OESF Portables Forum

General Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: zaxxon on April 11, 2004, 04:27:01 am

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: zaxxon on April 11, 2004, 04:27:01 am

The one thing that would make my 5600 perfect would be an e-book reader that can handle the proprietary/encrypted ebook formats.  Has there been any recent word on this?  

Am I just out of luck when it comes to proprietary e-book formats?  I\'d love to read \"The Da Vinci Code\" on my 5600...

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: lardman on April 11, 2004, 06:24:32 am

The problem with proprietary formats is that either the company who makes them has to release a binary module of some sort, or source code, or someone (or group) very committed has to sit down and work out the file format by hand.

So first of all what kind of format are you talking about?

You could try asking the company for a binary (doesn\'t often work, athough if they already do a Linux version it may be easy enough for them to do it), or for source (never going to happen ;-)), or just sit down with a hex editor and the decrypted text.


Si

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: w14 on April 11, 2004, 08:42:48 am

You could start here:

http://www.kyz.uklinux.net/convlit.php (http://www.kyz.uklinux.net/convlit.php)

the home of Convert LIT. Source code included, and, I believe, will deal with DRMed files, so long as you have an activated copy of MS Reader.

This\'ll convert the .lit format to html, and you can use JPluck to convert it to pdb, and then you can read it on the Z using Opie Reader or whatever.

Mike.

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: TimW on April 13, 2004, 04:18:46 am

I\'ve just read \"The Da Vinci Code\" on my Zaurus using exactly the method suggested by w14 8^).

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: zaxxon on April 13, 2004, 07:47:22 pm

I\'ll give your suggestions a go!  Thanks much!

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: zaxxon on April 14, 2004, 02:33:18 am

Finally got a chance to play with this.  Works like a charm!  Thanks all for the help!

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: maslovsky on April 14, 2004, 08:18:21 am

And here is the Z version for on-board convertion:
http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php...q=getit&lid=221 (http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=UpDownload&file=index&req=getit&lid=221)

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: Stubear on April 14, 2004, 10:28:19 am

Quote

And here is the Z version for on-board convertion:http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php...q=getit&lid=221 (http://www.zaurususergroup.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=UpDownload&file=index&req=getit&lid=221)

This is better than Christmas!  

thanks muchly

Stu

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: ScottYelich on April 14, 2004, 10:33:45 am

yes... thank you!
now I just have to find out where to get bookslonline...  other than gutenberg

(ie: where did you get davinci code?)

Scott

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: zaxxon on April 14, 2004, 07:35:53 pm

Quote

yes... thank you!
now I just have to find out where to get bookslonline...  other than gutenberg

(ie: where did you get davinci code?)

Scott

I purchased it from Memoware.

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: romulus on April 14, 2004, 08:12:32 pm

Try the Baen free library.  There are some very good books there.
http://www.baen.com/library/ (http://www.baen.com/library/)

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: jerbell on April 14, 2004, 10:08:35 pm

Baen is great for html sci-fi that works great with Opera on the Z.  For me its almost to the point that if Baen doesn\'t publish it I don\'t read it.   I have found some great new books and authors there that I wouldn\'t have given a second glance in a bookstore.

www.blackmask.com  is good for old pulps and free texts.  It is a good site to keep up on whats happening in the e-book world.

for bestsellers www.fictionwise.com is a good place to go.  I think amazon.com has some e-books too, but I havent looked there in a while.

Title: E-book Reader
Post by: ScottYelich on April 16, 2004, 10:33:37 am

thanks.