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Vending Machine For Books Coming Next Year

Posted by Zonk on from the i've-heard-of-worse-ideas dept.

An anonymous reader writes "CNN writes about a $50,000 machine that can print books on demand. It can print up to 550 pages and put a binding on the book in seven minutes. It will be debuting in a select number of U.S. libraries in 2007. The machine is the 'output' end of a service called On Demand Books, which is also just debuting. From the article: 'Some 2.5 million books are now available - about one million in English and no longer under copyright protection. On Demand accesses the volumes through Google and the Open Content Alliance, among other sources. [Co-founder Dane] Neller predicts that within about five years On Demand Books will be able to reproduce every volume ever printed.'"

19 of 214 comments (clear)

  1. hear that sound? by macadamia_harold · · Score: 3, Funny

    CNN writes about a $50,000 machine that can print books on demand. It can print up to 550 pages and put a binding on the book in seven minutes.

    I' not sure if you hear that sound. It's faint, but i'm pretty sure it's lulu.com shriveling up and dying. Much like when you pour salt on a snail.

    --
    Push Button, Receive Bacon
    1. Re:hear that sound? by aerthling · · Score: 3, Funny

      Well, unless that vending machine can also print magical diamond-toothed attachments for its books that are capable of burrowing through the earth to me in rural Australia, I wouldn't worry about lulu.com shriveling up and dying just yet.

    2. Re:hear that sound? by utopianfiat · · Score: 2, Funny

      And motivation for the expansion of the vending machine program to such a pissant country. Like say, literacy.

      Fixed and bracing for impact. Do with me as you like, mods. *spreads cheeks*

      --
      +5, Truth
    3. Re:hear that sound? by kfg · · Score: 2, Funny

      Now if only they could invent something to get those damned kids off my lawn...

      Sometimes the old ways are still the best:

      http://www.mossberg.com/products/default.asp?id=5

      http://www.mortonsalt.com/consumer/products/foodsa lts/icecreamsalt.htm

      KFG

  2. Bah! by ResidntGeek · · Score: 2, Funny

    Have people completely given up on the idea that our society won't last forever? Dammit, I'm going to want books when the oil runs out! What will I do if they're all on hard drives?

    --
    ResidntGeek
    1. Re:Bah! by kimvette · · Score: 4, Funny

      Oh, there's nothing to worry about. Our overlords will simply reload the matrix.

      Duh. Now, get back to metabolizing, coppertop.

      --
      The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
  3. pulp by binarybum · · Score: 2, Funny

    and the machine is powered by the flow of tears from green party members.

    --
    ôó
  4. One word: by Wilson_6500 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Neller predicts that within about five years On Demand Books will be able to reproduce every volume ever printed...

    Textbooks

  5. Re:or by Paranoia+Agent · · Score: 2, Funny

    Put the book vending machine in your tub. I know this is impactical, especially if you enjoy longer books.

  6. Mein Kamft in Comic Sans with Bunny cover by yosofun · · Score: 2, Funny
    "The machine can print, align, mill, glue and bind two books simultaneously in less than seven minutes, including full-color laminated covers."

    Does this mean I can get a copy of Mein Kamft, hardbound and set in Comin Sans... with a bunny rabbit cover... in seven minutes?

    1. Re:Mein Kamft in Comic Sans with Bunny cover by NosTROLLdamus · · Score: 0, Funny

      You should exercise a little "Comin Sans" and get a browser with a god damned spell checker.

    2. Re:Mein Kamft in Comic Sans with Bunny cover by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 4, Funny

      Does this mean I can get a copy of Mein Kamft, hardbound and set in Comin Sans... with a bunny rabbit cover... in seven minutes?

      Why would you want a Ford owner's repair manual in a bunny rabbit cover?

      --
      Only to idiots, are orders laws.
      -- Henning von Tresckow
    3. Re:Mein Kamft in Comic Sans with Bunny cover by wayward_bruce · · Score: 2, Funny

      You can't get a copy of Mein Kamft unless you write it yourself. Same goes for "comin sans" font; you'd have to design it first.

  7. Next invention: by Travoltus · · Score: 2, Funny

    DRM paper.

    Books printed in vending machines that will self destruct in one year and which will automatically shut down copy machines trying to duplicate it.

    --
    --- Grow a pair, liberals... stop letting the Republicans bully you!
  8. Book vending machine? by drsquare · · Score: 4, Funny

    Imagine this: You put your $5 in, wait an entire seven minutes for it to print, then the book gets stuck in the coil and doesn't drop down.

  9. 550 Page Limit? by changyang1230 · · Score: 4, Funny

    One thing for sure, this machine can't print Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

  10. Re:The hidden benefit by symbolic · · Score: 2, Funny

    The books will be printed on paper that will turn dark after one year, rendering the printed material unusable. Rumor has it that this copy protection scheme can be defeated by drawing a line around the perimeter of each page using a black sharpie, but this has yet to be confirmed.

  11. 0.05 cents? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Tell me, do you work for Verizon?

  12. Okay, for my first order... by Nom+du+Keyboard · · Score: 2, Funny
    On Demand Books will be able to reproduce every volume ever printed.'"

    Okay, for my first order I'd like a copy of all the books from the Library at Alexandria please.

    --
    "It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."