[FM Discuss] the booki vision so far

[adam hyde]

On Fri, 2009-09-11 at 15:49 -0700, Edward Cherlin wrote:
> What will be the capabilities for embedding software in a
> user-friendly scripting language, or calling and controlling external
> software? We can, of course, use live http and other URLs in a PDF,
> but what if I want to call a program in Etoys Smalltalk, Python,
> UCBLogo, a symbolic or numeric math program, a macro-driven
> spreadsheet, or anything else?

i think thats in booki 202.0 beta ;)

> 
> On Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 8:34 AM, adam hyde <adam at flossmanuals.net> wrote:
> > hi,
> >
> > I am actively pursuing more leads for funding for the Booki development.
> > Below is a text describing the vision. I want to trim this down to a
> > short doc so I can easily ship it off to anyone interested. So, the
> > below is source material, any comments welcomed.
> >
> > -----
> >
> > Booki is a revolution in publishing. Booki is based on
> > functionality we have already created for FLOSS Manuals, but reworks the
> > underlying architecture, and extends to features we cannot achieve with
> > our current website. We have the experience already in developing a lot
> > of the functionality required. We know how to develop book formatted PDF
> > with bi-directional text and Unicode support, we know how to build
> > systems to track copyright attributions, we have built our own web-IRC
> > gateways, but most importantly we know what features work and what don't
> > work for this kind of environment.
> >
> > Now we need to take the lessons learned and develop a Free Software with
> > Collaborative Authoring and Book Sprint requirements embedded in the
> > core of its design. This does not mean rewriting FLOSS Manuals, it means
> > designing a new software paradigmn and re-imagining Publishing.
> >
> > ** Re-imagining Publishing
> > Creating reusable repositories of books and dispelling the myth of sole
> > authorship is simultaneously a disruptive challenge to the publishing
> > industry as well as a productive environment for collaboratively
> > creating many wonderful new books. This is our goal for Booki.
> >
> > In doing this Booki changes accepted methods of publishing. Unlike
> > current publishing models, Booki does not consider authors as isolated
> > producers. Booki facilitates collaborative production through simple and
> > effective writing and book management tools. The Booki interface is
> > designed around the authors and their needs to write, to discuss their
> > views, to seek assistance with partner writers, to translate and reuse
> > content. Using a platform like this you can collaborate to produce very
> > high quality content, very quickly. In this type of environment we have
> > written, and you can write, a high quality book in 2 days with people
> > you may never meet. This already sounds very distant from traditional
> > publishing methods.
> >
> > However, Booki also accelerates the production cycle of print-ready
> > sources. In Booki print-ready source (book formatted PDF) is generated
> > on the server in a matter of minutes. If you update the book then you
> > can very quickly output another book-formatted PDF. Standard industry
> > production processes cannot compete with this pace.
> >
> > Booki also changes the ways books are designed. Booki changes the method
> > of design from the proprietary Indesign 'industry standard' to the CSS
> > open standard. In Booki, the design of book formatted PDF is controlled
> > with CSS – bringing book design to the web literate. If you know CSS you
> > can change the style your book.
> >
> > Booki also challenges the traditional publishing view on reuse, and
> > posits the idea that books can always be improved. Hence books should
> > always be reusable. Booki uses open content licenses by default which
> > partially assists reuse. However without a repository of content and a
> > technical process for managing reuse, content won't often be reused
> > regardless of the license. Booki makes reuse easy by technically
> > facilitating the forking, updating, improving, remixing, rewriting,
> > recontextualisation, and translation of books.
> >
> > Translation is an especially interesting case of reuse. Where the
> > traditional publishing industry cannot easily translate content due to
> > its restrictive licensing and contractual requirements, Booki encourages
> > and facilitates translation wherever possible. Booki provides
> > translation tools to ease the migration of books across language
> > boundaries. However translation is not the only language feature of
> > Booki. Booki also places a high value on the production of original
> > content in any language. For this reason Booki is designed to be easily
> > localised by integrating the Pootle localisation platform into its
> > architecture. This means anyone can translate the Booki interface to
> > assist with the production of content in any language.
> >
> > Translation, reuse and republishing on this scale also challenges other
> > legacy publishing concepts, notably 'Editions'. 'Editions' no longer
> > make sense when books can easily and quickly be forked, translated,
> > updated and republished. This is because in the publishing industry
> > (costly) ISBN numbers are linked to Edition numbers. It is impractical
> > to utilise ISBN in this new environment because books can be updated and
> > re-released as quickly as software. So 'Edition' is no longer a suitable
> > concept. Since the development of books in Booki better mirrors Open
> > Source development  models we prefer to talk of Versions instead of
> > Editions. Hence Booki requires a different vocabulary so as to
> > differentiate the Booki publishing model from traditional publishing
> > processes.
> >
> > Actually Booki makes bolder challenges to what a book is. Booki is
> > really a platform for the collaborative development of Comprehensive
> > Texts, one output of which is books. However Booki can output your text
> > to multiple formats, opening the door to RSS syndication, ebook
> > distribution, or any other format for the distribution on offline or
> > online media. Booki helps comprehensive texts move fluidly through
> > different media. However, 'comprehensive text' is too wordy and so we
> > still use the term 'book', but perhaps more liberally than traditional
> > publishers.
> >
> > Although built to support Collaborative Authoring and Book Sprints you
> > can use Booki to write a book by yourself over a longer period of time.
> > You can also install your own version of Booki for your own use, or
> > share an  existing installation. Whichever strategy you take;
> > collaborating, writing in solo, rapidly developing books, or taking your
> > time - when you have worked with Booki you will never think of
> > publishing the same way again.
> >
> >
> >
> > adam
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Adam Hyde
> > Founder FLOSS Manuals
> > German mobile : + 49 15 2230 54563
> > Email : adam at flossmanuals.net
> > irc: irc.freenode.net #flossmanuals
> >
> > "Free manuals for free software"
> > http://www.flossmanuals.net/about
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Discuss at lists.flossmanuals.net
> > http://lists.flossmanuals.net/listinfo.cgi/discuss-flossmanuals.net
> >
> 
> 
> 
-- 
Adam Hyde
Founder FLOSS Manuals
German mobile : + 49 15 2230 54563
Email : adam at flossmanuals.net
irc: irc.freenode.net #flossmanuals

"Free manuals for free software"
http://www.flossmanuals.net/about