Adobe has more than 17 ebook reader manufacturers, 100 publishers, book retailers as well as libraries using Content Server 4 software to deliver encryptable ebooks via the two formats favored by Adobe: PDF and ePUB.

Both PDF and ePub are open industry standards, though the optional encryption and DRM provided by Adobe's Content Server and enforced by the Adobe Reader are not.

Amazon.com is like Apple: successful, but secretive, with a reliance on proprietary formats like the Kindle's native AZW that creates customer hassle and lock-in.

Analysts are backing Adobe over Amazon, Amazon has been doubted before, wrongly I might add. Given their decade plus of staying power, and their brand, I think Jeff can sleep easy at night. Publishers are going to offer their content to all willing to send back revenue streams. They know the big dollars will aggregate like water from tiny droplets on the ground to creeks to streams to tributaries to massive continental rivers. Exclusivity agreements with device manufacturers will not be around for much longer. I wonder if book "renting" like DeepDyve's article renting will threaten libraries down the road.