[Tfug] OT: RFC about Android and ebook software

[Tim Ottinger]

John Gruenenfelder wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 08:35:58AM -0600, Tim Ottinger wrote:
>   
>> I don't know what the current bookreaders do.  Kindle seems too expensive.
>> I used to use a palm reader back when palm was the thing, not anymore.
>> As a working guy, I'd want to:
>>
>> * hotswitch between favorite reference works.
>>     
>
> The current version of Weasel offers a "most recently read" list of the most
> recent ten documents.  Is this what you mean by hotswitch?  Or something which
> is configurable and not automatic?
>   
Kinda like a tabbed browser.  I'd like to keep a few programming references
and whatever I'm reading for fun (often programming lit as well) open 
for those
moments when you have four or five minutes with nothing to do (compiling,
potty break, train/bus, etc). 

Switching between various reference works while programming or configuring
something would be handy.  A hotkey, a tab, a configurable gesture, 
whatever.
I always thought that would be cool.  If it takes much time to switch 
between
books, or you don't know where you were in your last N books, it's not 
as useful.

>> * Destroys any DRMed work it comes in contact with (less than 1/2 kidding).
>> * RSS offline reader b/c I read too many blogs/webzines
>>     
>
> I must confess that, even in this modern age, I still don't use any sort of
> RSS reader/aggregator, so forgive my ignorance on the subject...
>
> Given Weasel's focus on book-length documents, would a task-specific RSS app
> be more appropriate?  Or do most people make almost no use of the additional
> features such an app offers?
>
> Of course, from a "generalization" point of view, I can see some similarities
> between an online book index browser and what an RSS reader might present.
>   
A task specific thing would be fine.  One app doesn't have to do it 
all.  But if
I like reading in an app, I'll surely want to do most of my reading in 
it.  Maybe
there should instead be an app that takes my rss subscriptions and 
book-ifies
them for offline reading....?

>> * Highlighter
>> * Saves, restore session
>>     
>
> Good ideas.  Currently, Weasel remembers your current book and place when you
> quit or stop reading.  Is there more to a "session" that you are invisioning?
>   
Yeah.  If I have many books, I would like it to remember my place in 
each of them.
If I can have many open at once (hotswitching can make it seem that I 
do, anyway)
then I want to know where I was in each of them.
>> * PDF import/export (of course).
>>     
>
> PDF import is a good idea... would PDF export be all that useful?  I've never
> worked with PDF documents programatically, though, so I'd need to look into
> how complex this would be.
>   
pdf import certainly.

Export might be handy, primarily if weasel first destroys DRM ;-)  <evil 
chuckle>.  But
it's important.  

I will try to pick up a sony reader or something and see what they do.  
I'm pretty
ignorant of any kind of reader programs other than evince and vim.


-- 

Tim ---------------------------
http://agileotter.blogspot.com/
http://tottinge.blogsome.com/
-Tim speaks only for himself---