[bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program

  • From: "Michael Bowman-Jones" <mikebowmanjones@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2006 13:54:22 -0800

Greetings Walt and List Members,

I just read the November 2006 APH Newsletter and it suggests the BP as a Christmas gift. The description states that it can play DAISY/NLS books. I pass this on in the hope that this clarifies the situation but it would still be comforting to get something official that puts our unease to rest and answers our questions such as "Will we have to purchase something so that the BP works with these books and, if so, how much will it cost?", etc.

Michael
----- Original Message ----- From: "Walt Smith" <walt@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 1:29 PM
Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program


This is not exactly correct. APH does their own firmware and transfer
software, so they are not dependent on Springer Design for that. Moreover,
the arrangement between APH and Springer _must_ be cooperative, since I'm
quite sure that APH sells more of these units as the Book Port than Springer
does as the BookCourier. You're correct in that Springer actually
manufactures the unit, but I'm certain that they don't maintain an absolute
veto over hardware design and requirements.

And as someone else has already pointed out, NLS is concerned (rightly, in
my opinion) with pirating and security. I don't know how many NLS books I've
seen on Internet news groups that deal with audio books and these were
clearly copied from their cassettes. Nothing is going to stop all
pirating--anyone with a patch cord and a recorder is always going to be able to capture the audio output of a Talking Book and do whatever they want with it--but it's NLS's legal and moral responsibility to make it as difficult as
possible.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill" <052338@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 6:13 AM
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




__________ NOD32 1.1786 (20061002) Information __________

This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
http://www.eset.com




Other related posts: