Yes. That won't change.----- Original Message ----- From: "David Tanner" <david-tanner@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 11:29 PM Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS downloadable books
Will a person still be able to download Braille books from Web Braille?----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Barrett" <donter@xxxxxxxxxxx>To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 12:48 PM Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS downloadable booksSorry, these books are digital audio only. -----Original Message-----From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Tataindi Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 1:24 PM To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS downloadable books Hello, I have a question, please.Do you know in what way this digital books will be accessible for deaf-blindpeople?Will be any way to read them using a Braille line, such as now happens withthe books from the web Braille? Thanks, Tat----- Original Message ----- From: DanFlasar@xxxxxxxTo: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 1:12 PM Subject: [bookport] NLS downloadable books Okay, here's some valid information about the NLS books. I've been a beta tester for the NLS download site for theirdigital talking books. The site already exists and has since at least sinceearly November. Books are being added at a rate of around 100-200/week. We play them on modified Victor Readers (a slot to insert an SD chip was added). It is not the machine that will be distributed. There are about100 beta testers who keep in touch via listserv in their evaluations of the projects download speed, download errors, navigability of the digital books, problems with unzipping the files, problems in playing the files and so on. The emphasis is on the ease of use of the download site. We have discussedall the questions brought up in this thread many, many times so I will answer them to the best of my ability. 1. Yes, NLS will be distributing a free player to all patrons. Thismachine will replace the current cassette players, which are no longer beingproduced. Cassettes will be phased out entirely by 2012. I've seen the machine at a lecture given by the project manager. It will come in twoforms - one is a simplified one for those who don't want to do things likeadd bookmarks or download their own books. The other is the more advanced system similar in function to the Victor Reader. 2. There will be no software reader for the books. So far, they have not been able to come up with an adequate copyright protection mechanism. 3. The books will be available in two ways: you can call your NLSaffiliated library (or get on the web as now, choose your book and request it to be mailed to you. The books will come on a special cartridge holding an SD chip. The cartridges must be returned to the library after reading is completed. Cartridges will be available for sale from various sources soyou can download your own books. 4. For those so interested (like all of us beta testers and probably all of you), you will be able to go to the website and downloadyour books to your PC or some removable media. But the books must then betransferred to a cartridge. You may, by the way, copy your books from alibrary cartridge to your PC. You may keep the books, but you may not, ofcourse, distribute them. 5. The machines will be distributed as stated, to veterans first -if they want them, then to those who specifically request them, then to the general readership. Most people are not early adaptors so you should have a good chance of receiving a machine within the next year. The plan is tostart sending the first units out in early 2008. 6. I honestly don't know when the site will open up to the general readership - I'd heard this Fall, though. It is moot unless you have aVictor Stream. Someone mentioned a modified Victor Reader such as the onesissued to us. As far as I know, those are NOT for sale they werespecifically created for our beta project, but I could be wrong about that. The Bookport 2 is the only other announced NLS digital book reading platformbut as we all know, it's not out yet. There will no doubt be others. 7. I have heard that there will be a project to beta test the new players but I have no info on that. 8. Unlike RFB&D books, the NLS books will not be searchable by page number, which was a big disappointment to many of us. But we can navigate, in general, by part, section, heading, chapter and subheading. Really good for magazines, poetry and nonfiction. 9. No, you can't get access to the site, even to look. It is hyper-secured, nor can you join the discussion list. 10. I like the new NLS books very much, I like the new player a lot, I love being able to download books (which can take a bit of timedepending on your line speed. If you use a modem, it will take a very longtime because these aren't text files - they're audio files. it will be worth the wait, however. An Editorial: I know it's common in some circles to criticize the NLS or the federal government. I feel the need to provide a reality check. It isdisingenuous to slam the government or an agency because they are not able to provide a free, and necessary, service like the Talking Books program to us as quickly as we would like. You all know that there was an unexpected snag in funding a month ago. NLS did not get as much funding as needed so a delay is not unreasonable. I don't work for the feds - or any state or local government, nor am I a fan of the current administration. But I consider theservice NLS has provided to me ever since I lost my vision to be a lot better than those provided by the private sector which, with rareexceptions, has to be dragged kicking and screaming to provide access to allcitizens, regardless of ability or disability. Dan F. ________________________________ See what's free at AOL.com <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503> .