Slashdot Mirror
Cleveland Public Library Readies E-book Downloads
rtphokie writes "C|Net is reporting that the Cleveland Public Library is making ebooks available. Sounds like the 1000 books in the system initially will feature more than just public domain titles including 'the latest from authors such as Michael Crichton, Clive Barker and Joyce Carol Oates.'" The article also mentions that "only a limited number of each eBook will be available, and after a preset number of days, the eBook will lock out the current reader so another patron can check it out." A good time to re-read The Right to Read.
Mom: Stop messing around on that thing. Read a book for once.
Son: I am reading a book.
Mom: Keep lying like that and you're grounded.
I have never once had a library collect a fine from me. I once was supposed to pay off an $8 fine. As soon as I offered to pay it, the librarian smiled and said, "Thats alright." I guess my dashing looks and suave attitued impressed the 75 year old blue-haired lady. :)
--Kevin
The article also mentions that "only a limited number of each eBook will be available, and after a preset number of days, the eBook will lock out the current reader so another patron can check it out."
That's weird. I've noticed many Web pages that Slashdot links to also have this feature. I click on the link and it tells me too many people are reading the site and that I should come back later. So if Slashdot links to every e-book in the library, they won't need to pay for fancy protection systems.
mogorific carpentry experiments
You're right that "there's nothing like holding and reading a real book by the bedside or on the go", but you cant grep a dead tree, can you? :)
--Kevin
I read those technical books by the bedside. Stroustrup's 3rd edition is a sure cure for insomnia.
XML causes global warming.
Maybe cause if they're online they're too hard to burn (kinda reminds me of a book I read once...)
The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed (SK)
Holy shit! What the fuck is that??
Holy cybernetic guacamole! Does anyone need anymore evidence that RMS went off the deep end years ago?
Go the fuck ahead and mod me down, but jeez, somebody has to say these things.
" Stroustrup's 3rd edition is a sure cure for insomnia."
Maybe it should be renamed from C++ to C(leep)++
I think it would be much more likely that you looked like such a slob that she assumed you had no money and were down on your luck.
It's charity, nothing more.
I wonder if they'll make my book: How to Circumvent Cleveland Libraries' Time Restriction Mechanism available, too. :)