Open Source for Education

Could eBooks be part of your training and professional development efforts?

If your eBook would be less than 25 Web page files, Activ eBook Compiler™ might be just your ticket.

One catch is that the compiled eBook is a Windows™ program. You have to use a Windows™ computer (or an operating system running Windows™) to create the eBooks with this program, and you have to use a Windows™ computer to read the compiled eBook.

Not True Open Source: But Free Forever

The 25 file input is the only restriction on this free version of the software.

Otherwise, the software is free to use forever at no cost.

The other restriction is that if you create eBooks and sell them, then you need to pay the $30 USD for the commercial license.

Link to the software:

Create your own E-Books with Activ eBook Compiler™

What the Software Can Do…

Here are some of the things that this free version of the software can do:

• Create an unlimited number of eBooks


• Distribute the eBooks without paying a royalty
• Note: Some other eBook compilers require a royalty fee to use their software
• Distribute the eBooks you create…
• By E-mail


• On Disk or CD-ROM


• Download


• On USB or ZIP Disks


• Etc.
• Protect your eBook Contents with Passwords (Entire book or selected pages)


• Add Web links, Buttons, Menus


• Create an automatic "searchable index"

Why Compile an eBook when free "Export-to-PDF" is Available?

Several Open Source alternatives allow saving your files as PDF documents. And, PDF solutions are great for many uses, including:

• Simple documents that were created with a word processor


• Linear documents that don't require interaction, or multiple paths through the document


• Documents that don't require password protection


• Documents that don't require a lot of control

Compiled, Controlled, eBook Documents

Features that make eBooks that are compiled with Activ eBook Compiler™ include…

• Compiling Websites and linked Web Pages, not just simple documents
• Compiling Websites in this way keeps all files together in one package for E-mail and other distribution
• Compiled eBooks can include extra capabilities, for example, support for…
• HTML, DHTML


• Image files and animations, such as GIF, JPG and PNG


• Programming, such as JavaScript and VB Script


• Most Plug-Ins that work with Microsoft's Internet Explorer™.
• Controlling what readers can do with the "Right Mouse Click"


• Controlling printing


• Setting an &Expiration Date", so that drafts are not opened or used after a certain time


• Turn components (toolbars, status bars, colors, text labels or buttons) on or off


• Add serial numbers, enabling the tracking of documents


• Add an "Auto Install" option so that the eBook can be installed automatically

If you already have files formatted for the Web, then, rather than re-coding them to remove the HTML, then adding word processing formating back into the document, you can compile the document into an eBook in one step.

Special Uses that Teachers Might Find for Compiled eBooks

What kinds of uses would make the free Activ eBook Compiler a useful tool for teachers?

Here are a few ideas…

• Create "Take Home Tests" that expire so that students must complete them by a certain time


• Create study guides that require a password to open the "Answers"
• Note: You can assign up to 1,000 passwords for the eBook, giving each student their own password. This means that students cannot share the password
• Create test documents that expire so that students cannot pass them around to your students next year


• Create an anthology of students' stories, use the Office Productivity software's capacity to "save as a Web page" compile the resulting "Website", compile this into an eBook and sell CDs with the stories as a class field trip fund raiser


• Compile your classroom rules, procedures, goals; study resources, and other information of use to parents, and place this eBook online. This would save a lot of paper, and protect your photocopy monthly allotment so that you copy more important things than parent notices

There are many uses for this free eBook compiling program. Let us know what other createive uses you find for the program as you use the trial version.