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1611mac · 04-22-2011, 11:35 AM

IMHO.. If someone developed a really good system for e-book "STUDY and REFERENCE" (not just reading) they'd have a very unique product with some potential.

Here's my hypothetical "system." Assume all public domain and/or non-DRM works. This example uses my particular devices, an iMac, iPad, and iPod Touch and it would work much like a good Bible study program (all notes and marks for all books linked for easy access.)

I would have my master library on my iMac, (much like Calibre). It would be able to convert formats and do all that Calibre does. But... it would also have a high end "reader/study app" that worked in conjunction with it. The reader/study app would display books as Calibre does, (it's custom columns, tags, size, etc) so I could find my books in the reader (on my iPad) exactly as I do in Calibre. Of course, this app would work and look the same on the Mac Desktop, iPad and iPod Touch.

The reader/study app would sync between the Mac Desktop and the iPad. It would sync "furtherest point read" (set as a special bookmark) as well as regular bookmarks, notes, highlights, etc.

Marking tools would be more robust than anything currently available and there would be a MASTER NOTE FILE (all annotations and marks) which was housed in the master library (iMac). This Master Note File would allow the browsing of all notes in ALL BOOKS and, when you make a note, it would "guide" you to your common note themes (a pulldown menu perhaps.) While within a book, you could highlight a word, name, or place, and you could browse a listing which showed ALL books with a note or mark that you have made on that topic. A click on a button would collect and show those notes from all those books in a single pane.

Think of it like this: Bible Study software can "link" books and commentaries to bible passages and with a click on a tab or link, you can read that passage and it notes in any number of reference works. Why not the same for ebooks? With a networked system and a "Master Note File" working with your main book library, it's possible.

Well, I won't hold my breath…. But I'll keep on dreaming….

04-22-2011, 11:35 AM	#1
1611mac eWanderer Posts: 523 Karma: 1441998 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NC, USA Device: iMac,iPad3,iPhone5-Kindle Fire,Touch,PaperWhite	My dream "study system" for eBooks... IMHO.. If someone developed a really good system for e-book "STUDY and REFERENCE" (not just reading) they'd have a very unique product with some potential. Here's my hypothetical "system." Assume all public domain and/or non-DRM works. This example uses my particular devices, an iMac, iPad, and iPod Touch and it would work much like a good Bible study program (all notes and marks for all books linked for easy access.) I would have my master library on my iMac, (much like Calibre). It would be able to convert formats and do all that Calibre does. But... it would also have a high end "reader/study app" that worked in conjunction with it. The reader/study app would display books as Calibre does, (it's custom columns, tags, size, etc) so I could find my books in the reader (on my iPad) exactly as I do in Calibre. Of course, this app would work and look the same on the Mac Desktop, iPad and iPod Touch. The reader/study app would sync between the Mac Desktop and the iPad. It would sync "furtherest point read" (set as a special bookmark) as well as regular bookmarks, notes, highlights, etc. Marking tools would be more robust than anything currently available and there would be a MASTER NOTE FILE (all annotations and marks) which was housed in the master library (iMac). This Master Note File would allow the browsing of all notes in ALL BOOKS and, when you make a note, it would "guide" you to your common note themes (a pulldown menu perhaps.) While within a book, you could highlight a word, name, or place, and you could browse a listing which showed ALL books with a note or mark that you have made on that topic. A click on a button would collect and show those notes from all those books in a single pane. Think of it like this: Bible Study software can "link" books and commentaries to bible passages and with a click on a tab or link, you can read that passage and it notes in any number of reference works. Why not the same for ebooks? With a networked system and a "Master Note File" working with your main book library, it's possible. Well, I won't hold my breath…. But I'll keep on dreaming….