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Date:      Tue, 29 Nov 2005 10:02:46 -0800
From:      Gary Kline <kline@tao.thought.org>
To:        Micah <micahjon@ywave.com>
Cc:        Gary Kline <kline@tao.thought.org>, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Waaaaay OT, sorry.
Message-ID:  <20051129180246.GA14559@thought.org>
In-Reply-To: <438C833E.5030707@ywave.com>
References:  <20051129060512.GA10583@thought.org> <200511282215.08918.vizion@vizion.occoxmail.com> <20051129065126.GA10783@thought.org> <438C833E.5030707@ywave.com>

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On Tue, Nov 29, 2005 at 08:35:10AM -0800, Micah wrote:
> Gary Kline wrote:
> >On Mon, Nov 28, 2005 at 10:15:06PM -0800, Vizion wrote:
> >
> >>On Monday 28 November 2005 22:05,  the author Gary Kline contributed to 
> >>the dialogue on-
> >>Waaaaay OT, sorry.: 
> >>
> >>
> >>>	Folks,
> >>>
> >>>	This is one of my more obscure questions and involves scanning
> >>>	not paper but something they used to store books, magazines,
> >>>	and newspapers--before the computer age.  It is called a
> >>>	microfiche (or fiche).  A friend got a copy of a rare
> >>>	out-of-print, not-for-sale book on microfiche.  We're looking
> >>>	for some means of scanning this film into a scanner with
> >>>	OCR.  So far, he has tried a camera with 8G memory.  No joy,
> >>>	the scanner sees garbage.  Anybody out there ever have anything
> >>>	like this prob?  The book is from 1913 so it is well in the
> >>>	public domain.  I've already written Google; zero response.
> >>>
> >>>	I want to get this book up on my site, fully HTML it so that
> >>>	everybody has the opportunity to ready it ... .
> >>>
> >>>	thanks for any insights,
> >>>
> >>>	gary
> >>
> >>Its a long time since I have handled microfiche but my guess is you will 
> >>need to mount your camera onto a  microfiche reader or a microscope. The 
> >>resolution of a microfiche image is really high - far higher than the 
> >>camera you are using so I think you may need something to enlarge the 
> >>image for you to photograph.
> >>
> >>my two pennorth
> >>
> >>david
> >>
> >
> >
> >	Microscope; that never cross my mind.  I think my pal took stuff
> >	to the  main library one night and tried capturing the data from 
> >	the reader.   Not very successful; I don't know the details.
> >	(We are around 1200 miles apart.)   Any ballpark SWAG what power 
> >	lens might work here?  I only touched m'fiche one time ever, so 
> >	have no idea.  Money is an issue since there are 400+ pages.
> >
> >
> >	gary
> >
> >
> 
> Here's several ideas:
> 
> My sister has used a microfiche viewer and a digital camera to reproduce 
> genealogical records in the past.  Doesn't turn out half bad.  Many 
> libraries have microfiche readers.  Some have the ability to print, but 
> that may cost you on a per page basis.
> 
> The place I used to work for subcontracted to get microfiche scanned for 
> our clients.  You should look into how much that costs before ruling it 
> out completely.
> 
> Lastly, if the book has any historical or literary significance, you 
> might try talking to a few of the larger libraries in your area.  You 
> /may/ be able to get them to do the scanning for you in exchange for 
> allowing them to shelve a copy or two.
> 

	Thanks for everyone's input.  I'll keep trying--or, more 
	accurately, will keep encouraging my friend to keep checking
	into things.  He is at a major university with a huge library
	complex and all the latest technology, &c... .  Cost is an
	issue--every which way you turn.  The university has some 
	kind of saving-old-books program, I think, but this book 
	isn't on the list.  There have been steep cuts in staff
	and programs in the past couple years, so the thinking may
	be:  What's the deal with trying to revive a 1913 Ethics 
	text where it's already on fiche?!

	There is history here with the author (who was blacklisted
	in 1920); with the anti-Progressive ideas among the 
	superrich.  The book itself is outstanding, IMHO as an
	admitted geek, but otherwise I believe.

	I'll keep on truckin'.  Maybe in a year or two it'll
	be back ... after 80, 90 years.

	gary


-- 
   Gary Kline     kline@thought.org   www.thought.org     Public service Unix




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