Some DRM-free book bundles

15 respuestas [Último envío]
kerdadit
Desconectado/a
se unió: 06/06/2018

I put this here because it seemed off-topic for the other forums. There are a couple of limited-time book bundles on offer here that are interesting to me and I thought they might be to someone here as well.

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/cybersecurity-cryptography-wiley-books
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/linux-apress-books

These books are DRM free and you can download them as PDFs. I have no affiliation with the companies or charities involved, just sharing in case someone else wants these also. Website requires JS to use properly :(.

kerdadit
Desconectado/a
se unió: 06/06/2018

I thought it was a pretty nice little collection for the price. I normally prefer reading print books, preferring the tactile sensation of thumbing the print copy. But PDF is obviously a good format for books about computing and No Starch Press got me in the habit.

lutes
Desconectado/a
se unió: 09/04/2020

Humblebundle did not work for me. Maybe a JS problem at the time. When I visited again, the bundle was over anyway.

I might want to go for one of these, though:

https://dl.humble.com/ops/pdfs/bookofbuildingfires_V2_preview.pdf?ttl=1612223540&t=a7e775eabff2fbfeda3319e6c871fd42
https://dl.humble.com/ops/pdfs/grilleveryday_preview.pdf?ttl=1612223540&t=c659b60bb533f940f2280e74a2e8fa9f

They both are included in the "Start Something New" bundle.

kerdadit
Desconectado/a
se unió: 06/06/2018

Hmm. Oh, well. The fire building one looks interesting to me, and is a skill that would also remain useful in an apocalypse. :)

lutes
Desconectado/a
se unió: 09/04/2020

That's right.

Always useful to know how to start a fire.

kerdadit
Desconectado/a
se unió: 06/06/2018

Lol. Thanks for introducing me to this group.

PsychicEcho
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se unió: 04/05/2020

yeah bro, love print books. Also it is good not to rely on electricity for everything.

lutes
Desconectado/a
se unió: 09/04/2020

The amount of energy needed to print a book, added to the consumption of a bright light bulb might not be massively lower than the amount required to publish a pdf and read it on a notebook.

That said, I would indeed feel quite sad if printed books were to disappear (which I think they are not). Apart from the feeling of the pages, the ease to access any time and browse through them, I also find them more body friendly. I got literal pain in the neck because of reading books only once, when I got hooked and spent most of the night twisted on a chair, unable to stop reading John Le Carré's The Honourable Schoolboy. At some point, I managed to transport myself to bed, where I kept reading, still twisted. After which I could not move my head in any direction for a couple of days and had to weather some grumpy spell from the other person in the bed. Because of that painful memory, I am still to read the remainder of the Karla trilogy. Both John Le Carré and George Blake having passed away last month, time might have come to catch up (with the Karla series, print version).

Comparatively, I can hardly spend more than half an hour in front of a computer screen without having to move around in order to avoid neck and back pain, despite following the most advanced ergonomics advice.

lutes
Desconectado/a
se unió: 09/04/2020

Just finished watching Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy, the 2011 movie. Good idea to read the book first, if only to be able to follow the plot without rewinding every half minute.

The 1979 BBC series version is not bad either, and the contrast between the two is quite an interesting crash course on time travel.

I hope they'll also wake up from hibernation and shoot both sequels some day.

PsychicEcho
Desconectado/a
se unió: 04/05/2020

We are living in increasingly unstable times. If the electrical grid goes down, I don't want to be caught completely off guard.

kerdadit
Desconectado/a
se unió: 06/06/2018

I suppose that's always somewhere in the back of my mind.

lutes
Desconectado/a
se unió: 09/04/2020

Indeed.

I always keep one of these secret generators with me in case of stupid blackout or something.

Groupe_électrogène_1.jpeg
PsychicEcho
Desconectado/a
se unió: 04/05/2020

uhm that is rather large

lutes
Desconectado/a
se unió: 09/04/2020

Yes, hospital grade. You can keep those powerful pool lights on, heat your water, heat your place, make pancakes and bake bread simultaneously. As long as you have fuel, that is. Survivalists seem to often forget that minor detail.

I carry around a miniaturized version for trivial daily use, especially in winter times when the combination of snow and wind often take electric wires down. I can keep reading my book almost uninterrupted, though in a somewhat noisier environment.

Also, I have an electromagnetic flashlight which I can recharge manually by frantically spinning a little handle. Most helpful to find the toilets at night or send distress signals when lost on the moor, or both.

pocket_electrogen.jpg pocket_flash.jpg
PsychicEcho
Desconectado/a
se unió: 04/05/2020

the miniature one takes fuel?

I have a small one of that kind of flashlights which charges by mechanical lever. It isn't holding the charge anymore :(

lutes
Desconectado/a
se unió: 09/04/2020

> the miniature one takes fuel?

Of course. This is no Tesla free energy harvester. It also emits exhaust fumes.

https://hyundaipower-fr.com/en/product/petrol-inverter-generator-2000-w-1700-w-recoil-start