- Tame.js — async programming library for use with node.js and other V8 projects. (via Hacker News)
- The Rise of PDF Malware (Symantec) — detailed whitepaper showing the incident rate, techniques, and evasion techniques of PDF malware. Despite the fact that the number of PDF CVEs [Common Vulnerability/Exposure] are close to Microsoft Office’s numbers, the amount of nonunique PDF attacks Symantec has seen have increased dramatically, which shows that the PDF file format is being targeted more often within the last two years.
- cocos-2d — iPhone 2d game framework. (via Chuck Toporek)
- Nature’s Biology Textbooks — Nature changing the textbook publishing model, trialling in California. 50+ authors write the ebook, filtered through a (hard-working, I’m guessing) editor. This beats Kindle textbook rentals hands down. Another article says of the Nature trial: each school will be testing a different licensing and access model, which I hope for some includes printing out because Princeton’s Kindle trial showed (PDF) that ebooks don’t measure up to print books for annotation and some other key uses. (via The Daily News)
"ebooks" entries
Five digital design ideas from Windows 8
With Metro, it's clear Microsoft has put a lot of thought into touchscreen design.
Microsoft's Metro interface offers plenty for digital book designers to study. The best part? Whether or not Microsoft actually ships something that matches their demo, designers can benefit from the great thinking they've done.
When media rebooted, it brought marketing with it
Mitch Joel on matching marketing platforms to your needs and why book ads might work.
In this TOC podcast, Twist Image president Mitch Joel talks about some of the common challenges facing the music, magazine and book publishing sectors. He also expands on his suggestion that publishers should "burn the ships" and not look back.
Keeping images and text in sync
Two examples of how digital images and associated text can stick together.
The fluidity of digital content occasionally sends images in one direction and text in another. Here's a look at two design experiments that keep digital assets together.
RIP Michael S. Hart
Remembering the founder of Project Gutenberg.
Michael Hart was the founder of Project Gutenberg, an incredible visionary for online books, and someone who touched my life.
Searching in ebooks: A unique use case that requires a unique approach
Ereader search tools need to limit disruption and incorporate web search best practices.
The current crop of ereaders handle ebook searching in a variety of ways — some are useful and creative, some aren’t. Here, Pete Meyers looks at the state of ebook search and how it can be improved.
Sometimes the questions are as enlightening as the answers
10 digital book questions worth pondering.
If you're willing to accept the ambiguity, an answer of "I don't know" can launch intriguing possibilities. Here, Peter Meyers offers 10 open-ended questions about the shift from print to screen.
Top Stories: July 25-29, 2011
Data and education, real-time data, what publishers can learn from startups.
This week on O'Reilly: We looked at how data can help education, Theo Schlossnagle made the case for real-time business data, and we learned that tech startups can teach publishers a thing or two.
Four short links: 19 July 2011
Async Javascript, PDF Malware, 2D Games, and Reinventing Textbooks
Sustainable publishing is a mindset, not a format
Dennis Stovall on the intricacies of sustainable publishing.
Dennis Stovall, director of the Publishing Program at Portland State University, discusses the state of sustainable publishing and who's doing it right.
Notes that don't break the reading flow
The flexibility of the digital page offers considerable promise for notes.
When you move away from the passage you're currently reading to consult a note you lose your connection in a very literal way. The digital canvas provided by ebooks and ereaders can change this.