John - Wow! An impressive memory tour de force! My problem is that I am driving during my commute. You get the strangest looks when the next driver glances over and sees your face buried in a PDA. Actually that last phrase might become prophetic. I was just asking if there was a way to get a talking e-book. For example, you can download just about any book whose copyright has expired, copy, paste into my text-to-voice, and there you have an audio version. I'll be long dead before the copyrights on any books about Oracle expire. Most e-book publishers protect their material as zealously as the Secret Service protects the president. Which often renders them unusable for any purpose. Personally, I liked the suggestion to ask the noted authors on this list to read their books just like the fiction superstars do.
Dennis Williams DBA Lifetouch, Inc. [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- Sent: Monday, October 14, 2002 4:11 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L Dennis, See below is an email conversation that I had with the 'Goddess' in 2000 on the same subject. Those were the days when Goddesses had to sleep and de-stress on their way home (Ducking as the Goddess takes out her six-shooter magic wand) John Reply from Rachel: ================== Geek! <G> The concept you are thinking of exists in some form already -- e-books. PDA sized computer that you can download a book into. Destressing is important -- but more so is the nap I took on the train on my way home tonight! Rachel >From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: RE: Using your commute time >Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 08:41:26 +0800 > > > I use the time to talk to the people I know on the train, or to read. > > Fiction or otherwise. Others have their laptops, I see them > > working with > them. Or they read the newspapers, or sleep. > >Granted, but the difference as against a push-technology such as a >Radio station (which many people listen to while commuting) is that >this is a pull-technology, i.e. optional availability. However, I do >conceed to the need to decompress/destress/plan/communicate with >others, energize, etc. > > > I think technical books need visual interfaces. For diagrams, tables >etc. > >Which brings me to my next brain-wave (or sizzled-brain-wave :) - >Computers have drastically reduced in size while increasing in capacity >and capability. However, the restraining factor has been (and will be) >the size of the Input/Output area (i.e. Screen/Keyboard size) which >cannot reduce below a threshold. What if someone discovers how to use a >hologram to perform the same input/output? These hologram enabled PDA >and Web based 'appliances' can shrink to the size of a plastic >'smart-card'! Just project everything onto a virtual screen which can >be virtually touched and pointed to, etc!! You could probably have your >personal (private) view using special glasses if required. I wouldn't >rule out something like this being made available within the next >decade... > >So far, I have only talked about the tech side of things here - there >are many dangers and negative side effects to the personal and societal >aspects. More of that later! > >Slightly crazy today, aren't I? >John ><< WINMAIL.DAT >> > -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: John Kanagaraj INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services --------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: DENNIS WILLIAMS INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services --------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
