Stop the Vote on the Proposed IDPF/W3C Merger: Give the publishing industry the information and time it needs to make an informed decision

The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) has announced its intent to merge with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The merger (also known as a “membership exchange”) will eliminate the IDPF as a standalone organization. A vote by the membership of the IDPF on the proposed merger is underway and will close on November 4th, 2016.

Serious concerns about the impact of the merger have been raised by members of the IDPF and others in the eBook community, including:

• The future of the EPUB specification
• The extent to which current IDPF members will be able to participate in and influence the direction of the W3C’s publishing group
• The ongoing costs of membership in the W3C
• The lack of transparency regarding the IDPF’s finances and the extent to which other options that were explored
• The impact that the loss of the IDPF as a standalone organization will have on the publishing community and eBook industry

Concerned members of the publishing community are calling for the IDPF to stop the vote on the merger. We are asking the IDPF to share additional information on the proposed merger, to engage the eBook community in an open dialog, and to explore other alternatives (if a standalone IDPF is not viable). Let’s get the IDPF to give us the information we need to make an informed decision and take the time we need to make the right decision for our industry.

If you share our concerns, please sign our petition.

You can learn more about the proposed merger at: http://www.futureofebooks.info/