Oh, no, billg. A Linux OS for tablet machines has just appeared from Lycoris–complete with a virtual keyboard. Now how about Linux book-reader software optimized for a tablet? Hey, Lycoris, care to check out LiberGNU and friends? Might not there be some room for cooperation–toward a standard consumer e-book format based on the production-level work of the Open eBook Forum? No, the Linux-related market isn’t the biggest within e-bookdom right now. But this would be a nice statement from Lycoris or another Linux player. Meanwhile, tablet Linux could be great news for hardware vendors wanting to do low-cost, Linux-based versions of the Tablet PC.
But no miracles expected instantly–just in the long run, maybe. Anyone heard lately about the Lindows-powered tablet (without fancy stuff like handwriting recognition) that Lindows was ballyhooing back in November–to “be ready near the first part of the year”? Yep, that’s a picture of the AWOL product. Time for Lindows President Michael Robertson, the guy who prides himself on seamless packaging for consumers, to deliver? If he really wants to stick his finger in Microsoft’s eye, he could work not just with LiberGNU and friends but also with publishers–to get real, live books out for Linux fans. Who knows, maybe he could do deals with Linux stalwart O’Reilly, along with enlightened distributors such as Fictionwise.
With good Linux-based readers out there from other people–building on the OeBF’s own production-level standard–the organization just might get off its posterior and finally live up to the promises from 1998. Here’s to the cause of a decent e-book standard that will serve as more than a file-exchange aid for publishers and distributors!
Additional thoughts: Don’t write off Linux on a tablet if the right apps exist. Palm hasn’t done too badly–at least for now–within the PDA area despite the existence of Microsoft. When people choose a PDA, they won’t necessarily demand a Microsoft OS as long as the portable can communicate with the desktop and run the useful apps. Same concept with tablets. If the open source folks can address the needs of tablet owners and come up with a decent OEB-based reader and other apps, then maybe there’ll be hope. If nothing else, consumers won’t have to spend as much on the OS! Anyone working on a tablet version of OpenOffice for Linux? Gasp, it might even include reading and authoring capabilities for e-books.
