eBook standards for the OLPC platform?

[mkow1234 at aol.com]

November 17, 2007

Hello All:

Please allow a brief introduction: I am a former educator, now working in the private sector as a technical writer. I serve as a volunteer editor and communications liason for the Newton worldwide community (an ad-hoc "open source" group, that continues to support Apple Computer's Newton computing platform. I typically write to developers of old software titles, to achieve their release as either freeware or shareware.? I have also written, edited, and converted dozens of eBooks for the Newton platform. I would like to apply some of that experience to help the OLPC support community.

My questions are as follows:

? *? Is there a standard method by which OLPC device users "get" educational texts onto their OLPC laptops? 
???? Is this typically done via the Internet? Bluetooth? Some other method?
? *? What is the current standard file format for eBooks on the OLPC device?? .TXT?? .HTML?? Other?
? *? Does a web-based eBook conversion application exist? 
? *? Does a web-based library repository exist for OLPC device users to upload/download eBooks?
? *? I do not have an OLPC device (I primarily use Windows-based computers); can I still make contributions to the? OLPC platform?

I am interested in pursuing the development an eBook conversion application that will allow users on a common Windows-based PC to prepare and convert texts for use as eBooks on the OLPC platform. I know of a web-based application in which one can simply drag a text file, select the desired format, and create an eBook. There is also a Mozilla Firefox plug-in, which lets the user drag text files to create eBooks on the fly. I would like to see the OLPC platform added to the list of available eBook file formats for document conversion.

Are any individuals or groups currently working in this area? Though not a developer myself, I can make overtures to software developers on behalf of the OLPC platform. Would there be any community interest in what I have proposed?

I believe that the OLPC platform should also have a common document repository (i.e. web-based library), where eBooks and other data could be uploaded and made available for others to download and use worldwide. Again, I am very new to your community, so I am not fully aware of what may have already been achieved in this area. If I have submitted this e-mail posting to the wrong area of your buletin board, kindly forward my inquiry to the appropriate group for consideration. Thank you.


Very best regards,

m @ t t h e w _ k 0 w @ l c z y k
Detroit, Michigan USA



 

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