Pro. For those that prefer the Kindle buying and reading experience you can buy from the Kindle store.
Here’s the answers to a few common questions I’ve been asked over the last 24 hours or so about all this:
Q – I already bought the PDF/EPUB, can I download the Kindle version from Amazon for free?
A – No, Amazon doesn’t have a mechanism that makes that possible. However we are continuing to work on generating a good quality MOBI formatted file that will be made available to existing Exchange Server Pro buyers as soon as it is ready.
Q – Will new Kindle versions be released at the same time as those released via Exchange Server Pro?
A – We’ll try to get the released as closely as possible but given the extra effort involved in producing a Kindle-ready file I imagine we’ll be releasing the PDF/EPUB files first whenever there is a new update.
Q – Will you be making the ebook available on “some other device or marketplace”?
A – This really depends on what the demand is like. If you want to see a specific format or device supported please email BookComments@office365exchangebook.com.
Q – What about print editions?
A – Our stance on this hasn’t changed. While there is some demand for print the process of getting print editions to market for a book about a topic as fast moving as Office 365 just doesn’t seem practical. By the time the print editions were available to order significant portions of them would very likely be out of date.
If you have any other questions or comments please feel free to ask below.
