Free eBooks and Windows eBook Readers

eBooks - their great! I luv 'em! But they come in quite a few different formats and hence need different software to be able to read them. Here's a quick list of the different file formats with links to their respective readers and locations for downloading free eBooks.

eBook File types include: TXT, PDF, LIT, PDB, RTF, DOC, HTML, XML, SXW.

TXT - The most basic of formats. Small files can be read in Windows Notepad but for the extra bells and whistles go with these text file readers:

ETextViewer is a FREE txt file e-book reader.
It Opens large files;
Saves the position in the file when the program is closed;
Offers 5 bookmarks per book;
Reformats text to remove hard returns;
Offers your choice of font, background and foreground colours;
Allows for left and right margin size of your choice;
Comes with full uninstall option;
Remembers the last 20 books (and their bookmarks);
Auto scrolls text
& Accepts command line arguments.

Rudenko BookReader, another free reader, offers a unique way of reformatting text documents to display them on your screen according to your preferences. The program can scroll text automatically; it remembers the reading position for each book in your personal library; it includes a personal library manager, a bookmarks manager and an on-line library browser.

PDF - Adobe® Portable Document Format is the most commonly used file specification for electronic document distribution and exchange. Adobe PDF files look exactly like the original pages using the free Adobe Reader® software available on a wide variety of platforms and devices.

LIT - Microsofts standard file format for eReading, using ClearType® display technology that makes text on screen crisper and easier to read. Download the Microsoft Reader for PC here.

Create your own Microsoft Reader eBooks with the Read in Microsoft Reader (RMR) Add-In

or by using Overdrive's ReaderWorks Standard.

PDB - Palm database format originally developed for the Palm OS and extended for use on other operating systems as well.

eReader a.k.a. the free Palm eBook Reader, is used to read eBooks or files with the pdb extension on your Windows computer and/or laptop. The eReader software allows you to read books, change font sizes, add bookmarks, navigate your eBooks easily, and search for words in your book.

RTF, DOC, SXW, XML - Lesser used formats for distributed eBooks. To read RTF (rich text files) and some DOC files use Windows Wordpad. To read DOC, SXW or even possibly XML files try OpenOffice, a suite of free, multiplatform, open source applications for the desktop, sponsored by Sun Microsystems.

Download free eBooks from:

Project Gutenberg. It is the oldest producer of free electronic books (eBooks or etexts) on the Internet. The collection of more than 15,000 eBooks was produced by hundreds of volunteers. Most of the Project Gutenberg eBooks are older literary works that are in the public domain in the United States. All may be freely downloaded and read, and redistributed for non-commercial use. All files are in text format.

The Online Books Page is a website that facilitates access to books that are freely readable over the Internet. It also aims to encourage the development of such online books, for the benefit and edification of all. eBooks are available in text, HTML and PDF formats.

Etext Center - Over 2,100 publicly-available ebooks from the University of Virginia Library's Etext Center, including classic British and American fiction, major authors, children's literature, American history, Shakespeare, African-American documents, the Bible, and much more. eBooks are available in the Microsoft Reader LIT and Palm PDB formats.

Download free LIT files from ESSPC-eBooks.

Chuggnutt.com offers free Palm Reader ebooks by converting free works (primarly from Project Gutenberg) to the Palm Reader pdb format.

If you want more information than I have supplied here then have a look at The Step-by-Step Guide to eTexts and eBooks. When it states step-by-step, IT MEANS STEP-BY-STEP!!! Good for computer illiterate people and has a very good list of links and information.