A compiler is a software program that is designed to take each of your HTML pages (Hypertext Markup Language) or text pages and then combines them into a single executable file.  An ebook itself is considered a software program.  

There are as many different compilers available as there are various kinds of operating systems and  Internet browsers.  One of the most frequently asked questions I get is "Which compiler is the best and which one should  I use?"

My answer is almost never the same!

First you must choose what you want to use to create your pages.  Will your book be in PDF (portable document file) format or HTML?  To make HTML pages you can use Microsoft Word which will save your pages as HTML or you can use a HTML "Editor."

There are many of these "editors" on the market.  And many are in the form of a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editors.  These type of editors require very little knowledge of the HTML language and much like a word processing program you can "see" your pages as they will look in their final form.

Then you will need to consider what your book is going to be used for.  Are you giving it away free, or are you selling it?  If you are selling it - you will probably want to password protect it to ensure that it cannot be given to others.   

Not all compilers have the same capabilities.  Once you know what you will require, you will be better able to make the choice as to which compiler is best for you.  Just as all eBooks are not created equal - neither are all compilers!

One of the worst downfalls with a majority of the compiler software out there is that they rely upon the user to either have a Windows 95/98 operating system or require the user to have special reader software installed to view the eBook. Hopefully, some day, a software company will create a multi-platform eBook compiler that doesn't require extra software or hardware to read it. This is a potentially huge market!