what happened to MS ebooks?
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Hello I was an ebook sdk beta tester nearly an year ago and I remember how MS sent me a cool T-shirt that was large enough for a rhinocerous who is large by rhino-standards. I couldnt do much with it. I couldnt wear it as it'd keep falling down. The best I could manage was to use a belt so that I looked like one of those old timeroman charioteers. Well, what happened to the sdk? Is it still on? I mean did they abandon it? i thought the MS ebook format was pretty decent. Regards Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain
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Hello I was an ebook sdk beta tester nearly an year ago and I remember how MS sent me a cool T-shirt that was large enough for a rhinocerous who is large by rhino-standards. I couldnt do much with it. I couldnt wear it as it'd keep falling down. The best I could manage was to use a belt so that I looked like one of those old timeroman charioteers. Well, what happened to the sdk? Is it still on? I mean did they abandon it? i thought the MS ebook format was pretty decent. Regards Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain
Microsoft eBooks seem to still be on the cards. However I will state that I will NEVER read a fiction book on something like a computer or eBook Reader handheld. Nothing beats the feeling of well worn pages, the smell of well read paper and lying on a grassy hill under the sun reading your favourite book. The only use I see for eBooks is that of technical references but then HTML Help does that job just fine (and can run on unmodified handhelds) and has a better search than eBooks. So I don't see the point of eBooks, care to fill me in? :) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
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Microsoft eBooks seem to still be on the cards. However I will state that I will NEVER read a fiction book on something like a computer or eBook Reader handheld. Nothing beats the feeling of well worn pages, the smell of well read paper and lying on a grassy hill under the sun reading your favourite book. The only use I see for eBooks is that of technical references but then HTML Help does that job just fine (and can run on unmodified handhelds) and has a better search than eBooks. So I don't see the point of eBooks, care to fill me in? :) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
Its early days for eBooks Paul, A NZ company I know is doing research on an e-book that looks and feels like a real book. Sure you don't turn the pages, but the paper is intelligent and changes at a click of a button. I know sounds weird doesn't it. I think other ebook deevelopemnts are happening also that are quite exciting, I think it still take 10 yrs before it really happens. Anyhow catch you later in Bobs HungOut Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
Bring back the EMBED tag
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Microsoft eBooks seem to still be on the cards. However I will state that I will NEVER read a fiction book on something like a computer or eBook Reader handheld. Nothing beats the feeling of well worn pages, the smell of well read paper and lying on a grassy hill under the sun reading your favourite book. The only use I see for eBooks is that of technical references but then HTML Help does that job just fine (and can run on unmodified handhelds) and has a better search than eBooks. So I don't see the point of eBooks, care to fill me in? :) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
Hmmm You are right. EBooks are still in. I found that I have a folder called "My eBooks" under "My Documents" Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain
www.busterboy.org
Nish is a BIG fan of Goran Ivanisevic -
Its early days for eBooks Paul, A NZ company I know is doing research on an e-book that looks and feels like a real book. Sure you don't turn the pages, but the paper is intelligent and changes at a click of a button. I know sounds weird doesn't it. I think other ebook deevelopemnts are happening also that are quite exciting, I think it still take 10 yrs before it really happens. Anyhow catch you later in Bobs HungOut Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
Bring back the EMBED tag
Colin, What are the timings for Bobs HungOut? Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain
www.busterboy.org
Nish is a BIG fan of Goran Ivanisevic -
Colin, What are the timings for Bobs HungOut? Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain
www.busterboy.org
Nish is a BIG fan of Goran IvanisevicI'm leaving Bobs HungOut open all night I hope my old PC can handle it ! Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
Bring back the EMBED tag
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I'm leaving Bobs HungOut open all night I hope my old PC can handle it ! Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
Bring back the EMBED tag
Cool! :-) I thought the terminology for CP addicts was CPians. I think Bobs is better. Maybe CP Bobbers :-) Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain
www.busterboy.org
Nish is a BIG fan of Goran Ivanisevic -
Its early days for eBooks Paul, A NZ company I know is doing research on an e-book that looks and feels like a real book. Sure you don't turn the pages, but the paper is intelligent and changes at a click of a button. I know sounds weird doesn't it. I think other ebook deevelopemnts are happening also that are quite exciting, I think it still take 10 yrs before it really happens. Anyhow catch you later in Bobs HungOut Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
Bring back the EMBED tag
A NZ company I know is doing research on an e-book that looks and feels like a real book Ahhh but does it smell like a real book, hmmm? That wonderful smell of literature! Can you ruffle the pages in a loving fashion? That wonderful feeling of pages flying past your fingers! If you spill some tea on a page do you years later find the faded stain reminding you of better times? Ahhh books will never be replaced :) I also love having a huge book shelf in my room. Stacked to the rafters with all sorts, permeating the air with that fragrance. Having to stretch to the top to get hold of an obscure read. Now if I had an eBook I would have a huge book shelf with one lonely plasticky thingy forlornly sitting there. Sure it has 5 gazillion books on it but it is not the same. And what about second hand bookstores? What shall happen to them! Imagine walking into a second hand book store and being asked "Sir may I have your Passport account please so that I can download our entire collection into your eBooker?". No riffling through shelf after shelf and finding a gem of a book. No sitting around a crowded coffee table stacked high with books arguing with others as they spin through page after page trying to find some or other reference to make their point. What about book clubs, libraries and flea market stalls covered in books? Imagine sitting next to your childs bed reading from a characterless electronic sheet instead of a big dusty toom of fairytales! Alas, it shall be a dark day indeed when eBooks become the norm! :) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
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A NZ company I know is doing research on an e-book that looks and feels like a real book Ahhh but does it smell like a real book, hmmm? That wonderful smell of literature! Can you ruffle the pages in a loving fashion? That wonderful feeling of pages flying past your fingers! If you spill some tea on a page do you years later find the faded stain reminding you of better times? Ahhh books will never be replaced :) I also love having a huge book shelf in my room. Stacked to the rafters with all sorts, permeating the air with that fragrance. Having to stretch to the top to get hold of an obscure read. Now if I had an eBook I would have a huge book shelf with one lonely plasticky thingy forlornly sitting there. Sure it has 5 gazillion books on it but it is not the same. And what about second hand bookstores? What shall happen to them! Imagine walking into a second hand book store and being asked "Sir may I have your Passport account please so that I can download our entire collection into your eBooker?". No riffling through shelf after shelf and finding a gem of a book. No sitting around a crowded coffee table stacked high with books arguing with others as they spin through page after page trying to find some or other reference to make their point. What about book clubs, libraries and flea market stalls covered in books? Imagine sitting next to your childs bed reading from a characterless electronic sheet instead of a big dusty toom of fairytales! Alas, it shall be a dark day indeed when eBooks become the norm! :) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
yeah its a cost thing maybe e-Mags will be fashionable in the future than e-books, The ePaper stuff I know was originally designed for eNewsPapers but they probably couldn't get it thin enough. It would cut down on recycling, delivery costs which are high, and you'd always have the latest edition. I hate old newspaper lying aroud! Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
Bring back the EMBED tag
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A NZ company I know is doing research on an e-book that looks and feels like a real book Ahhh but does it smell like a real book, hmmm? That wonderful smell of literature! Can you ruffle the pages in a loving fashion? That wonderful feeling of pages flying past your fingers! If you spill some tea on a page do you years later find the faded stain reminding you of better times? Ahhh books will never be replaced :) I also love having a huge book shelf in my room. Stacked to the rafters with all sorts, permeating the air with that fragrance. Having to stretch to the top to get hold of an obscure read. Now if I had an eBook I would have a huge book shelf with one lonely plasticky thingy forlornly sitting there. Sure it has 5 gazillion books on it but it is not the same. And what about second hand bookstores? What shall happen to them! Imagine walking into a second hand book store and being asked "Sir may I have your Passport account please so that I can download our entire collection into your eBooker?". No riffling through shelf after shelf and finding a gem of a book. No sitting around a crowded coffee table stacked high with books arguing with others as they spin through page after page trying to find some or other reference to make their point. What about book clubs, libraries and flea market stalls covered in books? Imagine sitting next to your childs bed reading from a characterless electronic sheet instead of a big dusty toom of fairytales! Alas, it shall be a dark day indeed when eBooks become the norm! :) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
Gosh! Paul, you are so right! So so right!!! When ebooks replace books, I wonder what the old-timers will do. Television, Radio and the WWW were only alternatives to books and so books lasted till now. But ebooks will kill books forever :-( Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain
www.busterboy.org
Nish is a BIG fan of Goran Ivanisevic -
yeah its a cost thing maybe e-Mags will be fashionable in the future than e-books, The ePaper stuff I know was originally designed for eNewsPapers but they probably couldn't get it thin enough. It would cut down on recycling, delivery costs which are high, and you'd always have the latest edition. I hate old newspaper lying aroud! Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
Bring back the EMBED tag
old newspaper lyin around is a lot better than old ebook-readers lyin around. these readers will become like mobile phones. Every 4 months a new model will be out. Nish Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain
www.busterboy.org
Nish is a BIG fan of Goran Ivanisevic -
Gosh! Paul, you are so right! So so right!!! When ebooks replace books, I wonder what the old-timers will do. Television, Radio and the WWW were only alternatives to books and so books lasted till now. But ebooks will kill books forever :-( Sonork ID 100.9786 voidmain
www.busterboy.org
Nish is a BIG fan of Goran IvanisevicWhen ebooks replace books, I wonder what the old-timers will do. Television, Radio and the WWW were only alternatives to books and so books lasted till now. But ebooks will kill books forever eBooks will not replace books. Not for a very, very, very, very long time. Why? Because us book lovers are very passionate, and stubborn. We will not easily change and we will pass our love onto our children and inflict it on our friends. Many dictators in the past have tried to kill us off but to no avail. We resurface and retake what is ours! :-D So Nish, eBooks will not tempt us, eBooks shall not prevail. eBooks are destined to become the most advanced door stoppers ever :) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
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yeah its a cost thing maybe e-Mags will be fashionable in the future than e-books, The ePaper stuff I know was originally designed for eNewsPapers but they probably couldn't get it thin enough. It would cut down on recycling, delivery costs which are high, and you'd always have the latest edition. I hate old newspaper lying aroud! Regardz Colin J Davies
Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin
Bring back the EMBED tag
I think e-Mags and e-Newspaper will be a good idea, I would go for that. regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
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Microsoft eBooks seem to still be on the cards. However I will state that I will NEVER read a fiction book on something like a computer or eBook Reader handheld. Nothing beats the feeling of well worn pages, the smell of well read paper and lying on a grassy hill under the sun reading your favourite book. The only use I see for eBooks is that of technical references but then HTML Help does that job just fine (and can run on unmodified handhelds) and has a better search than eBooks. So I don't see the point of eBooks, care to fill me in? :) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
you started to compare it with html i have no experience with ebook so my question: in what is ebook better than html? f.e. in html you can't play with kerning at http://www.microsoft.com/reader/info.asp i see The software builds the eBook, page-by-page, according to your preferences to suit the device you're using. they want to compute layout in real time? or it has it fixed as f.e. pdb files? is it all planned for: Anyone can easily create eBooks from Microsoft Word files at the click of a button. only? (http://www.microsoft.com/ebooks/tools/make\_your\_own.asp) who knows more? (why all documents there are in w2000 format?) t!
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you started to compare it with html i have no experience with ebook so my question: in what is ebook better than html? f.e. in html you can't play with kerning at http://www.microsoft.com/reader/info.asp i see The software builds the eBook, page-by-page, according to your preferences to suit the device you're using. they want to compute layout in real time? or it has it fixed as f.e. pdb files? is it all planned for: Anyone can easily create eBooks from Microsoft Word files at the click of a button. only? (http://www.microsoft.com/ebooks/tools/make\_your\_own.asp) who knows more? (why all documents there are in w2000 format?) t!
and now i see: http://www.microsoft.com/reader/download.asp When installation is complete, you may be prompted to restart your PC. somewhere i heard about "already no more restarts after installing ms products" (last time i restarted because of new msdn) t!
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you started to compare it with html i have no experience with ebook so my question: in what is ebook better than html? f.e. in html you can't play with kerning at http://www.microsoft.com/reader/info.asp i see The software builds the eBook, page-by-page, according to your preferences to suit the device you're using. they want to compute layout in real time? or it has it fixed as f.e. pdb files? is it all planned for: Anyone can easily create eBooks from Microsoft Word files at the click of a button. only? (http://www.microsoft.com/ebooks/tools/make\_your\_own.asp) who knows more? (why all documents there are in w2000 format?) t!
in what is ebook better than html? HTML is a standard, not controlled by any one company, widely distributed and supported, simple to use, efficient etc. eBook is not a standards, is controlled by Microsoft, is not widely distributed or supported. I have not tried to make an eBook so I don't know if it is easy to use or if it is efficient (all I know is that on a system which ran IE4.0 showing an HTML page everything was fast, however eBook on the same system became slow as Cleartype did it's thing). f.e. in html you can't play with kerning Sure you can :) CSS has virtually all the control over text of professional publishing apps like Adobe Photoshop, Quark etc. You can adjust kerning, line height, line space, baseline, word spacing, character spacing etc. etc. The software builds the eBook, page-by-page, according to your preferences to suit the device you're using. You can do this with XML and XSL or a bit of XHTML. Anyone can easily create eBooks from Microsoft Word files at the click of a button. You can save Word files as XML and HTML if you want. Sure the code is not very good but then I'll bet the same happens when you save to eBook format from Word. Anyways I was actually comparing HTML Help to eBook when it comes to technical references. With HTML Help you have wide spread support plus good features like a fast search and the system is easy to work with as it uses HTML. I just don't feel eBook has much going for it (Cleartype on my machine looks horrible, I am used to normal text :) ) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
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in what is ebook better than html? HTML is a standard, not controlled by any one company, widely distributed and supported, simple to use, efficient etc. eBook is not a standards, is controlled by Microsoft, is not widely distributed or supported. I have not tried to make an eBook so I don't know if it is easy to use or if it is efficient (all I know is that on a system which ran IE4.0 showing an HTML page everything was fast, however eBook on the same system became slow as Cleartype did it's thing). f.e. in html you can't play with kerning Sure you can :) CSS has virtually all the control over text of professional publishing apps like Adobe Photoshop, Quark etc. You can adjust kerning, line height, line space, baseline, word spacing, character spacing etc. etc. The software builds the eBook, page-by-page, according to your preferences to suit the device you're using. You can do this with XML and XSL or a bit of XHTML. Anyone can easily create eBooks from Microsoft Word files at the click of a button. You can save Word files as XML and HTML if you want. Sure the code is not very good but then I'll bet the same happens when you save to eBook format from Word. Anyways I was actually comparing HTML Help to eBook when it comes to technical references. With HTML Help you have wide spread support plus good features like a fast search and the system is easy to work with as it uses HTML. I just don't feel eBook has much going for it (Cleartype on my machine looks horrible, I am used to normal text :) ) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
thanks for info about css i hope export to ebook can be so easy as export to any other format one question still relives: is ebook with fixed (pdf) or dynamic (html) layout? how i know (good) classic-book creation process there is before-print phase: final layout (end-of-line-word-dividing etc.) where i do not know fully automated system - man still have to check its output and sometimes do correction so there you must know all final settings (paper-size) to do it perfectly t!
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Microsoft eBooks seem to still be on the cards. However I will state that I will NEVER read a fiction book on something like a computer or eBook Reader handheld. Nothing beats the feeling of well worn pages, the smell of well read paper and lying on a grassy hill under the sun reading your favourite book. The only use I see for eBooks is that of technical references but then HTML Help does that job just fine (and can run on unmodified handhelds) and has a better search than eBooks. So I don't see the point of eBooks, care to fill me in? :) regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa Do you Sonork? I do! 100.9903 Stormfront "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge
I will always prefer paper to e format in books. However, when I travel on business, because of the speed that I read, I take about 6-9 books with me for a weeks travel. When I can put those onto a single device it is much more convenient. At home of course I simply read the books. From an internal company e-mail November, 2001 -- "Would the person who stole the ethics training manual from the class last Friday please return it."