Interested in ebook collection and conversion

busybee · 02-26-2009, 08:52 AM

I'm starting to catch on that we are in a transition phase from bits of paper to just bits. One college is going all etextbooks:

NPR on eTextbooks

I'm still surveying the ebook scene, but my current thinking is that for archival purposes all ebooks should be in html format. Back in 1976 it might have made some sense to archive ebooks as plain text for compatibility across systems (I'm thinking Project Gutenberg), but plain text is oh so painful to read that I think readable format should be more important (flowable, reader modifiable). Anyone still using a TSR 80 or VIC 20 who can't read html, well, too bad.

HTML is easily editable and convertable to just about any compressed single-file format (prc, lrf) now used or yet to emerge. There doesn't seem to be any winner in the format competition, so until a clear winner emerges, I want all my ducks in html.

Of Project Gutenberg's 21,000+ ebooks in English, about 9,000 are already in html, and most recent additions come in html. I'm interested in helping convert the rest to html (I've been playing with GutenMark) and reorganizing the collection. Naming ebooks by acquisition number just doesn't appeal to me. I want all the fiction ebooks in author folders (e.g. Twain, Mark, 1835-1910) within which you would find folders for each work:

1867 Twain, Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
1869 Twain, Innocents Abroad
1871 Twain, Roughing It
1876 Twain, Adventures of Tom Sawyer

and so on each containing html, prc, lrf, lit, pdf, txt, or whatever versions one has. I think the date of publication is interesting and should be included in the folder name. The master directory can be copied and sorted into various indexes, although if you know the author, no index at all is needed.

Finally, I'm interested in sharing collections via P2P.

One of my recent conversions (from html to mobipocket) may be of interest:

Huckleberry Finn

Anyone interested in working on an "Illustrated Classics" collection?

Busybee

HarryT · 02-26-2009, 09:22 AM

Hi Busybee,

There are many of us who are extremely interested in creating nice illustrated versions of the classics. On this site you'll find the complete works of Dickens, all with their original illustrations, "hand formatted" by me. Many other "classic" authors, too. Take a look in the "Book Uploads" forum.

Please do consider uploading your books here if they have been significantly improved over the PG originals.

02-26-2009, 08:52 AM	#1
busybee Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 348 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Arizona Device: none	Interested in ebook collection and conversion I'm starting to catch on that we are in a transition phase from bits of paper to just bits. One college is going all etextbooks: NPR on eTextbooks I'm still surveying the ebook scene, but my current thinking is that for archival purposes all ebooks should be in html format. Back in 1976 it might have made some sense to archive ebooks as plain text for compatibility across systems (I'm thinking Project Gutenberg), but plain text is oh so painful to read that I think readable format should be more important (flowable, reader modifiable). Anyone still using a TSR 80 or VIC 20 who can't read html, well, too bad. HTML is easily editable and convertable to just about any compressed single-file format (prc, lrf) now used or yet to emerge. There doesn't seem to be any winner in the format competition, so until a clear winner emerges, I want all my ducks in html. Of Project Gutenberg's 21,000+ ebooks in English, about 9,000 are already in html, and most recent additions come in html. I'm interested in helping convert the rest to html (I've been playing with GutenMark) and reorganizing the collection. Naming ebooks by acquisition number just doesn't appeal to me. I want all the fiction ebooks in author folders (e.g. Twain, Mark, 1835-1910) within which you would find folders for each work: 1867 Twain, Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County 1869 Twain, Innocents Abroad 1871 Twain, Roughing It 1876 Twain, Adventures of Tom Sawyer and so on each containing html, prc, lrf, lit, pdf, txt, or whatever versions one has. I think the date of publication is interesting and should be included in the folder name. The master directory can be copied and sorted into various indexes, although if you know the author, no index at all is needed. Finally, I'm interested in sharing collections via P2P. One of my recent conversions (from html to mobipocket) may be of interest: Huckleberry Finn Anyone interested in working on an "Illustrated Classics" collection? Busybee Last edited by busybee; 02-26-2009 at 09:04 AM.

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02-26-2009, 09:22 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Hi Busybee, There are many of us who are extremely interested in creating nice illustrated versions of the classics. On this site you'll find the complete works of Dickens, all with their original illustrations, "hand formatted" by me. Many other "classic" authors, too. Take a look in the "Book Uploads" forum. Please do consider uploading your books here if they have been significantly improved over the PG originals.

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