As should be obvious, the Ranting here has stopped.
I am consolidating my blogging efforts to: BooksStillMatter.net
Cheers!
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Friday, January 13, 2012
Barnes and Noble Continues to Shoot Itself
I continue to push people to buy from Barnes and Noble because I think it is important to have SOME sort of real alternative to Amazon and to have brick and mortar bookstores--even in a world where eBooks sell more than paper.
Yet, B&N continues to try and make it difficult for small publishers, as I know as part owner of New Libri Press (www.newlibri.com). Why, I continually ask, does B&N go out of its way to destroy itself? Yes, consumers are important. But, even Amazon realizes that small publishers (and the very smallest, the self-published author) are important. Now, I will also say that Amazon plans on crushing those in good time, with their own publishing and pushing of CreateSpace, but that is a different blog.
My complaint today is one I have made for 12 months. For nine months B&N has refused to open up its Enhanced Kids Books to small publishers, the the "promise" of "tools" in the future. Tech savvy small publishers don't need B&N tools, they simply need the standard published (obviously just a permutation on the ePub 3 standard) and the ability to add the finished product to the pipeline. B&N refuses to do this. In effect, acting like Amazon, but without the muscle of Amazon. In effect, yet again shooting themselves in the foot, nay the head.
Even Apple, notorious in its ignoring of small publishers and notoriously slow in reviewing product for entry into the iTunes/iBooks stores allows enhanced books based on the Apple permutation of ePub.
With Google sitting on the sidelines, but following standards, and with ePub 3 being now adopted, B&N is going to suffer for letting small publishers hang out for a year. I want B&N to survive, but lets face it even grass roots efforts cannot stop someone from committing suicide if they really want to.
Maybe when B&N sells off the Nook division and then goes bankrupt, we'll have an accessible standard and possibly even tools. Too bad we won't have B&N.
Yet, B&N continues to try and make it difficult for small publishers, as I know as part owner of New Libri Press (www.newlibri.com). Why, I continually ask, does B&N go out of its way to destroy itself? Yes, consumers are important. But, even Amazon realizes that small publishers (and the very smallest, the self-published author) are important. Now, I will also say that Amazon plans on crushing those in good time, with their own publishing and pushing of CreateSpace, but that is a different blog.
My complaint today is one I have made for 12 months. For nine months B&N has refused to open up its Enhanced Kids Books to small publishers, the the "promise" of "tools" in the future. Tech savvy small publishers don't need B&N tools, they simply need the standard published (obviously just a permutation on the ePub 3 standard) and the ability to add the finished product to the pipeline. B&N refuses to do this. In effect, acting like Amazon, but without the muscle of Amazon. In effect, yet again shooting themselves in the foot, nay the head.
Even Apple, notorious in its ignoring of small publishers and notoriously slow in reviewing product for entry into the iTunes/iBooks stores allows enhanced books based on the Apple permutation of ePub.
With Google sitting on the sidelines, but following standards, and with ePub 3 being now adopted, B&N is going to suffer for letting small publishers hang out for a year. I want B&N to survive, but lets face it even grass roots efforts cannot stop someone from committing suicide if they really want to.
Maybe when B&N sells off the Nook division and then goes bankrupt, we'll have an accessible standard and possibly even tools. Too bad we won't have B&N.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Collectorz.com Book Collector Software
I have a lot of books. This year I purchased the Collectorz.com Book Collector software. It is "pretty good." (or 3/5 stars). If there were only one version and it was $29, I would say this is great, but for the mid sized collector of paperbacks and such, this is not a great deal.
The interface is a bit clumsy. It appears that it is written in an interpreted language, as it is quite slow and the screen flashes on my i7 12 gig gaming machine all the time.
My biggest gripe is that in the age of reasonably priced software they cripple a few features (like export to XML/other and bulk editing) and charge almost 50% more for that feature!
If I knew the database format they were using, I could go in and edit by hand. Also, without the export feature, you are stuck forever with their program. My recommendation is:
1) Don't buy it unless you buy the pro.
2) Consider alternatives -- if you don't need details on the book, just use Excel and a macro or two.
Other flaws: The data entry for "add new book" automatically does not have a way of adding other fields immediately (e.g. I would like to simultaneous add the location).
The interface is a bit clumsy. It appears that it is written in an interpreted language, as it is quite slow and the screen flashes on my i7 12 gig gaming machine all the time.
My biggest gripe is that in the age of reasonably priced software they cripple a few features (like export to XML/other and bulk editing) and charge almost 50% more for that feature!
If I knew the database format they were using, I could go in and edit by hand. Also, without the export feature, you are stuck forever with their program. My recommendation is:
1) Don't buy it unless you buy the pro.
2) Consider alternatives -- if you don't need details on the book, just use Excel and a macro or two.
Other flaws: The data entry for "add new book" automatically does not have a way of adding other fields immediately (e.g. I would like to simultaneous add the location).
Saturday, May 28, 2011
iTunes on Windows officially my most hated application
Nothing is more frustrating than loving a device and feeling that are crippled in using it. My iPad iTunes combination continues to cause me the most blood pressure points of any hardware + sync'ing software application ever.
I really don't know if this is due to Apple just doesn't know how to write Windows applications, or if it is just a terrible design over all.
My i7 processor with 12 gigs of RAM is now over 2 years old. It is still a rather high end machine, but certainly not the highest any more. 64 bit Windows has been around a long time. So, should iTunes 64 bit really be the biggest P.O.S. program out there?
Plugging in my iPad to my PC is basically a crap shoot. iTunes may see it, if it does see it, it will freeze and you cannot change focus to iTunes (Taskmanager reports it is not responding). THEN after it finishes "freezing" after plugging in the iPad...you cannot see the device in iTunes (oh how useful). So, you don't know if it actually sync'ed or not. Some testing proves that it did NOT sync when locking up iTunes, so why the f*ck did iTunes lock up the minute I plug in the iPad. Who knows.
As a number of iTunes store purchasers have noted: the iPad will be a less than it could be (I am paraphrasing in a nice way) until it gets real folders on it and has other ways of sync'ing (drag and drop).
I really don't know if this is due to Apple just doesn't know how to write Windows applications, or if it is just a terrible design over all.
My i7 processor with 12 gigs of RAM is now over 2 years old. It is still a rather high end machine, but certainly not the highest any more. 64 bit Windows has been around a long time. So, should iTunes 64 bit really be the biggest P.O.S. program out there?
Plugging in my iPad to my PC is basically a crap shoot. iTunes may see it, if it does see it, it will freeze and you cannot change focus to iTunes (Taskmanager reports it is not responding). THEN after it finishes "freezing" after plugging in the iPad...you cannot see the device in iTunes (oh how useful). So, you don't know if it actually sync'ed or not. Some testing proves that it did NOT sync when locking up iTunes, so why the f*ck did iTunes lock up the minute I plug in the iPad. Who knows.
As a number of iTunes store purchasers have noted: the iPad will be a less than it could be (I am paraphrasing in a nice way) until it gets real folders on it and has other ways of sync'ing (drag and drop).
iPad not ready for businss or school prime time
I continue to WANT to use the iPad for more and continue to be disappointed. Jobs' dream of a next gen computing, or post desktop/laptop era is still out of reach.
My latest and greatest disappointment is that there is not a single application out there that lets you edit word documents with Track Changes on. This is a huge limitation. All business people, all students, and all academics need this capability. One of the things I do is edit/read manuscripts for publishing. The ability to do that anywhere, on the go, is enticing with the iPad. I WANT TO DO IT! I WANT TO USE MY iPAD! I cannot.
All the Office applications for the iPad do not do this (in fact many will actually LOSE existing redlining/track changes so beware of even using these if it is a doc with those turned on, or just as bad, they will pull ALL CHANGES into the doc and make it part of the doc...making a mess of it!).
There is one application, iAnnotate, which does most of what is useful as far as adding highlights, notes, etc. But, that is ONLY FOR PDF. Not very useful for works in progress, collaborative efforts, etc.
The promise of the iPad over and Android device included the tens of thousands of applications. I think that gap is an illusion when you see basic office applications not even close to parity on basic functionality (available for 20 years) on a desktop. The Android adoption could be fast and furious if that is solved on Android tablets.
This will be an interesting summer and fall as these sorts of things shake out!
My latest and greatest disappointment is that there is not a single application out there that lets you edit word documents with Track Changes on. This is a huge limitation. All business people, all students, and all academics need this capability. One of the things I do is edit/read manuscripts for publishing. The ability to do that anywhere, on the go, is enticing with the iPad. I WANT TO DO IT! I WANT TO USE MY iPAD! I cannot.
All the Office applications for the iPad do not do this (in fact many will actually LOSE existing redlining/track changes so beware of even using these if it is a doc with those turned on, or just as bad, they will pull ALL CHANGES into the doc and make it part of the doc...making a mess of it!).
There is one application, iAnnotate, which does most of what is useful as far as adding highlights, notes, etc. But, that is ONLY FOR PDF. Not very useful for works in progress, collaborative efforts, etc.
The promise of the iPad over and Android device included the tens of thousands of applications. I think that gap is an illusion when you see basic office applications not even close to parity on basic functionality (available for 20 years) on a desktop. The Android adoption could be fast and furious if that is solved on Android tablets.
This will be an interesting summer and fall as these sorts of things shake out!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Why you should never buy a book from iBooks
The iPad is a very nice ebook reader and one of the best PDF readers I have seen.
However, you should never buy a book from iBooks for two reasons (in my book, if you will pardon the pun):
1) You cannot read your iBook purchased book on your PC or Mac. There is no easy iPad to PC/Mac solution out there (although there are some $30 third party solutions out there).
2) Apple makes it very hard for independent (small publishers), or self publishers, to sell books on the iBookstore.
Lesser reasons include no ability to lend, especially cross platform, because there is no iBook application for any device other than a iPhone/iPod/iPad. No PC/MAC/Android reading allowed.
Better to buy the book on Kindle/Nook, which has applications for the iPad, etc. allowing true portability.
My random $0.02 rant.
However, you should never buy a book from iBooks for two reasons (in my book, if you will pardon the pun):
1) You cannot read your iBook purchased book on your PC or Mac. There is no easy iPad to PC/Mac solution out there (although there are some $30 third party solutions out there).
2) Apple makes it very hard for independent (small publishers), or self publishers, to sell books on the iBookstore.
Lesser reasons include no ability to lend, especially cross platform, because there is no iBook application for any device other than a iPhone/iPod/iPad. No PC/MAC/Android reading allowed.
Better to buy the book on Kindle/Nook, which has applications for the iPad, etc. allowing true portability.
My random $0.02 rant.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
iPad 2 after two months of ownership--Review
iPad 2 after two months of ownership--Review
Not sure why I bother with a review, when so many are probably out there, but I felt one aspect of the iPad (2) is not covered well in any review I have seen.
First, let's put to rest the ludicrous statement by Jobs, that this somehow replaces a PC. It does not. In fact, due to intentional limitations by Apple, this does not really work well unless you have a PC (by PC I mean Personal Computer, not Windows versus Mac).
The limitations are not the hardware, nor the interface (per se). The hardware is the best on the market and it is an elegant piece of machinery--a blend of art with functionality. I have no major complaints with the hardware, the device itself.
I do, however, feel that iTunes--which is necessary to use this and indeed locks the use of this to essentially ONE computer, is one of the worst pieces of software I have seen. (I am refering to iTunes 10.2.2.12, which was current as of this writing). The use of iTunes as the main method of transfering your own personal files to and from the iPad is what made so many view the iPad as a glorified iPod. The iPad is much more, but is crippled by the methodology inherent in the iTunes paradigm. It is because of this that OVER TIME other devices have a CHANCE to catch up to the iPad in popularity. It may not happen, but this P.O.S. program will be one reason why it stands an increased chance.
This combined with how badly iTunes behaves on a Windows 7 - 64bit computer ruins what would have been a great experience.
At a glance:
Hardware
Pros:
-Thin and elegant
-Simple design on buttons that does what is necessary.
-GUI on the iPad is good.
-Responsive
Cons:
-The only major con on the hardware itself is that the plug is a bit hard to get used to for plugging in. This gets better over time.
-No standard USB plug on the iPad, just the proprietary Apple plug. Not a big deal, but annoying.
Minor cons: HDMI adaptor not included. no second USB-Apple cord provided.
Software:
Pros:
- on the iPad the software is fairly intuitive and easy.
Cons:
-No easy way to transfer files when ever you want from whatever computer you want. You are limited to iTunes for music, books, and movies. This means that when you have three computers and one of those is at the cabin/vacation home you are screwed in using your iPad to upload and download what you want to, when you want to. This is INCREDIBLY annoying. I have ripped 800 CDs (that I 0wn and are sitting on a very large bookshelf covering an entire wall)...I don't necessarily want ALL of those on the iPad all the time...and I want to put a few movies on the iPad for my daughter to watch on the road trip ... then at the cabin, move some off and move some more on...to do this is unbelievably painful with iTunes and not officially supported.
-No way to install an app that does not come from the app store. This is no surprise to anyone, I am sure, but if the iPad is ever to be fully thought of as a next generation to the PC...this will have to change!
-A significant number of people on the forums seem to have the same problem as I do: very often iiTunes will not recognize the iPad. Tip if this occurs: you have to close out iTunes, power down and then power up the iPad while plugged in. This seems to generally get iTunes to start up and recognize it.
-ANother problem that the forums confirm is familiar, iTunes will freeze when first starting up...it doesn't do anything (no CPU usage) ... just freezes for about 10 minutes. Rather annoying.
Bottom Line:
The iPad is a wonderful piece of hardware and I don't regret owning it. I hate, abhor, detest, and would pay money to have a simple drag and drop alternative to iTunes that I could use from multiple computers. This should make anyone think twice before plunking down the significant dollars that an iPad costs. If you already have an iPod or an iPhone, and a laptop, you also might want to think twice about buying.
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