Now that merger talks between the IDPF and W3C have reached the negotiation stage, 5DOC.org is proposing a new 4 pillar format which it believes should be considered for the future vision.
Browser Document Format (BDF)
The Browser Document Format, or BDF, is an Open Web Platform (OWP) workflow and replacement for EPUB & PDF.
BDF is a complete solution from web page to file to printer
The 4 pillars of BDF:
- Open Web Platform HTML with additional optional features
- Caching for pervasive access of browser content
- Offline Url for a file and compressed containers (evolved from File Url)
- Print CSS for a paginated and/or paper copy
BDF is a holistic vision of how the Open Web Platform moves from web pages to documents in the basic ways documents are commonly used
Over the last year the IDPF & W3C have road tested several names for their joint DIGIPUB initiative — EPUB+WEB, PWP, WP. The process focused first on developing use cases with the expectation that specifications would be built to accomodate them.
HTML & OWP offer the ability to build what’s not standard
While the IDPF and the publishing community feel they have special requirements beyond the OWP, BDF does not either mandate their presence in a document nor require these requirements are addressed before moving ahead with BDF.
