6.1 ISBN for eligible electronic publications

Where a publication is available electronically (e.g., an e book, CD ROM, or publication

available on the Internet), it will qualify for an ISBN provided that it contains text and is

made available to the public, and that there is no intention for the publication to be a

continuing resource.

Such publications may also include pictures and sounds, but linked material (e.g.,

hypertext) would only be considered covered by the same ISBN if the related material was

actually part of the publication.

The following types of electronic publications shall 

not

 be assigned an ISBN:

  Publications that are subject to frequent update and where access is possible to these

changes almost immediately, such as online databases

  Websites

  Promotional or advertising materials

  Bulletin boards

  E mails and other electronic correspondence

  Search engines

  Games

  Personal documents (such as an electronic curriculum vitae or personal profile)

  Schedulers/diaries

6.2 ISBN for eligible software products

An ISBN may be used to identify a specific software product that is intended for

educational and/or instructional purposes, such as a computer based training product,

provided that it is not customisable nor requires data in order to function.

All other software products (e.g., computer games) shall not be assigned an ISBN. 

6.3 Principles for assignment of ISBN to electronic publications and eligible

software products

  Where a specific, qualifying publication or product is available using different operating

systems and/or command languages, each separate format shall be assigned a unique

ISBN. Neither operating systems nor reading devices themselves shall, however, be

assigned an ISBN.

  When a publication or product is updated, revised, or amended and the changes are

sufficiently substantial for the publication to be called a new edition, a separate

ISBN

shall be assigned.

  A re launch of an existing publication or product, even in new packaging, where there

is no significant difference in the performance of the new from the old product, does

not merit a separate ISBN. The existing ISBN shall continue to be used.

  A single ISBN may cover two or more items in a package consisting of the software

product and its accompanying user and technical manuals if the manuals are

necessary in order to operate the software and are useful only as an adjunct to the

software.

19