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Re: [ARSCLIST] Digitizing libraries
On 19/12/06, Steven C. Barr(x) wrote:
> Okeh...for what it's worth, an idea I dreamed up as far as "digital
> books"...!
>
> My idea is something along these lines...
>
> "DigiBooks" would be something like text equivalents to iPods. They
> would be available in a few book-approximating sizes (say 6"x9" up to
> 8.5"x11") with larger machines offering larger type. There would be a
> page-sized LCD display; some models would literally be "read-only,"
> while the fancier ones would include a "Clipboard" (for copying
> selected content) and a small keyboard (for taking notes or making
> "annotations"). The basic files would be in the standard .pdf
> format... if that doesn't allow the Edit functions, the text could
> also be available in straight-ASCII (no illustrations) text characters
> for use in Find and Copy operations.
The problem with all ideas for digital books is the poor quality of
current screen displays.
Typical resolution is only around 110 dots per inch at best, whereas
computer printers are from 600 dpi upward. This makes reading long text
files on a screen tiring and uncomfortable.
When they start making 1200 dpi screens, printed books will have some
competition.
> These would be about the same size and weight as "hard copy" books...
> and could be read in the same locations (you couldn't take a DigiBook
> in the shower with you, but that also applies to paper books...!).
> Larger-screen models could be sold which would allow the display of
> two facing pages (folks read paper books both ways!). Of course,
> the extent to which content could be copied and privately stored
> (the fancier machines would have this capability, along with a
> hard drive) would be limited by copyright laws. Note that .pdf's
> can include illustrations, graphs and such...so the digital pages
> would look just like the originals. The .pdf filenames would also
> be stored with copied text or entered annotations, so a DigiBook
> and its augmentations would be associated by definition.
>
> DigiBooks would be sold on "flash memory" cards (just like digital
> photos are by their cameras) and the DigiBook "reader" would be
> equipped with such a slot. There would also be connections (USB
> ports?) so a regular desktop or laptop computer could be used if
> the reader preferred.
>
> Problem is, I don't have the techie know-how to build any of this...
> so if anyone out there in Radio-Land does, feel free to take my idea
> and run with it! Just give me some credit (and a little of the
> cash...?!)
>
> Steven C. Barr
>
Regards
--
Don Cox
doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx