MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Creating content, pushing or fetching

Elfwreck · 07-09-2009, 05:48 PM

I don't have a Kindle; someone who understands Whispernet will have to tell you whether you can download pre-set files. I do, however, work in litigation support, which involves a lot of confidential file sharing and meetings that involve lots of PDFs and other documents. I have some understanding of the hassles involved in getting everyone an e-copy and arranging a physical copy, and why you'd be looking for ways around that that don't involve "provide everyone a laptop for the meetings, and train them on Office and some kind of Acrobat markup program."

I find it unlikely that you'll be able to set confidential files with a password access or something like that, but I suppose that's possible. (In which case, anyone with the password would have access to the files. I don't know if Whispernet will deal with digital data rooms.)

Kindle's PDF support is pathetic. Kindles don't have it at all, and the DX has what's basically image-only support--no search, no annotations.

Word docs can be converted to txt files easily, but will lose all formatting; they can be converted to mobi/prc files with several types of freely available software, but will likely lose some formatting, and will not be editable in that format (although I believe the Kindle will allow annotations). Calibre is one, open-source and being developed so any problems you find are likely to be quickly fixed; Mobipocket.com offers their own software. (Calibre doesn't work with Word docs, but with RTFs, but Word will save its files as RTF with no notable format loss. Only desktop publishers care about the differences.)

There is no way to "push" documents to other people's Kindles, not even to make them available in their Kindle store areas. (Can't buy an ebook for someone else's Kindle, much less upload user docs for them.)

I think that corporate use of Kindles, or other ebook readers, is a ways off yet; the technology isn't that user-friendly for purposes other than downloading & reading published ebooks. The few that handle other functions well (like the iLiad) are very expensive.

07-09-2009, 05:48 PM	#2
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,185 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	I don't have a Kindle; someone who understands Whispernet will have to tell you whether you can download pre-set files. I do, however, work in litigation support, which involves a lot of confidential file sharing and meetings that involve lots of PDFs and other documents. I have some understanding of the hassles involved in getting everyone an e-copy and arranging a physical copy, and why you'd be looking for ways around that that don't involve "provide everyone a laptop for the meetings, and train them on Office and some kind of Acrobat markup program." I find it unlikely that you'll be able to set confidential files with a password access or something like that, but I suppose that's possible. (In which case, anyone with the password would have access to the files. I don't know if Whispernet will deal with digital data rooms.) Kindle's PDF support is pathetic. Kindles don't have it at all, and the DX has what's basically image-only support--no search, no annotations. Word docs can be converted to txt files easily, but will lose all formatting; they can be converted to mobi/prc files with several types of freely available software, but will likely lose some formatting, and will not be editable in that format (although I believe the Kindle will allow annotations). Calibre is one, open-source and being developed so any problems you find are likely to be quickly fixed; Mobipocket.com offers their own software. (Calibre doesn't work with Word docs, but with RTFs, but Word will save its files as RTF with no notable format loss. Only desktop publishers care about the differences.) There is no way to "push" documents to other people's Kindles, not even to make them available in their Kindle store areas. (Can't buy an ebook for someone else's Kindle, much less upload user docs for them.) I think that corporate use of Kindles, or other ebook readers, is a ways off yet; the technology isn't that user-friendly for purposes other than downloading & reading published ebooks. The few that handle other functions well (like the iLiad) are very expensive.