Calibre Aces Ebook Conversion and Management
August 30, 2011
Anyone who uses an eBook knows how challenging managing all the books can be. To solve this annoying problem a new program has entered the market: Calibre, an eBook management tool. With so many different types of files and equally different types of eReaders available, it’s nice to finally have a central command to sort through it all.
The concept was borne from an avid eBook enthusiast and reader, who was unhappy with the software available for eBook management and file conversion. Calibre, as it is today, is a work-in-progress that aims to meet the demands of busy eReading folk. As the website explains,
Today Caliber is a vibrant open-source community with half a dozen developers and many, many testers and bug reporters. It is used in over 200 countries and has been translated into a dozen different languages by volunteers. Calibre has become a comprehensive tool for the management of digital texts, allowing you to do whatever you could possibly imagine with your e-book library.
Perhaps the best feature of Calibre is its ability to convert all types of files making it possible for one to download an eBook of any type and then miraculously send it to the eReader of choice. Voila! As one Calibre fan wrote in the article, Best Ebook Library Manager: Calibre, on Book Sprung, “Calibre’s secret weapon is that it’s got crazy ninja formatting skills, and can convert all sorts of files into all sorts of other files. For Kindle owners, this means you can convert unusable file formats into the .mobi format that Kindle likes.”
We look forward to seeing what else Calibre can pull out of its hat, and more importantly, if the eBook providers of the world will play nice with the newest teacher’s pet.
Catherine Lamsfuss, August 30, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Aggregation: A Brave New World?
August 24, 2011
As I’m typing this article on my computer, I must confess, I love pen and paper, the smell of a new book, the sound a newspaper makes when its pages are turned. Unfortunately, these physical things are slowly becoming extinct thanks to the internet. Though I stubbornly resist the allure of Kindle, I can see the writing on the wall, or the tablet.
The article How the Internet Has All But Destroyed the Market for Films, Music and Newspapers from the UK’s The Guardian, believes the impending death of physical newspapers, among other media outlets, is due to the lack of law governing and enforced on the internet. According to it, as long as information can be easily pirated and transmitted to others for free, those footing the bill for creating the movies, music and news will continue to see sharp declines in profits.
Image source: http://www.sreweb.com/weekend_emails/sept_10_2010/
To understand how the internet is killing the newspaper star, one must first understand why newspapers have worked so well for so long. It’s all about aggregation and curation. Aggregation is simply the gathering of ‘stuff’; in a newspaper’s case, that stuff is news stories, sports scores, horoscopes, classified ads, etc… Curation is the culling out of unnecessary ‘stuff’.
Newspapers have created brands for themselves because of their unique aggregating and curating. For hundreds of years if someone liked a column in a specific newspaper, they were forced to buy the entire paper to read the one column of interest. The newspaper hoped that the reader would also find the other articles interesting, but it didn’t really matter because the price of the newspaper was the same whether a reader liked one article or all of them.
When Local Search Flops, Loopriz Plans to Deliver Company Info
August 23, 2011
Loopriz is a new service for businesses now available online for businesses worldwide. As their website describes itself,
(Loopriz) has been founded in mid July 2009 as an experiment for businesses around the world, may it be a retailer, an NGO, Corporation etc. to get engaged in the world of information. The idea is for small entrepreneurs and rising businesses to gain faster connections and partners via this platform thus avoiding high advertisement costs.
Although there are several directories available for companies to list themselves on, Loopriz offers free listing, a ‘business card’ type listing, and is not tied to one industry or geographical location.
Information available about companies included in the directory is company name, all contact info, Web site address, industry, and services offered. Those wishing to search for companies can search via company name, region, industry, service, or keyword.
There is also the option to share a ‘business card’ with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumbir, and other sites.
Although the website is still in growth mode, the possibilities for its success are quite large. As far as networking goes, it doesn’t get any better than free. This site seems similar to Facebook and LinkedIn except that it eliminates all the inane social schmoozing, allowing users to utilize the important info.
The challenges of building a global database of businesses is a formidable one. We noticed some instability in access, so you made to refresh your query.
Catherine Lamsfuss, August 23, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Inteltrax: Top Stories, August 15 to August 19
August 22, 2011
Inteltrax, the data fusion and business intelligence information service, captured three key stories germane to search this week, two from the healthcare world and one simply an enlightening profile.
The first story was called, “Australian Healthcare Embraces Data Warehousing,” showcased how the Land Down Under was hot-rodding its healthcare with the aid of analytics.
The next story, “Heritage Health Prize and Other Contests Boost Analytic Profiles,” showed how winning this prestigious prize has been the gateway to big things for analytics providers.
Another provider up to big things, Microstrategy, we discovered in our story, “Microstrategy Not Hitting Financial Bottom,” as we detailed how this company lost money because of some big hires last quarter. This story, though, applauded this loss, because it will pay off in the long run.
Whether a nation’s healthcare is improving itself now, a contest winner is about to see big things happen, or a scrappy analytics provider is tightening its belt to become better in the future, the world of business intelligence and big data is never short on drama. We’re going to bring you the inside scoop on all the happenings as this industry evolves.
Follow the Inteltrax news stream by visiting www.inteltrax.com
Patrick Roland, Editor, Inteltrax, August 22, 2011
Sponsored by Digital Reasoning, the developers of Synthesys, the next generation content processing and analytics system
Insight into News Corp.: If True, Amazing Method for Creating Content
August 17, 2011
I don’t know if the information in “Phone Hacking Letter Spells More Trouble for Murdoch and News Corp.” is accurate. Since I don’t “do” news, I look at most of the content available via the Web with some skepticism. Since I am not a “real” anything, I am not qualified to determine what is right and wrong in the rough and tumble world of newspaper publishing. With pressures on publishing companies increasing, the line between marketing and research seems to be fuzzy. In the quest for eyeballs, I am beginning to think that anything goes.
Here is the passage that caught my attention:
Dated March 2, 2007, Mr. Goodman’s letter was sent as a protest against his firing from NotW [News of the World] following his arrest for phone hacking. Goodman, the former royals correspondent, asserts dismay over his dismissal since hacking was “widely discussed” and supported by senior NotW [News of the World] management. At the parliamentary hearing last month, the Murdochs asserted that they did not know the scale of the hacking practice until recently, and said they thought it was restricted to Goodman. Yet immediately after the hearing, two former News International executives contested the younger Murdoch’s claim of ignorance.
Fascinating. Next time I read a “real news” story about publishing, I will make a note to consider the likelihood that some drift may be inserted into what’s stated. I wonder how News Corp. will present the trajectory of MySpace.com or how other “real” information distribution channels will describe certain events. I am certain there is an explanation for the apparent discontinuity.
Stephen E Arnold, August 17, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Arnold Columns, August 2011
August 15, 2011
Another financial crisis, more executive turnover in search and content processing companies, and a definite dearth of substantive news. Nevertheless, I was able to prepare several columns for my publishers. One outfit, which I shall not name, seems to have lost its grip on its life preserver and has slipped under the water. Hopefully, the outfit will resurface.
Here’s the line up for my August columns, which have been submitted. I have no idea when these will appear in their hard copy or online form. Because this is work for hire, you won’t find the information in my free Web logs Beyond Search, SharePointSemantics, or Inteltrax, however. Such is life in the post crash world of copyright-infused publishing companies.
Enterprise Technology Management (London, England). “Google’s Enterprise Search: From Headliner to Bit Player.” In this essay, I pick up the theme that Google’s push into Android and Google Plus (Google+) has made it clear that the firm has some new priorities. In this shift, search is now becoming more a utility. I highlight what Google is doing and contrast it with what Dassault Exalead has in play. Guess which is performing more effectively? Read the ETM publication to find my answer to this question.
Information Today. Due to a brutal September travel schedule, I was a good little, but underpaid writer. I submitted my September and my October columns in August. Don’t worry the information in both is new and definitely important. The September column is “Two Search Innovations: The Snake and the Lion.” I discuss the Canadian teen who created a new approach to determining contextual relevance for short messages and the new metasearch system which uses the full width of today’s modern monitors to display search results. For the October column, I tackle European business intelligence as manifested in Spotter, a firm founded by a female manager wizard who is also a technology ace. This is definitely a must read for those who want more diversity in the male dominated world of search and content processing. This column is called “Business Intelligence: Overcoming the International Blind Spot.” Acquisitions, anyone?
For Information Today’s Newsbreaks, I wrote a longer piece which the editor edited to focus on my views of Google innovation. Cost cutting is interesting. You can find the original on the information Today Web site.
KMWorld has a stockpile of my columns. These will be running in the next issues. I have lost track of what’s in the queue.
Online Magazine. I am now a “regular” contributing longer essays for each issue of this prestigious publication. I am covering open source from the point of view of an online centric organization. This month’s feature is “Open Source Search: A Digital Technicolor Dream Coat.” The idea is that there seems to be something magical about open source. But is it for real or a theatrical convention before open source goes commercial? The answer to the question appears in my write up for Online.
There are two for fee content tests underway. These services may be killed after their alpha tests. If you want to see additional content produced by the ArnoldIT/Beyond Search team, check out www.patentpoints.com and www.thecardline.com.
Stephen E Arnold, August 15, 2011
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, the resource for enterprise search information and current news about data fusion
Free Program Removes DRM Controls from PDFs
August 12, 2011
We’ve found a tool that is, perhaps, a bit concerning. Softpedia presents, for free, PDF Drm Removal 1.4.2.0. The developer of the software is listed as Removedrmfromepub.com. The product description reads,
PDF Drm Removal is a professional and reliable application designed to remove DRM protections from PDF files with no quality loss. Just removes the PDF files drm header, no change on the files. Read the PDF on any supported devices!
Interesting and somewhat concerning. We understand there’s controversy over Digital Rights Management controls; some say that they stifle innovation or violate private property rights. Others say the technology unnecessarily locks documents into a format that is bound to become obsolete someday.
However, we necessarily sympathize with publishers and writers, like Stephen E. Arnold, who
rely on PDF security to safeguard documents. How else will they protect their work in the digital age?
Cynthia Murrell August 11, 2011
Quote to Note: Newspapers and Android Tablets
August 11, 2011
I read two different news items which informed me that Apple has stopped the sale of Samsung tablets in countries far from Kentucky. Ominous if accurate. Then I came upon “Newspaper Eyes Creating Subsidized Samsung Tablet.” The idea seemed a bit of a reach, but, hey, those newspaper managers are sharp business professionals. I am not sure how many of my neighbors would put down their jug of firewater to browse a tablet, but one never knows until one tries. What caught my attention was a quote to note, allegedly made by “one insider”, a great source for sure. Here the quote perches:
“If it turns out to be a failure, it will be a fantastically interesting failure.” Another source commented: “I would be shocked if it was successful.”
There it is.
Stephen E Arnold, August 11, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com, publishers of The New Landscape of Enterprise Search
Belgium and Google: A Messy Waffle
July 18, 2011
I saw this headline: “Belgian Newspapers Claim Retaliation By Google After Copyright Victory” and I was nervous clicking on the link. SEO news services make me nervous. The idea of any “retaliation” story makes me think of long lists of words on a watch list somewhere.
I clicked on the link, and the story seemed okay, just a bit thin on substantive details. Quoting the Associated Press is in and of itself is reason for concern.
Here’s the main idea:
Publishers in Belgium did not want their content indexed by Google. (That strikes me as less than informed, but forget the knowledge value angle.) So publishers get the fluid legal system to notify the Google. Shortly thereafter, some Belgium publishers note that their content is tough to find at the top of a Google results list. Bottomline line: Some folks believe Google is jiggling the results to make some Belgian content familiar with the tedium of clicking through lots of pages to find the desired hit.
My view is that accusations are definitely good for “real” news outfits like the publisher of the retaliation story. I also think that considerable care must be taken before yip yapping about why a particular results list does not show what one wants, expects, believes, or hopes will appear.
Google has lots of people working on the search system. I once believed that these teams were coordinated and working like a well oiled robot arm assembling nuclear fuel rods. Now I know that the method is more like “get it working”. Good enough is going to earn a search wizard an A from the Google system.
Messy waffles. Image source: http://eatbakelove-todayistheday.blogspot.com/2011/06/weekend-warrior.html
If there is a difference between publishers’ expectations and what is in a particular result list, I suggest several things:
First, get a trained and expert online searcher to run queries in a methodical manner to verify what is and what is not “findable.” Keep in mind that 99.9 percent of the people who claim to be search experts are not. If you don’t believe me, give Ulla de Stricker a buzz. You can also try Anne Mintz, former director of the Forbes Magazine information center. You can also ping Marydee Ojala, editor of online. Folks, trust me. These individuals are certifiable online search experts and can get the information needed to put some data behind the hot air. Data needed.
Yellow Pages Trying to Find a Future
July 7, 2011
Search Engine Watch reports, “Search Secures Recognition as Local Business Info Provider.” The article examines information from studies performed by research companies Burke and eMarketer. Each has compiled data on usage for a variety of local-business-information resources. The Yellow Pages performs well when its paper and online ventures are combined, but separately each was roundly beaten by search engines.
Not surprisingly, add revenues for printed Yellow Pages are expected to dwindle into nothingness:
In the long haul, predicted figures decline to the point of near eclipse. By 2015, the predicted ad investment for print directories is just $5 billion. Meanwhile, search investments continue to rise, with the predicted figures for search ad spending increasing by more than 50 percent to $21.5 billion by 2015.
This must inevitably lead to the extinction of printed phone books. Good news if you’re a tree.
Still, how will the Yellow Pages fare in the long run? Depends on how nimble they are with their business model. The print sector is going to be under increasing cost pressure when print and ink are involved.
Cynthia Murrell, July 7, 2011
The addled goose is the author of The New Landscape of Enterprise Search
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