This is a complete reimagining of the Open Book Project, but the original mission remains:
As a society, we need an open source device for reading. Books are among the most important documents of our culture, yet the most popular and widespread devices we have for reading are closed objects, operating as small moving parts in a set of giant closed platforms whose owners’ interests are not always aligned with readers’.
The Open Book aims to be a simple device that anyone can build for themselves. The Open Book should be comprehensible: the reader should be able to look at it and understand, at least in broad strokes, how it works. It should be extensible, so that a reader with different needs can write code and add accessories that make the book work for them. It should be global, supporting readers of books in all the languages of the world. Most of all, it should be open, so that anyone can take this design as a starting point and use it to build a better book.
Check out the promo video as well:
https://youtu.be/vFD9V8Hh7Yg
I’m likely being an ass, but I’d argue that the most popular and widespread devices we have for reading books are probably still books.
It’s true. Counterpoint: if you move places a lot (let’s say if you happen to belong to a generation of people who will never be able to afford a place - which is a huge amount of people), your library needs to fit into a small tablet sized reader. Can store 5000 books, I do not have the means to move that amount of books every time my landlord decides to make my rent more unaffordable. An ereader fits in my pocket.
You could also ise a library. The ones I have used are free or almost free
If they have what you need, it’s indeed a great option. Many of them lend eBooks too, nowadays.
Unfortunately, living in a French speaking area, my local library network doesn’t carry a lot of English material, so the selection is very limited. I’ve found it to be problematic especially for non-fiction, which often doesn’t have translations available. Otherwise, libraries are great.
Teenage me would be ashamed to see I barely read any books anymore. I used to read two large novels a week, now it’s more like one or two a year…
I like to own my books and read them on my own time, not having to read them within a certain time limit. If I move, I also have to re-register and some libraries’ processes are a bureaucratic nightmare (yes, it’s a small thing to moan about but guess what, 1 click buy is still a lot easier).
You can usually ask for more time with a book if that is a real deal breaker. That has been an option at libraries I’ve used anyway. Sometimes they can get books they don’t have if you request them too. Some even mail them to your house. I’m not really trying to convince you or anything I just think libraries are awesome haha.
On the Open Book GitHub I have collections of free books and short stories that are digital only from Tor.com. That’s actually why I wanted to get an eReader, digital only online short stories are winning Hugo Awards now, and then couldn’t decide and got involved with the Open Book is that I wanted a little device to load up with them.
You’re not being an ass. But I think it also depends on the book and the person.
For example: cookbooks I prefer a physical book. IT books I prefer in digital format so I can use the find function.
Fiction books I go either way. I prefer digital because they are easier to get but will browse them at the book store.
Either way having an open hardware solution is very welcome so you aren’t trapped behind Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
I remember reports of Amazon deleting books off of people’s devices.
And one of the best ways to access them is a public library…
yeah sure let me just stuff 1000 books in my backpack
Jesus, how many books do you read in a day?
Yes, but physical books cost money
Libraries are awesome!
Yes, but it is surely more flexible to own them. Also, I’m pretty sure my local library doesn’t have the specific books I care about. But yea, librarys are great for discovering and quickly testing new books you didn’t know about
You should know that most libraries have a system for borrowing books from other libraries. So, usually, whatever book it is, they can get it for you.
People don’t utilize libraries enough.
Well, digital books too.