- gutvol-d - lists.pglaf.org

that silly wager
by Bowerbird＠aol.com 25 Apr '12

25 Apr '12

last weekend was the 2-year anniversary of a 3-year "wager" which michael hart and i made way back on april 21st, 2010. i'd posted "longstanding question has finally been answered", a message noting that the ipad -- on the verge of release -- had answered the frequently-debated question as to whether general-purpose machines or dedicated e-readers would win. the 300,000 pre-orders for the ipad were convincing to me... but michael differed, saying dedicated e-readers would prevail. we eventually settled into a bet where he made me pick a date when the number of ipads would surpass kindles/nooks/sonys. i thought it would be from 1-to-3 years, max, so i said that... > http://lists.pglaf.org/mailman/private/gutvol-d/2010-April/006648.html and so the wager was formalized... > http://lists.pglaf.org/mailman/private/gutvol-d/2010-April/006659.html > http://lists.pglaf.org/mailman/private/gutvol-d/2010-April/006660.html i said that ipads would outnumber sony/nooks/kindles on 4/21/2013, and michael (for some reason) bet the opposite. *** along the way, i also made another post full of predictions: > http://lists.pglaf.org/mailman/private/gutvol-d/2010-April/006652.html kind of interesting to go back and look at how close i was... *** anyway, 2 years in to our 3 year wager, apple just announced its results for the quarter that concluded at the end of march. they sold 11.8 million ipads in the quarter, for a grand total of _67_million_ since the debut of the machine 2 years ago... pretty sure that dwarfs the other machines, even if you were to add in all the other e-readers and tablets, even combined. the ipad is an absolute juggernaut. apple's market cap -- which is now #1 -- has grown to nearly $600 million. (exxon, #2, hovers solidly around $400 million.) *** at any rate, i miss you, michael. -bowerbird

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Re: [gutvol-d] Creating a list of unknown words from a text document
by Bowerbird＠aol.com 24 Apr '12

24 Apr '12

james said: > I need to identify the words that I want in my index. i handled this in my "grapes" series in september and october. > http://lists.pglaf.org/mailman/private/gutvol-d/2011-September/date.html > http://lists.pglaf.org/mailman/private/gutvol-d/2011-October/date.html you'll find working python code, and pointers to dictionaries... it might be a mistake to eliminate all dictionary-words though, because you'll probably want to have a lot of them in your index. i'd first try eliminating common words (i point to a list of them), which account for a surprising percentage of the bulk of a book, then see how useful the list is at that point in time. my guess is that eliminating words from there will be a whole lot easier than trying to summon up the remaining good index words later on... > Using the ascii version of the file with gutspell is > not an answer. I need the accents in the word list. a first pass might be to extract all the words that have accents, because those are words which you'll definitely want to index... (even if they only occur once, consider putting 'em in the index, perhaps in their own special section, because that's useful info.) after that, you'll have only low-bit words left, so no need for utf8. -bowerbird

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barbara freethy owes michael hart another large pizza
by Bowerbird＠aol.com 23 Apr '12

23 Apr '12

barbara freethy has now sold _2_ million e-books. > http://www.barbarafreethy.com/ebook-sales-hit-2-million/ it just took 6 months to attain the second million, so we can predict 3 million by the end of the year. the e-book revolution is being very generous to authors who have a large out-of-print backlist... even ones you and i might never have heard of... > http://lists.pglaf.org/mailman/private/gutvol-d/2011-October/008221.html -bowerbird

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Proofing Tools
by Don Kostuch 22 Apr '12

22 Apr '12

In proofing texts I have found that much of the work is awkward and repetitive keystrokes to: Combine words broken across lines Insert non-ASCII 7 letters (umlauts, accents, ...) Insert page numbers {345} Insert illustration tags, footnote tags, italics,.... After experimenting with AutoHotKey (www.autohotkey.com) I have developed a script which reduces many of these tasks to a single convenient keystroke, and in some cases automates the task, as in keeping track of page numbers. The attached sample is what I am using on the current book and represents only a trivial exploitation of the tool. I hope you find this useful. The syntax is a little tricky; (the help files are good), but the results are worth the effort. I have also started using Dragon "Naturally Speaking" and have found it ideal for replacing scannos. By controlling position in the document using the mouse in my right hand, and the "AutoHotKeys" with my left hand I can correct most errors. The few remaining are corrected by selecting the erroneous text with the mouse and speaking the correction. This works well for words, phrases and whole sections. My typing does not introduce new spelling errors. Even single letters ("press x") works well. I only need to type ambiguous or unusual words that I cannot pronounce or Dragon does not recognize. This system at least doubles my production because I don't have to take my eyes off the text to position my hands for corrections or contorted control sequences. I use EditPlus; other editors may require different control keys Peace and Light, Don Kostuch ============== Comments ================== ";" begins one line comment !1:: ; Alt 1 pressed by user SendInput [Illustration: ] ; Substitude " [Illustration: ]" at insertion point return ; End substitution ; {} indicate key names, not text; {Enter} mean press "Enter" Key. as in SendInput {Enter}{Down}{Backspace}{Backspace}{Backspace} ====================Sample AutohotKey Script============================ pagenum=415 ; Define global variable !1:: SendInput [Illustration: ] return ;----------------------- ; Common non-Ascii7 characters and inserts !A:: SendInput â return ;----------------------- !B:: SendInput ä return ;----------------------- !C:: SendInput ç return ;----------------------- !D:: SendInput è return ;----------------------- !E:: SendInput é return ;----------------------- !F:: SendInput {Space}{Space}[Footnote : ] return ;----------------------- !G:: SendInput [Greek text] return ;----------------------- !N:: SendInput [Note return ;----------------------- !O:: SendInput ö return ;----------------------- !P:: SendInput {{}%pagenum%{}} ; Insert pagenumber within [{} pagenum++ ; Update page number return ;----------------------- !U:: SendInput ü return ;----------------------- ; These keys are selected so that the most frequently ; used functions are available without moving my left hand. ; The first three fingers are positioned over ; F1(wrap word down), F2(wrap word up), F3(delete). ; The first finger (F3) moves to F4("), F5(--), F6(Italic) ; F7(!), F8(?) as needed. ;----------------------- ; Assumes first fragment ends in hyphen+space ; Move word fragment down to next line (from cursor to end) deleting hyphen and space ; Select concatenated word F1:: ; Wrap hyphenated word to next line SendInput {Enter}{Down}{Backspace}{Backspace}{Backspace} KeyWait, F1 ; One insertion per key press of F1 return ;----------------------- ; Assumes first fragment ends in hyphen+space ; Move word fragment up to previous line (from cursor to beginning) deleting hyphen and space ; Select following word F2:: ; Wrap hyphenated word to previous line SendInput {Enter}{Up}{Backspace}{Backspace}{Backspace}{End}{Right}^w KeyWait, F2 return ;----------------------- F3:: ; Delete selected text Sendinput {Delete} KeyWait, F3 return ;----------------------- F4:: ; insert double quote (") SendInput " KeyWait, F4 return ;----------------------- F5:: ; insert Mdash SendInput -- KeyWait, F5 return ;----------------------- F6:: ; mark selected text as Italics (with underscore) SendInput ^c Sleep, 50 ; wait for system SendInput _ ; Open italics right = %clipboard% ; this loop renders newlines correctly ; trailing "!" are lost (???) ; (the native logic duplicates newlines) loop { nl := RegExMatch( right , "\n" ) ; locate newline if ( nl = 0 ) ; no newline--output remaining text break left := SubStr( right , 1, nl-1 ) ; before next newline SendInput %left% right := SubStr( right , nl+1) ; after next newline } SendInput %right%_ ; end italics KeyWait, F6 return ;----------------------- F7:: ; insert ! SendInput {!} KeyWait, F7 return ;----------------------- F8:: ; insert ? SendInput {?} KeyWait, F8 return ;----------------------- ; Move to top of page in PDF source document. ; (These documents are two column format.) ; Adjust numbers for your specific document and ; window size. Escape:: SendInput {PgUp 2} SendInput {Up 5} return

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Kindle Touch software update now with KF8
by James Adcock 21 Apr '12

21 Apr '12

Kindle Touch now has the long-awaited software update to KF8. Previously only Kindle Fire ran KF8. "KF8" is basically Amazon's encapsulated version of EPUB. One can take a Gutenberg EPUB file and run it through Kindlegen Version 2 or Kindle Previewer to create a KF8 file which will display with much more integrity to the HTML version than PG's MOBI version of a file. Or one can also take an HTML file and use the same techniques to convert it to a KF8 file. (The resulting file still identifies itself as being a .mobi file, and will also run on older Kindles, but on Kindle Touch and Kindle Fire it will display with much greater fidelity to the original HTML) These techniques are also important if you care what your PG submissions look like on a KF8 device. Kindle Touch Software Update Version 5.1.0 http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_left_sib?ie=UTF8& nodeId=200790650

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a blade of grass cracks the sidewalk
by Bowerbird＠aol.com 20 Apr '12

20 Apr '12

spring has sprung, so on this day of grass, i guess i just can't hold this back any more. > http://zenmagiclove.com/aarp2.py voila. a dingus for zen markup language. supporters will love finally seeing a look. detractors will love the bugs i left in there, just for them, as easter eggs in the grass... -bowerbird

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App feedback (Fwd: Re: A book reader keeps your readers on Gutenberg site instead of driving them away!)
by Greg Newby 17 Apr '12

17 Apr '12

Here's an iPhone eBook reader app. Feedback welcome! Greg ----- Forwarded message from xfyang(a)msn.com ----- Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2012 15:33:05 -0700 From: xfyang(a)msn.com To: Greg Newby <gbnewby(a)pglaf.org> Subject: Re: A book reader keeps your readers on Gutenberg site instead of driving them away! Dr. Newby, Following your suggestion I have setup the following two ways for your site to link to my free iPhone app. The app is a universal web reader, you could also use it to read NYTimes or any other web site. (1) iPhone store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toilet-reader/id492689212 (2) Hismalaya-soft home page: http://www.himalaya-soft.com Could you please also take a quick look of the 1-minute Youtube video that shows how Your readers can 1-click to download a book, no need to determine which format to select; the downloaded book is marked with a bright yellow icon; You readers never leave your site while reading a book; your readers can go back and forth between your site and their reading with just ONE click. Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e60RjoIzUg0 Please let me know if there is any thing else I can help with. Thank you. Frank Young > Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2012 13:41:19 -0700 > From: gbnewby(a)pglaf.org > To: xfyang(a)msn.com > Subject: Re: A book reader keeps your readers on Gutenberg site instead of driving them away! > > Thanks for your note, Frank. This sounds super. Do you need > anything from Project Gutenberg? Once things are set up, we could > link to your page. > -- Greg > > On Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 11:19:09AM -0700, xfyang(a)msn.com wrote: > > > > > > Dear Dr. Newby, > > > > A few months ago, I sought your permission to redistribute some Project Gutenberg books, I have instead created a generic iPhone book reader, entitled Toilet Reader, which tightly integrates with Gutenberg website as well as many other sites. The result is a book reader better than iBook or Kindle in many aspects for reading Gutenberg books. > > > > The key feature is its seamless integration with Project Gutenberg website. The integration helps keeping your readers on your site instead of driving them away to another book reader after a download. To see the app in action please watch this 5-min Youtube video. Some comparisons between Toilet Reader and ibook and Kindle are detailed in the attached file in .pdf formats. > > > > Toilet Reader is available free of charge in App Store. Please feel free to share this app with your readers who may benefit. > > > > My two kids and I all love books and reading, and the kids still prefer paper copy. But one of them suggested that my app should integrate with Gutenberg website to make it easier to explore books there. This app offers me a chance to give back to Project Gutenberg. > > > > > > If you wish to further integrate this app with your website please advise me. The investment in a building good app is costly but I am fortunate enough to be able to do this for fun, which gives me a sense of contributing in my limited life span. > > > > Respectfully, > > > > Frank Young > > Himalaya-Soft > > > > ----- End forwarded message -----

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Bhagavata Purana ready to submit?
by James Simmons 09 Apr '12

09 Apr '12

With all your help I managed to get my submission, *A Study Of The Bhagavata Purana Or Esoteric Hinduism* into pretty good shape. This is the latest: http://epubmaker.pglaf.org/cache/20120406103034/ The book is such a big and complex project that rather than just inflict the whole thing on some unfortunate white washer I'd like to get some comments from anyone willing to give it a quick look first. I expect that the way I handled family trees (and this book has many) will be controversial. If I get a consensus that the book doesn't suck (or if I don't get any feedback at all) I'll submit it. I would be especially interested in Bowerbird's opinion on this. No, really. Bowerbird gave me some good advice early on with this book, and while I did not take all of it it did lead me to try RST, which I am convinced saved me a ton of work. I like RST better than the ZML that he had originally suggested. My reason is that while ZML documents look like they aren't marked up at all, that is not necessarily an advantage. For instance, to make a heading in ZML it sounds like you have to insert some number of blank lines before the text. Counting blank lines is something I'd rather not deal with. RST lets you underline the heading with something and not worry about blank lines before or after. The RST converter deals with that. I also learned that you don't re-wrap your text before proofing. You let the converter deal with re-wrapping. Next time I'll know better. Thanks, James Simmons

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Kindlegen 2.4 has some useful features
by James Adcock 08 Apr '12

08 Apr '12

Kindlegen 2.4 is announced, which has some useful features, such as properly supporting display:none -- which could be useful for example in some of the commonly used DP hacks which are intended (currently unsuccessfully) to hide page numbers on those devices which really don't want to support page numbers. I think PG is still running Kindlegen first generation, however. http://tinyurl.com/6qhkzx3

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RST search failed
by traverso＠posso.dm.unipi.it 08 Apr '12

08 Apr '12

Searching the PG catalogue (advanced search) for filetype = rst I get New Search You selected: * Filetype = rst (183 books match) 183 books found. but none is listed. Carlo

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