2011/4/25 todd rme <[email protected]> > On Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 6:59 PM, CaStarCo <[email protected]> wrote: > What you are proposing basically sounds like latex. But you need to > be careful to separate out the format from the software that reads the > format. Stuff like sorting tables, choosing layouts, choosing colors, > inserting other text, linking to other resources, that all has to be > handled by the program. The format just need to provide the right > information to allow the software to do this. > > > · Alternative reading flows ( I tell the "reader" that i want to > understand > > a paragraph, then the reader constructs for me the minimum text that lets > me > > to understand what I want... obviously, not with magic and not with an > > exceptional IA, we can add metadata that stablish depency relations > between > > paragraphs... for example). > > This requires the text be stored in a manner that makes it easy to > change the flow. The flow itself would be determined by the software. > This is the whole point of latex. > > > · Indexes created automaticly from the text structure, on the fly, not in > > writer time. > > · Special tags for special words (or phrases), such as definitions, > > theorems, proofs... -> the possibility of create automaticly (in reading > > time) tables of many parts of the content (such as an automatic studying > > summary or resume). In technic or scientific books could be very > > interesting. This lets to separate the narrative of a book of the capable > of > > being systematized data: definitions, theorems, proofs, formulas, tables, > > graphs, figures... > > These are the same thing. There would just need to be a tag for "put > this in the index with this label". I assume latex can do this. > > > · The capability of sorting data tables by many parameters (growing or > > decreasing order, by column, by row..) (with limitations, if the writter > > decides to lock the entire table or parts of it, then without that > > capability) -> this lets to looks at the data following the way that > helps > > us more without having to do the work of rmanually rewriting tables. > > This would be in the software, rather than the format. The format > would just need to be able to store tables as actual tables, rather > than as text with lines. > > > · Contextual data without context changes: usually, if we want to > remember > > what means a word, we have to go back in the text, or click an anchor... > if > > we are lucky, we have tabs, in other cases we have to deal with many > windows > > or with the "go back" button. A solution could be modyfing the layout in > > reading time (i suppose that the ebooks have liquid layout to suit better > in > > many different devices): If i want to read about a word, and i have the > luck > > that the word is defined in the same book, a solution could be that a > bubble > > apears in above the word with the definition written inside. (moving the > > text to avoid hiding the closer text). This lets to read the definition > > without losing the context in wich we found it, and helping the reader to > > understand it. > > This would be in the software, rather than the file format. The > format would just need to be able to store text and pictures in such a > way that it is easy to change their flow without breaking things. > Latex can do this. > > > · Reading profiles: many times, depending on the device what are we > using, > > it's preferible to use an image or other (because contrast, size, > > colors...). In the PC there are no problems, but if "we" want to expand > the > > usage of the format, it's important to convice the devices industry. > > This would be part of the software rather than the file format. Once > again, the format would need to store text in a way that it is easy to > change basic properties without breaking the layout. Latex can do > this. > > > · The capability of "hyperlinking" books by it's identificator (not > URL)... > > I'm thinking in something like IABN (it's similar to ISBN, but more > > "universal", based on SHA256). > > This wouldn't be in the format. The format would could have a way to > store unique identifiers for certain works, but actually looking up > that work would depend on the software. > > > · The capability of distinguish between many types of specialized data, > such > > as formulas, musical scores, source code, flow diagrams, and many others. > > Sounds like latex > > -- > Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to [email protected] > Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette > List archive: http://listarchives.documentfoundation.org/www/discuss/ > All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be > deleted > > I know Latex very well, and it's not like LaTeX, I'm talking not about making layouts automaticly. I'm talking about automatic adaptation to the user needs in reading time. And, of course, I'm talking to use metadata inside the format to allow the program to do these actions... I'm not a 16 years old boy, I understand the diferences between the format specification and what is the viewer work...
I'm talking about making books like* *what we can found in http://www.touchpress.com/ , but more adaptable, and not closed to an unic platform like Ipad. The books of touchpress are applications, and I think that's an error. But, even if making books as applications is an error, the idea of dynamism is not an error. In any case, actually there's not any format capable of adaptation in reading time (ok, html.. but that needs some javascript, and in general, it's not self-contained, I'm talking about making "dynamic books" without the problems of fixed layouts (pdf), without security problems (like pdf). -- - Per la llibertat del coneixement - - Per la llibertat de la ment... - -- Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to [email protected] Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.documentfoundation.org/www/discuss/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
