Designs
Design
5:
The
electronic book-reader (E-Bookman)
This
page dates back to 1998 and offers a design which finally
has been realized in 2007 by Sony
and Irex-technologies, and was in 2010 perfected by Apple with their Ipad.
Nevertheless the text below is interesting from a
historical point of view.
"It
is ironic that one of the biggest successes on the
internet sells books, a product that the medium was
supposed to make obsolete. We still might see the rise of
devices that download novels like software ...."
(TIME nov. 9 1998 cyberelite TD11)
For the purpose of
reading electronic books this e-bookman provides for the
future of the information-culture. This device will
replace the existent books in printed format by books
that can be downloaded by means of a computer in
zip-files to be stored on regular floppy discs. These
floppy discs will be processed by the bookman which is
capable of reproducing complete Internet-pages (including
images) or any HTML-marked up text-pages (as big as the
room on the floppy-disc permits: normally 1.4 Mb). Thus
each internet-site can offer zip-files of its essential
information so that everyone who does not want the
computer-complications (and prizes) can appreciate the
information from the internet. Also for computer-owners
it can be a relief not to have to start up the computer
just to read page-files off-line. No electric fan or
screen-effect will disturb. Nice reading from your lap
with a device as handy as a book. Easy controls for
paging forward and back (the big buttons), viewing the
previous screen and next screen (the small p- and n-
buttons left to the right forward button) going instantly
to the top top and bottom ot the document (by the t- and
b-buttons right to the left backwards-button). It offers
also the advantages of HTML-linking. Eventually the
normal citizen interested in read-only media (digital
television for as well zapping as surfing e.g.) and not
so much in the creative challenge of an evolved
processing station as a full computer, may want to
download by such media files on a floppy disc. One then
can read them off-line when the set or computer is used
by others for t.v.-programms and such, or buy them in a
bookstore against a much lower cost of production (a
quarter of the actual book-prizes or less), or get them
from a download-facility in libraries e.g. that will have
all books and internet-information always available
instead of the half of it being lend out or not in stock.
One may get an e-book from a library thus without any
obligation of bringing it back or paying a fine for
neglecting that. In sum: greater efficiency of
information transference against lower cost with a for
the public more afordable (approx. 100 dollars)
accessible and controlable device as a full computer. The
e-bookman can manage the file-operations by a means of a
touchpad or touchscreen or with buttons. Thus the basic
idea is met to provide for an acceptable alternative for
existing printed books, which is just as easy and
pleasant to use but is offering many extra
advantages.
The following companies
are developing e-books that do not answer though to this
power-to-the-people-design: they read no floppy-discs
(and thus cannot be used to transfer files without a
computer), have trouble with standards, are expensive
guarding against 'illegal copying' and some even require
a monthly subscription!: Comdex (Everybook),
Librius, Novomedia (Rocketbook)
and Softbook.
A failing precurser was: Dynabook.
Anyone interested in
this design for the sake of publishing or manufacturing
is kindly requested
to contact The Order of
Time.
Links:
Links
to e-books on the Internet
E-Books
offered at this site