To Whom This May Concern,
I have been using DPS now for just over 3 years for our publications. Our clients have been requesting many many features that could technically be done by HTML folios, but can easily be integrated into the folio builder and overlays panels (or so I believe at least, I'm no hardcore developer).
These are a few requests we constantly get that I believe could improve the adobe DPS platform.
1) Fonts to be embedded into the article automatically. Some clients require a lot of the animation tools and such from the overlays panels and can be designed/done much easier/faster through adobe DPS instead of an HTML article. However, it keeps rendering the text as an image (even in PDF versions). Our clients would like to be able to incorporate search features, copy/past text etc. If DPS would automatically embed the font through maybe a checkmark in the folio builder (after selecting PDF let's say) this allows many users to benefit from these features without having to build the whole app in HTML. This is especially important for us as well since our publications are in Arabic, and no platform around that I've run into allows live Arabic text and integrates search features (or any other cool add ons to texts such as highlights and notes).
2) Another item that would be useful and requested by many clients is a notepad feature. They want to be able to leave in notes in many articles and refer to them later. They would also love the ability to do clippings and have this in their notes. Right now they're constantly taking screen shots and annotating it in a PDF app. Which for now works, but I think adobe DPS would greatly benefit from considering this point. Especially for those who tend to always use DPS for building complicated types of reading experiences where the content demands annotations (science magazines etc).
The above two points for us seem to be the most regularly requested features. The rest are just add ons that a few clients have requested, but we don't think are really 100% essential to DPS but would be nice to see added on.
3) More types of folio overlays. It would be nice if DPS could work on delivering new types of overlay content. I know we can use edge animate to basically build whatever we want, but having a tool that for example can build and implement forms directly. These can be used for "sign up to this newsletter" or even make quizes. Again, can be done through edge animate but just thinking of ways to simplify DPS and make it more widespread for companies that do not have developers or the budget for them. Other nice things would be like a google maps overlay or something similar to muse where you have a widgets library. These can even be opened up to developers like in muse who can then create their own "widgets". I've seen muse-themes make awesome widgets. We can do these through muse, but again, would be nice to directly work within indesign without having to build an html document.
4) Finally, a folio producer app. It would be nice if the folio producer can be made into an app similar to the DPS app builder. Where we can pop it open, log into the DPS account and start organizing and working with the meta data. I know there's a panel in InDesign, but would be nice to take it further by allowing us to have the same layout as the website but also push our notifications and release the issues through this app instead of the website. I know this may sound silly, but it would be nice. Maybe an overhaul of the folio producer panel where you can expand it to look like the folio producer website? This is more of a luxury request rather than a serious feature request.
5) This may be a silly request as it's a new one from a client, and I haven't looked it up yet. But, I'm assuming it's not supported directly. I'm sure there's some sort of a workaround. I could be wrong but since I'm already here I'll request it anyways. The ability to directly link to another folio and article from another app. We have a client that has two apps out, and they want a button from one of their apps, to link to another article inside of a folio in another app that they've release. Again, it might exist, so if it does I apologise and ignore this request.
6) Finally, the bookshelf/newstand themes. I really like the current way the adobe DPS bookshelf looks like when you launch the app. But, in the app builder, it would be nice for people who are using the pro account to be able to edit their themes. I don't mean full fledged HTML editing like the enterprise account. But, maybe adding something like "dark theme" or the ability to choose the color palette for the theme. That would be nice and help pro accounts differentiate their apps from others without having all the benefits you get when you pay for the enterprise account.
Anyways, I hope I didn't request too many crazy things. It's just a couple of things I thought would make DPS a better platform for the smaller companies using the platform.
Thanks!