I believe the vast majority of NLS users are not computer savvy at all so the easier for them, the better. Plus the quality of the NLS books is superb. Lou ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Barrett" <donter@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 11:40 AM Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program > Bill, > > The nls scheme is actually better than the one you are using with your local > library; I use that one too and you are limited to 21 days after which you > have to go through the trouble of downloading it again, or as you correctly > say, convert it to an MP3 file for storage on the BookPort. With NLS, you > will have literally tens of thousands of free, professionally-recorded books > of the highest quality which will never ever run out; in other words, no > 21-day limit. You can play them fore ten years and no one will mind. > > I stopped using my local service because I would get busy and the 21 days > would run out, or I would forget to convert them; it just got tedious. NLS > wants to make it as simple and as easy as possible especially for those > novice users who don't know how to convert books. > > Anyway, lots of good reading ahead. > > Don > > > "-----Original Message----- > "From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > "[mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bill > "Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 11:12 AM > "To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > "Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program > " > "Thanks for your comments. I'm new to digital book downloading > "so please forgive my ignorance. I do understand about NLS and > "copyright protection. > "How is it, then, that I can download copyright protected > "digital books from my local library and play them on my > "computer or convert them to mp3 files and play them on my > "bookport for up to 21 days after which they can no longer be > "played unless you check them out again. Couldn't NLS do the > "same thing? > "BILL > " > "----- Original Message ----- > "From: "Don Barrett" <donter@xxxxxxxxxxx> > "To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > "Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 6:30 AM > "Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program > " > " > "> Bill, copyright is the main issue for the need for a > "specialized format. > "> NLS has no choice or they wouldn't be able to publish > "materials freely; > "> Spring will do whatever APH pays them to do. I really have > "to disagree > "> with > "> your take on this. > "> > "> "-----Original Message----- > "> "From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > "> "[mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bill > "> "Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 6:14 AM > "> "To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > "> "Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program > "> " > "> "As we all know, it is springer designs that designed, modify > "> "and manufacture the bookport. It is up to them to make any > "> "hardware, firmware or software changes and no doubt they can > "> "make any changes to the unit that will meet our needs. APH > "> "can certainly have some influence on springer designs, and > "> "have doubtless done so in the past. But, they cannot dictabe > "> "what changes are to be made. The real "culprit" here, I > "> "think, is NLS. Why would they come out with a format for > "> "their book download program or for their new digital player > "> "that is not currently widely used such as mp3? Is it because > "> "they must be different or are they just not living in the real > "> "world. Much money wasted here I think. Give APH credit when > "> "credit is due. I think they've done a great job. > "> " > "> "BILL > "> " > "> "----- Original Message ----- > "> "From: "Michael Bowman-Jones" <mikebowmanjones@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > "> "To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > "> "Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 7:41 PM > "> "Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program > "> " > "> " > "> "> Greetings, Everyone. > "> "> > "> "> I alluded to this issue quite some type in another message > "> "indicating that > "> "> NLS and DAISY could really have an impact on the Bookport. > "> "However the > "> "> unit is modified, I hope that APH will give existing customers a > "> "> significant price decrease (free is better, of course but > "maybe not > "> "> feasible) when this occurs. > "> "> > "> "> Michael > "> "> ----- Original Message ----- > "> "> From: "Don Barrett" <donter@xxxxxxxxxxx> > "> "> To: "Bookport" <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > "> "> Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 5:08 PM > "> "> Subject: [bookport] NLS Beta Program > "> "> > "> "> > "> ">> I've been off of the list for a bit so if this has already > "> "been covered, > "> ">> someone please straighten me out, but if not, it really is > "> "time for it to > "> ">> be > "> ">> addressed directly by APH. > "> ">> > "> ">> As you know, the NLS beta program testing the facility to > "> "download and > "> ">> read > "> ">> digital books is proceeding quite well. I am told that the > "> "site may be > "> ">> available > "> ">> to all NLS patrons sometime around the middle of 2007. Since the > "> ">> handling > "> ">> of these materials by the BookPort will require hardware, > "> "firmware, and > "> ">> software > "> ">> changes, it would seem that time is of the essence if the > "> "Bookport is to > "> ">> undergo a redesign, pass all of the rigorous beta and other > "> "testing, and > "> ">> make > "> ">> a smooth transition to allowing its owners to read > "> "NLS-produced materials > "> ">> in > "> ">> digital form when the site becomes available. Can you all > "> "shed any light > "> ">> on > "> ">> this? I can just imagine that when the NLS site goes live, > "> "any device > "> ">> that > "> ">> is not ready to deal with those materials will suffer much > "> "negative press > "> ">> to > "> ">> say nothing of decreased sales > "> ">> and popularity. Since the BookPort is probably the > "coolest device > "> ">> invented > "> ">> since the electric coffee-maker, I would hate to see it > "> "undergo such a > "> ">> bumpy > "> ">> transition. NLS implementation time just is not that far > "> "off, and I > "> ">> believe > "> ">> APH has a responsibility to its customers to make a public > "> "commitment to > "> ">> support this reading system for the blind which will be free and > "> ">> available > "> ">> to all non-print reading citizens. As I say, I may have > "missed this > "> ">> discussion, so if this has already happened, I will gladly > "> "back off, and > "> ">> wait for it all to play out. > "> ">> > "> ">> On the other hand, APH has been alluding to a new unit for > "> "literally > "> ">> years, > "> ">> and given the true closeness of the NLS implementation date > "> "(perhaps half > "> ">> a > "> ">> year or there abouts to if all goes well), we really need > "> "the real deal > "> ">> and > "> ">> soon. Please what is going on. > "> ">> > "> ">> Don Barrett > "> ">> > "> ">> > "> ">> > "> ">> > "> ">> __________ NOD32 1.1786 (20061002) Information __________ > "> ">> > "> ">> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > "> ">> http://www.eset.com > "> ">> > "> ">> > "> "> > "> "> > "> "> > "> " > "> " > "> " > "> > "> > "> > " > " > " > >