disconnected
10-08-2003, 05:05 PM
Problem one -- I've always bought tons of books, which pile up waiting to be read, and I've often discovered that I've accidentally bought two (or more :oops: ) copies of the same books. The other day I almost did the same thing with an ebook. Fortunately, this time it was at Fictionwise, which actually warned me at checkout that I'd previously bought the book.
Problem two -- I'm ready to start a new ebook, but can't remember what format it's in, so don't know which reader to open.
Problem three -- also ready for a new ebook, open Peanut reader, see a list of titles, and can't remember what any of them are about.
Solutions ??
I guess I could use one of the existing database apps (would also have to work on the desktop -- I don't currently have any desktop DB app), and enter all relevant info on ebooks I have or want, but I'm lazy and want this to be as easy as possible.
First, I wish someone would create an online catalog of all available ebooks from at least all the major publishers that could be updated weekly (with maybe a way for small publishers to submit their titles as well). The online catalog should be filterable and sortable by -- source for buying/borrowing, category, format, original published date, ebook published date, author, title, publisher, and keyword. It should also have a synopsis of each book.
Then there should be a compatible desktop/PPC app such that you could download all relevant info for any title or category you were interested in, as well as having a way to enter info for any ebook you might find that's not in the online category and maybe your level of interest in the title. Then when you bought one of the titles, there should be fields to enter for when and where you bought/borrowed it and the format you've got. Also a way to check off that you've read the book, and whether it's currently on your PPC (and, if borrowed, when it expires).
Now when you see a new ebook, you can easily check to see if you have it, or when you see a new paper book in the store, you can see if it's available as an ebook. When you want to read something, you can scroll through what you've got loaded and read the synopsis of any title that looks good, see what's about to expire, etc.
Now that I think about this, I'd like to have something similar for paper books as well. Is there some kind of a master list that libraries use to keep up with everything published (paper or electronic) or is everything driven by publishers' reps sending info to the libraries and bookstores? If there is a master list, then I'd think lots of apps could be written to extract/massage data from it. Right now I spend a lot of time online at several ebook places, checking to see what's new (not easy at places like Powells, which doesn't sort by date).
Obviously only people that buy/read LOTS of books/ebooks would have any need of this, and I have no idea how many of us there are. Of course, a similar app could work for music or movies as well.
Problem two -- I'm ready to start a new ebook, but can't remember what format it's in, so don't know which reader to open.
Problem three -- also ready for a new ebook, open Peanut reader, see a list of titles, and can't remember what any of them are about.
Solutions ??
I guess I could use one of the existing database apps (would also have to work on the desktop -- I don't currently have any desktop DB app), and enter all relevant info on ebooks I have or want, but I'm lazy and want this to be as easy as possible.
First, I wish someone would create an online catalog of all available ebooks from at least all the major publishers that could be updated weekly (with maybe a way for small publishers to submit their titles as well). The online catalog should be filterable and sortable by -- source for buying/borrowing, category, format, original published date, ebook published date, author, title, publisher, and keyword. It should also have a synopsis of each book.
Then there should be a compatible desktop/PPC app such that you could download all relevant info for any title or category you were interested in, as well as having a way to enter info for any ebook you might find that's not in the online category and maybe your level of interest in the title. Then when you bought one of the titles, there should be fields to enter for when and where you bought/borrowed it and the format you've got. Also a way to check off that you've read the book, and whether it's currently on your PPC (and, if borrowed, when it expires).
Now when you see a new ebook, you can easily check to see if you have it, or when you see a new paper book in the store, you can see if it's available as an ebook. When you want to read something, you can scroll through what you've got loaded and read the synopsis of any title that looks good, see what's about to expire, etc.
Now that I think about this, I'd like to have something similar for paper books as well. Is there some kind of a master list that libraries use to keep up with everything published (paper or electronic) or is everything driven by publishers' reps sending info to the libraries and bookstores? If there is a master list, then I'd think lots of apps could be written to extract/massage data from it. Right now I spend a lot of time online at several ebook places, checking to see what's new (not easy at places like Powells, which doesn't sort by date).
Obviously only people that buy/read LOTS of books/ebooks would have any need of this, and I have no idea how many of us there are. Of course, a similar app could work for music or movies as well.