> - Tools to transform BOOK files into reasonable PDFs, even if only a > meager EXPORT function in BookManager READ.
I have found a decent resource on the web for converting .BOO files to .PDF. Online converter: http://ps-2.kev009.com:8081/boo2pdf/ Downloadable converter: http://www.kev009.com/wp/projects/boo2pdf/ Tony Thigpen -----Original Message ----- From: Alan Altmark Sent: 09/07/2010 03:23 PM > On Tuesday, 09/07/2010 at 11:25 EDT, Graves Nora E <nora.e.gra...@irs.gov> > wrote: >> I really like the ability to search every book on the bookshelf for the >> occurrence of what I'm looking up. I've been known to search the older >> versions first if the latest versions are only available in PDF (DB2 for >> z/VM books in particular). Once I narrow down the search, then I'll go >> to the latest version of the book to find the current information. >> >> IMO, that's one of the things that has made the IBM documentation so >> much more user-friendly than what is supplied by other vendors. > > That is what I do with the Information Center at > http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/zvm/v6r1/index.jsp. It searches > all the books. I agree that it isn't perfect by any means and, yes, as > others have said, some of the VM books have antiquated TOCs that don't do > well in an "e-environment," but they suffer in Bookmanager, too. I don't > like going to a section 1.1 only to find that it is a single sentence or > tiny paragraph with links to 1.1.1, 1.1.2, and 1.1.3. > > And then some books have the same section titles, which can be confusing. > E.g. the TCP/IP User's Guide and the LDAP Admin book both have a section > titled "SSL Certificate/Key Management and SSL Tracing Information." But, > again, that's nothing specific to Information Center. > > I'm also not a fan of books with Part 1, 2, 3, etc, unlessf you've got a > 2000-page book split into multiple PDFs as the IEEE does for large > standards. > > I am going to be honest and say that, so far, I haven't seen a compelling > reason that IBM should continue to invest in generating BOOK files. What > you *have* convinced me of is that a portion of any contemplated savings > should be redirected to improvements in: > - TOC simplification and consistency (avoid useless divisions of > information) > - PDF bookshelf and search enhancements > - Better education within the context of the Library on how to > effectively access it with available tools. I mean, I had just learned > about the Advanced Linguistic Plug-in a few days before Michael Forte and > others posted on the subject.. "Who knew?" > - A Linux version of the Information Center > - Better bulk packaging of the Library so that it is easily moved around. > - New formats for mobile and e-book devices. There oughtta be an app for > that, eh? > - Tools to transform BOOK files into reasonable PDFs, even if only a > meager EXPORT function in BookManager READ. > and that it might be good to have some of these addressed before BOOKs are > removed. > > In the interests of full disclosure, I too use BOOK files and shelves for > some of the same reasons as many of you do and am not looking forward to > learning new tricks. (woof!!) > > Alan Altmark > z/VM Development > IBM Endicott > >
