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Subject:Re: Putting Books on CD-ROM From:Max Wyss <prodok -at- PRODOK -dot- CH> Date:Fri, 5 Jun 1998 01:49:44 +0200
Christie,
this looks like a nice little project for the PDF format.
You would need the full Acrobat package.
For preparing the documents, it would be preferrable to use a DTP
application, like Framemaker, maybe Pagemaker, if you have access to. Also,
use PostScript fonts. For the photograhps, you would have to find the
optimum scanning conditions.
The advantage of the PDF version would be that you could fully index the
documents (with Catalog, part of the Acrobat package). You could also work
with cross-references etc. In Framemaker, they would automatically be
produced.
For scanning the text, you could find a service bureau using Capture, or
(if you decide to rework on the layout) use another OCR package.
The CD-ROM would have to be a ISO 9660/HFS hybrid. Mastering the CD is
easisest on a Mac, due to the Mac file format.
Hope, this can help.
Max Wyss
PRODOK Engineering AG
Technical documentation and translations, Electronic Publishing
CH-8906 Bonstetten, Switzerland
Fax: +41 1 700 20 37
e-mail: mailto:prodok -at- prodok -dot- ch or 100012 -dot- 44 -at- compuserve -dot- com
Bridging the Knowledge Gap
_____________
>Hi, everyone. I've been lurking around for a while, and now I have a
>need to pick your brains.
>
>During the next several months I'll be putting a local history book
>(about 500 pages) on CD-ROM on a volunteer basis. The historical
>committee wants to find an inexpensive way to distribute more copies,
>and so CD-ROM seems like a good step. If you've had experience with this
>type of thing, I'd like to know what software you've used and liked.
>I've done computer manuals on CD-ROM before, using Folio VIEWS. Another
>option is to put everything together in WordPerfect or Word and then
>printing to PDF. I've also worked a lot with Asymetrix ToolBook doing
>CBT, but I want to get a better feel for what's out there before I
>decide which software to use. What has worked well for you?
>
>The book contains text and photos, no color. For the photos, I'll be
>scanning them directly from the hard copy book or from the negatives.
>For the text, I'll have to use some sort of OCR package because the
>original WordPerfect files are gone.
>
>BTW, the audience includes IBM-PC users as well as Macintosh users. Most
>of them are novice or intermediate as far as their computer experience
>goes.
>
>I'd appreciate any advice you have for this project. Thanks in advance.
>
>Christie Christopherson
>slp50 -at- cc -dot- usu -dot- edu