6 more Shiny new 2004 Model GMail invites

hacker · 08-30-2004, 01:31 PM

I've got 6 of my own as well... how about we do a poll to win them. Here goes:

For 6 Shiny new 2004 Model GMail invites:

What publically-accessible document, pdf, website, ebook, or other work, would you like to see converted into a high-quality Plucker and iSilo document, for distribution either free, or for a small fee to cover the cost of conversion?

I've already done the 9/11 Commission Report in Plucker format and iSilo format, and users have been raving at the quality and speed of the document. I'd like to contribute more... but I need some ideas, and this is your chance to chime in to win some GMail invites to help us decide!

Alexander Turcic · 08-30-2004, 01:36 PM

Nice contest! Worth to be shown on the frontpage

Harpgliss · 08-30-2004, 01:48 PM

Hi,

I already have a Gmail account(Thanks Alex) but I would like to see Wikipedia converted for Isilo.

Here is a link http://members.chello.nl/epzachte/Wikipedia/ and should give you a place to start.

I know I had brought this up in a previous thread months ago but wanted to request it again.

Peace,

David

DoctorBri · 08-30-2004, 05:10 PM

Being a microbiology major, I love this website. It's just that it's inconvienent to always have to get on the internet to read it. The book is free online (it can also be ordered, but I obviously don't want to do that since that requires money and I'm still in college). This is one of the best free microbiology resources I have found.

Here's the Front Page
http://www.gsbs.utmb.edu/microbook/
(downloading 2 links deep will download each chapter as well)

or

Here's the Table of Contents
http://www.gsbs.utmb.edu/microbook/toc.htm
(downloading 1 link deep will download each chapter as well)

This is a great service, and an awesome contest

hacker · 08-30-2004, 10:25 PM

Wikipedia in iSilo (or Plucker) format can't be based on the same code that is available now. A lot of the (broken) Perl scripts that are out there that try to convert it to something useful, don't, and are not really scalable.

The actual MediaWiki software that drives the wiki has to be updated.. and I've already done this in my copy. This includes quite a few changes to make the output of the actual wiki more "compatible" with handhelds.

I've been working with the mediawiki developers to work this out. I have an approach that might work, but it still requires quite a bit of work to the database, content, and schema. The wiki tags used in WikiPedia are not exactly "valid" in most cases. A set of rules has to be developed to handle this conversion.

Importing the SQL dump of the wikipedia + images into a MySQL database and then parsing that with Perl to convert it, is the wrong approach. Spidering the actual visible, modified mediawiki code on a per-language basis, is the right way to do this.

It'll happen, but a lot of other pieces have to be fixed up first. See this message I wrote discussing my progress in this, and other areas.

ricmac · 08-30-2004, 10:56 PM

Yesterday I discovered a site that has free programming and computer science books:
http://techbooksforfree.com/

I remarked yesterday on my linkblog that it would be cool if some of those were available as eBooks.

I'm not actually a programmer per-se, so can I recommend these ones in particular:
http://www.reciprocality.org/Reciprocality/r0/
http://www.wtec.org/loyola/kb/

ps if you're really up for a challenge, how about Stephen Wolfram's 'A new kind of science'!
http://www.wolframscience.com/nksonline/toc.html

cheers, Richard (I already have a gmail a/c)
http://www.ebookculture.com

sonypda · 08-30-2004, 11:43 PM

Why not have other format?
I personally like the TomeRaider format, it is much faster on searches and much better on compressing than any other that I have used.

hacker · 08-30-2004, 11:47 PM

Why not support TomeRaider? Because it doesn't support HTML as an input/import format, and its support for text in general, is very primitive.

For representing rich, searchable, usable text... TomeRaider falls very short. HTML is the only way to do this (currently) for PDA displays.

Bob Russell · 08-31-2004, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricmac

...
http://www.ebookculture.com

I took a look... Nice site, ricmac! Hope you'll consider becoming a member here and sticking around. We'd appreciate hearing your thoughts and input! Take care.

ricmac · 08-31-2004, 12:35 AM

Thanks BobR. I've just now signed up. I found this site via someone who linked to it on a comment on my http://www.ebookculture.com blog.

cheers, Richard

Bob Russell · 08-31-2004, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricmac

Thanks BobR. I've just now signed up. I found this site via someone who linked to it on a comment on my http://www.ebookculture.com blog.

cheers, Richard

Glad you found us. Welcome aboard!

Traecer Prime · 08-31-2004, 07:32 PM

I've always found the Library of Congress Country Studies very informative and an excellent starting point when doing research on a country (originally for school, now mainly for travel purposes). Having some of those in mobile form could make them an even more valuable resource.

JB2 · 09-01-2004, 01:44 AM

Ditto! I have been waiting for this for a long time!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harpgliss

Hi,

I already have a Gmail account(Thanks Alex) but I would like to see Wikipedia converted for Isilo.

Here is a link http://members.chello.nl/epzachte/Wikipedia/ and should give you a place to start.

I know I had brought this up in a previous thread months ago but wanted to request it again.

Peace,

David

Francesco · 09-01-2004, 08:48 PM

Well, maybe this is waaay too much... but it doesn't hurt to ask:
I'd like to see all the tutorials in iec.org in iSilo format.
Or, if it becomes a rather large document, you can brake it into several iSilo files. One for each section, e.g. "broadband access", "business and strategy issues", etc. The menu is on the left.
Thank you, Hacker.

By the by, I have a gmail account, too.

EDIT: I prefer the "broken" version.

hacker · 09-01-2004, 10:25 PM

Quote:

I'd like to see all the tutorials in iec.org in iSilo format.

The IEC doesn't look like they are free to redistribute. They require a login to access. I'll see what I can do. Maybe I can partner with them to provide these in a more-usable format for readers.

Also, their PDFs are password-protected (which I can bypass if necessary), but it still presents the question of legality for redistribution.

Good suggestions however. Keep them coming!

08-30-2004, 01:31 PM	#1
hacker Technology Mercenary Posts: 617 Karma: 2561 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: East Lyme, CT Device: Direct Neural Implant	6 more Shiny new 2004 Model GMail invites I've got 6 of my own as well... how about we do a poll to win them. Here goes: For 6 Shiny new 2004 Model GMail invites: What publically-accessible document, pdf, website, ebook, or other work, would you like to see converted into a high-quality Plucker and iSilo document, for distribution either free, or for a small fee to cover the cost of conversion? I've already done the 9/11 Commission Report in Plucker format and iSilo format, and users have been raving at the quality and speed of the document. I'd like to contribute more... but I need some ideas, and this is your chance to chime in to win some GMail invites to help us decide!

08-30-2004, 05:10 PM	#4
DoctorBri Member Posts: 24 Karma: 31 Join Date: Aug 2004 Device: Treo 680, Sony Reader	Medical Microbiology - Samuel Baron, MD Being a microbiology major, I love this website. It's just that it's inconvienent to always have to get on the internet to read it. The book is free online (it can also be ordered, but I obviously don't want to do that since that requires money and I'm still in college). This is one of the best free microbiology resources I have found. Here's the Front Page http://www.gsbs.utmb.edu/microbook/ (downloading 2 links deep will download each chapter as well) or Here's the Table of Contents http://www.gsbs.utmb.edu/microbook/toc.htm (downloading 1 link deep will download each chapter as well) This is a great service, and an awesome contest

08-30-2004, 10:56 PM	#6
ricmac Nameless Being	my suggestion Yesterday I discovered a site that has free programming and computer science books: http://techbooksforfree.com/ I remarked yesterday on my linkblog that it would be cool if some of those were available as eBooks. I'm not actually a programmer per-se, so can I recommend these ones in particular: http://www.reciprocality.org/Reciprocality/r0/ http://www.wtec.org/loyola/kb/ ps if you're really up for a challenge, how about Stephen Wolfram's 'A new kind of science'! http://www.wolframscience.com/nksonline/toc.html cheers, Richard (I already have a gmail a/c) http://www.ebookculture.com

08-30-2004, 11:43 PM	#7
sonypda Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: arcadia Device: Sony NZ90	Why not have other format? Why not have other format? I personally like the TomeRaider format, it is much faster on searches and much better on compressing than any other that I have used.

08-31-2004, 07:32 PM	#12
Traecer Prime Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 27 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Time and Space, the perfect escape Device: Sony PRS-T2	Library of Congress Country Studies I've always found the Library of Congress Country Studies very informative and an excellent starting point when doing research on a country (originally for school, now mainly for travel purposes). Having some of those in mobile form could make them an even more valuable resource.

08-30-2004, 01:36 PM	#2
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,163 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Nice contest! Worth to be shown on the frontpage

08-30-2004, 01:48 PM	#3
Harpgliss Member Retired Posts: 149 Karma: 6287 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: New Hudson,Mi. Device: TH55	Hi, I already have a Gmail account(Thanks Alex) but I would like to see Wikipedia converted for Isilo. Here is a link http://members.chello.nl/epzachte/Wikipedia/ and should give you a place to start. I know I had brought this up in a previous thread months ago but wanted to request it again. Peace, David

08-30-2004, 10:25 PM	#5
hacker Technology Mercenary Posts: 617 Karma: 2561 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: East Lyme, CT Device: Direct Neural Implant	Wikipedia in iSilo (or Plucker) format can't be based on the same code that is available now. A lot of the (broken) Perl scripts that are out there that try to convert it to something useful, don't, and are not really scalable. The actual MediaWiki software that drives the wiki has to be updated.. and I've already done this in my copy. This includes quite a few changes to make the output of the actual wiki more "compatible" with handhelds. I've been working with the mediawiki developers to work this out. I have an approach that might work, but it still requires quite a bit of work to the database, content, and schema. The wiki tags used in WikiPedia are not exactly "valid" in most cases. A set of rules has to be developed to handle this conversion. Importing the SQL dump of the wikipedia + images into a MySQL database and then parsing that with Perl to convert it, is the wrong approach. Spidering the actual visible, modified mediawiki code on a per-language basis, is the right way to do this. It'll happen, but a lot of other pieces have to be fixed up first. See this message I wrote discussing my progress in this, and other areas.

08-30-2004, 11:47 PM	#8
hacker Technology Mercenary Posts: 617 Karma: 2561 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: East Lyme, CT Device: Direct Neural Implant	Why not support TomeRaider? Because it doesn't support HTML as an input/import format, and its support for text in general, is very primitive. For representing rich, searchable, usable text... TomeRaider falls very short. HTML is the only way to do this (currently) for PDA displays.

08-31-2004, 12:35 AM	#10
ricmac Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Device: Palm T2	Thanks BobR. I've just now signed up. I found this site via someone who linked to it on a comment on my http://www.ebookculture.com blog. cheers, Richard

09-01-2004, 08:48 PM	#14
Francesco Aficionado Posts: 391 Karma: 710 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Denver, CO, USA Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Touch	Well, maybe this is waaay too much... but it doesn't hurt to ask: I'd like to see all the tutorials in iec.org in iSilo format. Or, if it becomes a rather large document, you can brake it into several iSilo files. One for each section, e.g. "broadband access", "business and strategy issues", etc. The menu is on the left. Thank you, Hacker. By the by, I have a gmail account, too. EDIT: I prefer the "broken" version. Last edited by Francesco; 09-01-2004 at 08:51 PM.

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