Undertaking a MASSIVE Scanning Project

[Hunter]

I'm about to embark on a massive scanning project. I just have not been able to create the eBook curriculum I want with the books available as eBooks. I'm going to scan some of my favorite books that are only available in harcopy.

 

I might buy a new scanner. Well, charge it, and then struggle to pay for it. Sigh!

 

I don't know if my broken down laptop can handle this. I can hook up the scanner to a friend's computer though. Or charge a laptop too? I don't think I will go that far.

 

So lets talk about massive scanning projects. Lets even talk about pie in the sky stuff that I would never do, because there are others here who might benefit from the tips and links and ideas.

[Mama Geek]

Do you plan on cutting the books apart and doing an automatic feed?

[Kerileanne99]

If you have a lot of documents or want whole books scanned for your own use, I HiGHLY reccomend going with one of the scanning companies. It is just sooo worth it. There are of course, copyright laws in usage, but if you already own the material and just want to create your own curriculum by picking and choosing, or just want older stuff to be much more mobile in the form of ebooks?

Awesome:)

I just sent in whole books to be converted because we are taking a long trip this summer...

Here is an article in Wired magazine about one of them called Dollarscan, but there are several.

 

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2013http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/students/highschool/olympiad.html/06/1dollarscan/

[smfmommy]

Is there a teenager with a scanner (or a desk top that can use your scanner) that could do it for you for a reasonable fee?  Might be cheaper than buying another scanner or at least sending it off.  Also see if a local print shop has a scanning option on one of their machines with an automatic feed.  That at least would save you hours and a bunch of boring work.

 

I once scanned in Practical Arithmetic so I could increase the page size for a child. Yuck  It took a long time at the scanner, and making sure I didn't skip pages. Then I had to rotate the pages and print to PDF. At least make sure you have something good to listen to while working.

 

Hopefully you'll find a good option that is at least close to your budget and patience threshold.

 

[Hunter]

I'm terrified to have someone do it for me. The companies destroy the book before you have a chance to check out the pdf. The books I want to scan most are replaceable for a reasonable cost, but still. I have thought about it. Thanks for the link. I REALLY want to hear about your experience when you get the books! Maybe that will give me the courage.

 

Yes, I'm going to cut the books apart. It's quicker and provides better results. And I know I will use the cut up pages to tutor with. It'll be easier to just bring the pages I need for the session, than to bring a whole book, or to use the iPad.

 

Today, I just received my entire set of original What Your Grader Needs to Know and Writer's Express. That is 7 books. I just cannot properly tutor without these. I just can't. I think I'm going to scan WRTR 4th too. I received that a couple days ago. 8 Books.

 

So if I'm scanning individual pages, what are my scanner options, if I invest in a scanner? All I have access to right now is a 6/7 year old scanner that is part of an all-in-one printer/scanner bought at Walmart for $25.00. I'm thinking that there is something more efficient on the market now?

[Julie Smith]

My experience with large scanning projects - Don't do it. It's not worth it. 

 

But I will read this thread just in cause someone has done one and thought it worth it.

 

So someone please prove me wrong. 

[Hunter]

The link didn't work for me, but I found it by searching. Let's see if this link works.

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2013/06/1dollarscan/

[Hunter]

My experience with large scanning projects - Don't do it. It's not worth it.

 

But I will read this thread just in cause someone has done one and thought it worth it.

 

So someone please prove me wrong.

I know. I put this off as not worth it. But last week I was lesson planning with the eBooks I was planning to use, and I just started crying. I know I'm a big baby. I took my NtK grade 1 off the shelf and cuddled up with it, and...I just want it back.

[Kerileanne99]

I'm terrified to have someone do it for me. The companies destroy the book before you have a chance to check out the pdf. The books I want to scan most are replaceable for a reasonable cost, but still. I have thought about it. Thanks for the link. I REALLY want to hear about your experience when you get the books! Maybe that will give me the courage.

 

Yes, I'm going to cut the books apart. It's quicker and provides better results. And I know I will use the cut up pages to tutor with. It'll be easier to just bring the pages I need for the session, than to bring a whole book, or to use the iPad.

 

Today, I just received my entire set of original What Your Grader Needs to Know and Writer's Express. That is 7 books. I just cannot properly tutor without these. I just can't. I think I'm going to scan WRTR 4th too. I received that a couple days ago. 8 Books.

 

So if I'm scanning individual pages, what are my scanner options, if I invest in a scanner? All I have access to right now is a 6/7 year old scanner that is part of an all-in-one printer/scanner bought at Walmart for $25.00. I'm thinking that there is something more efficient on the market now?

Hunter, I have already paid to have a whole series of Singapore math books scanned in for me. They return ship the books back! I would not have done it otherwise as when we are home we prefer math in hard copy format:)

[Hunter]

I thought for copyright issues they destroyed the old copy. Please, please keep me updated!

[Kerileanne99]

Here is the company I like:

This is their FAQs page, and if you scroll down you can see where they discuss the options. If you want the books back you have to choose NON-DESTRUCTIVE scanning, which is just a bit more expensive...BUT very necessary when doing materials that might not be easily replaceable. This is what we paid for.

You do have to sign a form about use, but it really is pretty basic. Obviously, this is for personal use only, and anything else is a copyright violation.

 

http://www.blueleaf-book-scanning.com/convert_book_to_pdf_faq.html

 

I would also send your books to them registered mail just to insure they arrive safely. They do provide quotes in advance, which was extremely nice. I needed this, as I just packed up my entire set of Life of Fred books as I will not be carting them to Europe with me for vacation!

[rachelpants]

Oh boy....can you just get a big backpack? Lol...I'm kidding. Your project would bring me to tears, I'm a crossing my fingers for you though! Good luck! :-)

 

P.s. Have you seen the CKLA downloads available for free? Lots of good CK stuff in pdf format :-)

[Hunter]

Here is the company I like:

This is their FAQs page, and if you scroll down you can see where they discuss the options. If you want the books back you have to choose NON-DESTRUCTIVE scanning, which is just a bit more expensive...BUT very necessary when doing materials that might not be easily replaceable. This is what we paid for.

You do have to sign a form about use, but it really is pretty basic. Obviously, this is for personal use only, and anything else is a copyright violation.

 

http://www.blueleaf-book-scanning.com/convert_book_to_pdf_faq.html

 

I would also send your books to them registered mail just to insure they arrive safely. They do provide quotes in advance, which was extremely nice. I needed this, as I just packed up my entire set of Life of Fred books as I will not be carting them to Europe with me for vacation!

Thank You! Having the pages returned is a great option!

[Hunter]

Oh boy....can you just get a big backpack? Lol...I'm kidding. Your project would bring me to tears, I'm a crossing my fingers for you though! Good luck! :-)

 

P.s. Have you seen the CKLA downloads available for free? Lots of good CK stuff in pdf format :-)

I'm weird. All I like is the OLD series, none of the extras or the newer editions. Just those 6 original hardcovers from the early 1990s. Two many cooks spoiled the NtK soup after that. And the whole country, PS and homeschool just went crazy by year 2000, when it came to curriculum. More, more, more and then some more became the theme. 95% of the country is "behind" and neglected and LD, now, even though everyone is working twice as hard an spending ten times as much. How did that happen?

 

I just need back my original version NtK. Published before the USA educational system went "rigorous".

 

It's been cold and I've not been walking as much as I was, but when the weather is better, I often walk 5 miles a day, and sometimes up to 10. I don't need a large backpack, just a light one with less in it. I do use a large pack with a steel frame when I have to carry weight long distances, but a large pack makes me look like Sarah Conner from Terminator 2, and I try not to make a spectacle of myself when I can prevent it. But let me tell you, my large pack is a man magnet. :lol:

 

One of my best friends insists they are just using the pack as an excuse to talk to me, and are not interested in the pack. Funny thing is the men don't talk to me as much when I leave it at home. Which I prefer. To get a heavy pack on, I do this swing through the air thing with all the muscles in my arms and neck straining, and then it THUMPS on my back, and everyone looks at me, and then the guys just start their stuff. And they like worn out packs and boots more than new ones. Go figure.

 

So I'm trying to leave that pack at home when I can. :D

[rachelpants]

ROTFL...I like that post. Good stuff...and true stuff...and  funny stuff. :)  I do remember that I had a piece of actual advice when I started and then got sidetracked by my own backpack comment.  I tried to make copies of a workbook that I had torn apart by myself and then feed into the copy machine...it was a mess.  In retrospect, they would have fed through the machine much better if I had paid the couple of bucks to have the spine cut off.  I wonder if you can detach the hard cover somehow and then have the copy shop give you a clean cut through the pages.

 

I do think you need to look at the CKLA stuff...especially because it is free....it might be in a slightly different order but the pictures are fun to look at when you are studying "Ancient Egypt" or "Fables" for example. It might be easy to line them up with your topics since they are all Core Knowledge stuff. :)

 

Best of luck with your project! (and your backpack, LOL)

[Hunter]

ROTFL...I like that post. Good stuff...and true stuff...and funny stuff. :) I do remember that I had a piece of actual advice when I started and then got sidetracked by my own backpack comment. I tried to make copies of a workbook that I had torn apart by myself and then feed into the copy machine...it was a mess. In retrospect, they would have fed through the machine much better if I had paid the couple of bucks to have the spine cut off. I wonder if you can detach the hard cover somehow and then have the copy shop give you a clean cut through the pages.

 

I do think you need to look at the CKLA stuff...especially because it is free....it might be in a slightly different order but the pictures are fun to look at when you are studying "Ancient Egypt" or "Fables" for example. It might be easy to line them up with your topics since they are all Core Knowledge stuff. :)

 

Best of luck with your project! (and your backpack, LOL)

I've looked at all the new stuff. I have most of the new edition Kindle version. I tried. I really did. It's like they put cinnamon in the chicken soup. Yuck! They can keep it, free or not.

 

I find it easier to cut apart hardcovers than paperbacks. The hardcovers pop right off and leave bound pages that often do not have all that glue on them. I haven't done it in a while, but back when I was homeless and before tablets and Kindle books and smart phones, I ripped apart a lot of books. I kept the majority of the books in a locker at a shelter, and then just carried around the pages I needed for the day.

[stripe]

Amira scanned several hundreds of books; she's posted about it before, and her blog entry about it is at

http://amiralace.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-scan-lot-of-books.html

[silver]

I don't have any advice on scanning, as I've never done a scanning project that massive. I know my dad once tried to scan in some old magazines he was keeping. I never found out what happened with that project of his.

Will you be able to read the pages on your ipad if they get scanned as images and don't get run through OCR to covert the words to type that can wrap/be scaled?

 

The CKLA stuff that Rachel was mentioning lines up with the new CK sequence, but it isn't the same as the books. You probably wouldn't like it mainly because it's incomplete right now. But this is it:

http://www.engageny.org/english-language-arts

[Hunter]

Amira scanned several hundreds of books; she's posted about it before, and her blog entry about it is at

http://amiralace.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-scan-lot-of-books.html

 

Thank you for this link. I vaguely remembered it.

 

It looks like the updated version of the scanner in the article is $400.00. But it doesn't need a computer! It scans right to a smartphone or dropbox. How cool is that?

 

Now the best thing that could happen is if I could convince a well-off friend that THEY need one of these and I can just use it. Along with their wifi signal to send it to my phone. :lol: And while I'm there, if I look all hungry like, maybe they will feed me too. :D I am incorrigible.

[Hunter]

I don't have any advice on scanning, as I've never done a scanning project that massive. I know my dad once tried to scan in some old magazines he was keeping. I never found out what happened with that project of his.

 

Will you be able to read the pages on your ipad if they get scanned as images and don't get run through OCR to covert the words to type that can wrap/be scaled?

 

The CKLA stuff that Rachel was mentioning lines up with the new CK sequence, but it isn't the same as the books. You probably wouldn't like it mainly because it's incomplete right now. But this is it:

http://www.engageny.org/english-language-arts

 

I don't think I need OCR. The iPad mini has a great feature that allows me to pinch open any page that the text or a picture is too small to see properly.

 

For Language Arts, I  think I'm going to go with Write On! (already in eBook), SOW (I'll take my own notes), Writer's Express (I'll have to scan that), and WRTR 4th (I'll have to scan that too).

[Amira]

Amira scanned several hundreds of books; she's posted about it before, and her blog entry about it is at

http://amiralace.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-scan-lot-of-books.html

Sometimes I can't believe I actually did this, but I still have zero regrets about it.  I love having access to all my books no matter where I am, and I can extract pages easily and combine them with others to create files I want. We're still moving all over the place, and even though I can ship things now, it's so nice to not have the weight of the books.

 

I like to OCR the books just to make them searchable.  For me, that makes a huge difference.

[Amira]

Thank you for this link. I vaguely remembered it.

 

It looks like the updated version of the scanner in the article is $400.00. But it doesn't need a computer! It scans right to a smartphone or dropbox. How cool is that?

 

Now the best thing that could happen is if I could convince a well-off friend that THEY need one of these and I can just use it. Along with their wifi signal to send it to my phone. :lol: And while I'm there, if I look all hungry like, maybe they will feed me too. :D I am incorrigible.

We actually found a refurbished scanner and then sold it when we were done with it a few months later, so it hardly cost us anything, especially since it came with Adobe Acrobat which we needed anyway.  But if you're going to do a lot of scanning, you really need something with an automatic feed that scans both sides of the page at once.

[Hunter]

We actually found a refurbished scanner and then sold it when we were done with it a few months later, so it hardly cost us anything, especially since it came with Adobe Acrobat which we needed anyway.  But if you're going to do a lot of scanning, you really need something with an automatic feed that scans both sides of the page at once.

 

If you had to buy one today, which one would you buy?

[shinyhappypeople]

Here you go :)

Brother DS Moble DS-720D

 

 

 

 

[Amira]

If you had to buy one today, which one would you buy?

If I really needed to spend less, I'd get this one, but it only scans 8 pages per minute, so it wouldn't save much time over a hand-fed scanner, although you wouldn't have to sit there all the time. This is the one I'd really want. It all depends on how much you're planning on doing.  If it'll only be 25 books, then I don't think you need to spend as much. If it'll be hundreds of books, it's worth getting a faster scanner and I think the $400 is a good balance between speed and price.

 

We used our scanner with an older, slow laptop and it worked fine.  I think it took about 30% longer, but we didn't have to have a faster laptop for it to work.  

[Julie Smith]

I like big backpacks. I have been thinking of getting a really nice one. I usually only go about 3km but in that outing I might hit the library, the grocery store, and perhaps something else such as a splash pad, park for a picnic, or home hardware for a toilet snack.

 

I want something really good and nice.

[Hunter]

If I really needed to spend less, I'd get this one, but it only scans 8 pages per minute, so it wouldn't save much time over a hand-fed scanner, although you wouldn't have to sit there all the time. This is the one I'd really want. It all depends on how much you're planning on doing. If it'll only be 25 books, then I don't think you need to spend as much. If it'll be hundreds of books, it's worth getting a faster scanner and I think the $400 is a good balance between speed and price.

 

We used our scanner with an older, slow laptop and it worked fine. I think it took about 30% longer, but we didn't have to have a faster laptop for it to work.

Thank you for the advice. I'm not sure what I want to do. The possibility of being able to scan books quickly and easily for myself, and to be able to e-mail books to friends who are ultra-low income and overseas, sounds too good to be true.

 

If I were to buy a laptop to edit texts and burn them to CD, what would be a good model? I have never burned a CD, and I have never used Adobe. I've done some advanced things with computers over the years on a need to do basis, when in a crunch, but I've never done these most basic things.

 

I really would like to be able to send CDs of ebooks to some of my most vulnerable e-mail pals. I'm not talking about breaking copyright laws. I'd just scan books that I was cheaply able to acquire locally and then destroy them. And cheaply mail a nice light CD to the new owner. Or edit the file so it would be as small as possible and e-mail it.

[Hunter]

I like big backpacks. I have been thinking of getting a really nice one. I usually only go about 3km but in that outing I might hit the library, the grocery store, and perhaps something else such as a splash pad, park for a picnic, or home hardware for a toilet snack.

 

I want something really good and nice.

Julie, an internal steel frame with a hip belt is the way to go. But no matter how nice the pack, if it doesn't fit and fit PERFECTLY, it does you no good. I need an X-small and they are harder to get, so I am less likely to get a bargain. I seldom pay less than $150.00 each for my boots and packs, but $300.00-$450.00 a year is cheaper than a car.

 

If you load up the pack, you will need boots too. You need the ankle support. I can wear out a pair of boots so quickly. I just freaked out a sales person one time when I came in wearing a boot that had only been on the market a year. The side was split open on one of the boots, and I'd worn all the tread off. As I came in, he was telling a customer how the boot was guaranteed for years. He kept accusing me of lying, and that I had somehow gotten a preview sample to wear, and that these boots were older than a year old. :lol:

 

"What did you do to these?" he was just about shrieking.

"I walked in them", I said.

"Where!" he asked.

"Right here. On the streets."

 

He decided the boots were meant to be used in a natural environment and not on streets, and calmed down, and went on to tell another customer that HIS boots would last years. The customer kept looking at MY boots though and looked unconvinced.

 

Even if you wear the boots out quickly, you need them anyway. The cost of walking isn't cheap. It's something I actually have to factor in. My boots really need to be replaced. I have a bum knee and the left boot doesn't wear evenly. It makes the knee worse to let the wear get too uneven. Nothing is life is free. Not even walking. Sigh!

 

But make sure that pack fits! Make them put 40 to 50 pounds in it, so you can feel how it settles, even if you are not planning on carrying that much weight. Make sure you can breathe with that weight. If the weight is on your hips, you should be able to. If I carry more than about 35 pounds in a pack with the weight settled on my shoulders, I cannot expand my chest enough to take a deep breath. In a pack that is too long, I am unbalanced and clumsy, which is dangerous when running across 4 lane highways.

 

The pack I have now fits great, but it's harder to get on by myself when fully loaded. At about 35 pounds, I have to put it on something and crawl under it, instead of being able to swing it on. Or ask for help. From a guy. Because women cannot lift it. Sigh! And then I have to talk to the guy about my pack. I warn them, "This is heavy" and EVERY time, they just about drop it or fall over trying to hold onto it. And then...yeah.

 

So, when the pack is weighted, practice putting it on and off WITHOUT the salesperson's help. Unless you WANT male help. ;)

 

And make sure the straps fit around you breasts properly. "My stuff" as the last guy at REI called them. :lol: Even packs made for women really don't do a good of fitting around breasts.

[stripe]

 or home hardware for a toilet snack.

:lol:

[Hunter]

Here you go :)

Brother DS Moble DS-720D

Do you use this one?

[Amira]

Thank you for the advice. I'm not sure what I want to do. The possibility of being able to scan books quickly and easily for myself, and to be able to e-mail books to friends who are ultra-low income and overseas, sounds too good to be true.

 

If I were to buy a laptop to edit texts and burn them to CD, what would be a good model? I have never burned a CD, and I have never used Adobe. I've done some advanced things with computers over the years on a need to do basis, when in a crunch, but I've never done these most basic things.

 

I really would like to be able to send CDs of ebooks to some of my most vulnerable e-mail pals. I'm not talking about breaking copyright laws. I'd just scan books that I was cheaply able to acquire locally and then destroy them. And cheaply mail a nice light CD to the new owner. Or edit the file so it would be as small as possible and e-mail it.

You don't need anything more than a basic standard laptop or desktop to do that. It's not difficult to use Adobe or burn a CD- they'd both be pretty self-explanatory since you're not a computer novice.

 

Scanning books as a PDF, especially when there are lots of graphics in the book, does create a fairly large file, at least for emailing to someone with slow or expensive Internet access. But if you could either email or mail it, I'm sure you could work that out.

[Hunter]

The only computers I own right now are partially broken, stuffed full netbooks with external optical drives. They are LIMPING along and freeze all the time and run loud and hot. They want to update all the long outdated software, but can't, so I think they are always downloading and checking for updates. 

 

I'm thinking of charging some things at a local computer store that I have credit with. I only have credit with two businesses since my credit got trashed in the divorce, and I mean TRASHED. Every time someone convinces me to let them see if my credit score has improved, they get all wide eyes and breathlessly ask me how that score is even possible. :lol:

 

But, my computer store credit is all paid off. I really should leave it paid off, and give myself breathing space, and buy some new boots. They e-mail me all the time with offers, because despite my horrific general credit score I have never missed a payment with them. And I've been a constant customer, cause…I have no where else to go.

 

I think it's been 2007 since I owned a full sized laptop. I honestly forget what is even possible on one. I don't know what they cost, or have any idea about anything. I can tell you all about mobile devices, but nothing about the current models of full sized laptops.

 

I'll probably buy nothing, but it's fun to at least look and think about buying.

 

I know some how, some way, I will scan the 8 books I NEED, but…it would be fun to have a few more. Or at least window shop for scanners.

 

All that adobe and other stuff needs some harddrive space right? I can't even surf the net without restarting my netbook to make more room. And the books need space as they are copying, even if they are saved to an external drive?

[Hunter]

I charged some things today. A friend enabled, assisted, and then fed me. The idea of some of my book stash going in the trash after being converted into digital form seemed like a WONDERFUL idea to my friend.

 

The level of unsuccess that I have experienced today is just surreal. :lol: Everything is going back. EVERYTHING.  :banghead:

 

I know there are Christians here who believe in free will. I don't get free will, and that is just the way it is. I'll spare you all the LONG list of boring details that happened, but just know, scanning anything with THOSE electronics just isn't going to happen for ME.

 

I'm just going to revert to my old homeless method of tearing books up, and carrying around the pieces. I'm not going to attempt to scan a blasted thing. Not one thing worked of ANYTHING I tried to do. I mean NOTHIIIIIIIIING.  :lol:

[dsmith]

I tried to scan my copy of AWOA when we were going on a long business trip. I got 150 pages in, and I started getting error messages on my scanner about memory issues although I was scanning to my desktop. I had dh check it out, and we were just not able to get all the pages into one document. And then some other issue occurred, I don't remember what. It ended up being a big waste of time, and I had myself a good cry, lol. I love technology when it works the way I want it to. I want to get the Fujitsu scanner mentioned up-thread, as I heard it can handle large documents. (Hunter - please tell me that is not what you bought!) I wish more curriculum companies would offer their items in digital format. I also wish that more DK-type titles would be offered as ebooks. We have a set of DK books on war, battles, armor and weapons that I would love in ebook format. At least I have been getting some great vintage books on Google Books for free. My next big ticket item on my wish list is a Windows tablet or tabletop PC. I have some trouble with large documents crashing or freezing on my iPad Mini.

[Hunter]

I will never again try to use Windows 8 on ANY computer or tablet that belongs to me or anyone else. I'm traumatized forever.  :scared:

 

As for the scanner, i think it might just be fate turning me in another direction. The scanner isn't the Fujiwhatever 500whatever. I don't want to trash a scanner, though, that was tried on the computers it was tried on, and by ME. Just. BLAH!!!!! and  :willy_nilly:  and   :banghead:  and  :blink: .

 

My oldest son, said the most important thing he learned from me was when to stop. He said I always kept  :banghead: too long and all I did was hurt myself. I kept up the  :banghead: for a few more years after he told me that, and then I started slowing down when things got surreal, instead of speeding up.

 

Dsmith, be careful of that Windows 8. Maybe that was all just me too, but…I'm not so sure. I don't even care. I'm just not using THAT operating system again. It's not compatible with MY accounts, MY life, and MY technical skills.

 

All we can do is hope more eBook curricula becomes available over time.

 

And as for using the library more, I had a really surreal conversation with a librarian this week. It wasn't even worth it to finish the conversation. Interlibrary loan just is NOT going to happen HERE. I ordered 5 books 2 months ago. It took a month before anyone even ordered some of them and I don't even know which ones they are, and no one knows where they are now. And expecting anything better than that is "unrealistic" and I guess rude of me. Okaaay! How come back in the late 90s a little hick town used to let me order them myself online and I got them in less than a week? This is supposed to one of the finest libraries in the world and expecting dependable and timely interlibrary loan is "unrealistic".

[Amira]

I'm sorry it didn't work out. :(

[Guest]

I will never again try to use Windows 8 on ANY computer or tablet that belongs to me or anyone else. I'm traumatized forever.  :scared:

 

 

You don't have to. There are some very user-friendly GNU/Linux distros out there, many of which can be run off of CD or flash drives on other people's computers without affecting their Windows installations. Something along the lines of Lubuntu or SliTaz might well revive your netbook without running up your credit card bill.

 

:grouphug:

 

It's definitely not just you. My ds1 had the same experience when he accidentally bought a Win8 computer. So did I when I beta tested the fool thing on a virtual machine.

[Hunter]

I'm sorry it didn't work out. :(

I'm just yielding. I'm used to having to yield. it's becoming familiar and I can hear my son's voice when it happens. "Stop banging your head into the wall at the first sign of blood, BEFORE your brains start leaking out."

[Hunter]

You don't have to. There are some very user-friendly GNU/Linux distros out there, many of which can be run off of CD or flash drives on other people's computers without affecting their Windows installations. Something along the lines of Lubuntu or SliTaz might well revive your netbook without running up your credit card bill.

 

:grouphug:

 

It's definitely not just you. My ds1 had the same experience when he accidentally bought a Win8 computer. So did I when I beta tested the fool thing on a virtual machine.

Is Microsoft purposely making it difficult to navigate and access certain accounts and sites? And the fonts and flippy stuff make it impossible for me to see what is legit and what is advertisements and malware and other nasty stuff–oops! I can navigate better on an android smart phone than a 16 inch Windows 8 machine and that should NOT be so.

 

On my first generation Asus netbook, I used portable apps on a thumb drive. Maybe I need to do that again. Thanks!

 

It'll be better in the long run that this all didn't work. I really shouldn't have charged ANYTHING, even with help, and promises to feed me if the payments got tough.

 

We looked at Ferrets, too. At least I didn't come home with a pet. :lol:

[dsmith]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I've been using Windows 8 for a while now, and I'm fine with it. I watched a few YouTube videos to learn my way around. I don't even think about the differences anymore. I was able to figure it out quite well even before I watched any videos though. Now my husband the tech guy is a different story. He HATES it with a passion, lol. As soon as he can afford it he will probably buy a Windows 7 laptop now that they are being offered again.

[Hunter]

I think I have always thought of Windows as the OS I can do ANYTHING with. I expect to be limited with other OS and on small devices, but I never expected to feel so limited on a full size Windows laptop. Different is initially uncomfortable, but hopeful. Limited, especially when it's purposeful for the company's benefit makes me feel victimized.

 

I did a little research on Windows 8 last night. I see the bigger picture now of 8. I'm not touching it, on a full sized laptop, and I doubt on a smaller device.

 

My friend isn't ready to let this scanning idea die so quickly. The idea of so many books going away is too compelling. I'm feeling too traumatized to try again, though, even though my friend is offering even more assistance. I should have bought the ferret, instead, is how I feel about it.

[TraceyS/FL]

I'm using Win 8.1 on a tablet (Dell Venue 8 Pro - 7" full windows machine). It has its issues, but overall - it isn't bad. WHich is saying a lot - i'm a Mac and this is the first windows machine i've bought in 13 years!

I have the SnapScan 1300 (the smaller one), and love it... it isn't fast enough to scan books though. It took me all day to do two workbooks. But I love it and would buy it again. I'd buy the bigger one too - but then I'd have to clean my desk off :p

Good luck Hunter! ::hugs::

[Guest]

I put a few links in my sig for you and Night Elf, Hunter.

 

I don't want to make a nuisance of myself by being too evangelical, but the Windows 8 posts make me feel a lot like I did when everyone in my DDC was talking about waitlists for kindy and they said, "But you HAVE to start thinking about where you want your three year old to go to school. You don't want him to be a HOMESCHOOLER, do you?"

 

I probably need a new scanner more than I need the latest shiny things; I already have everything ds2 needs for first grade, but it would take me a lot longer to scan and print the consumables than it would to work a minimum wage job long enough to buy new ones.

 

That's not how I want to live my life.

 

Thank you for opening up this discussion, even if you're not able to figure out something that works for you.

 

[Hunter]

Iron Ethel Flint,

 

Thanks for the links. I will check them out.

 

The store took everything back without any restocking fees. My account has a balance of zero. I am very thankful. And my friend bought me more food on the way home. Chinese and a chocolate eclair from an Italian bakery.

 

My friend is pushing me to figure out how to do this scanning project even if it requires my friend co-signing a credit card, or me just paying back my friend. I need at least a few days off though. I have no problem spending every penny I have on things that WORK and that improve the quality of my life. But right now, I'm just not sure what to buy and where to buy it, or even if it's all worth it.

 

And I don't like to take too much help. It scares me that people will want something back from me. Anyone who feeds the squirrels because THEY get something out of it–I'll let them feed me. There are people who LIKE feeding pitiful creature, so who am I not to take full advantage of that. But co-signing. Scary. That's like...I don't know.

 

I just keep thinking I should have bought the ferret. I'd be in love with it now, and definitely too broke to buy anything else.

[rachelpants]

This might be such a long-shot...but it might not hurt to ask.  What about contacting Core Knowledge and seeing if there is any way you could buy the old books in pdf format? While you  ;) are at it, will you ask them if we can all have the old scope and sequence to look at as well  :laugh: ?

[Hunter]

This might be such a long-shot...but it might not hurt to ask. What about contacting Core Knowledge and seeing if there is any way you could buy the old books in pdf format? While you ;) are at it, will you ask them if we can all have the old scope and sequence to look at as well :laugh: ?

I know, right. The old scope and sequence. I have looked and looked and looked for one.

[silver]

What years would count as the old scope/sequence? My MIL is a teacher and I was looking through her old books and manipulatives the other day and found a Core Knowledge Sequence on her shelf. I think hers was from the late 90s?

[Guest]

A .pdf of the 1994 edition of what your third grader needs to know exists. I wish I could give it to you, but copyright. :(

[Χά�ων]

Cam Scanner app. Buy the full edition, way cheaper than any scanner 

[Hunter]

What years would count as the old scope/sequence? My MIL is a teacher and I was looking through her old books and manipulatives the other day and found a Core Knowledge Sequence on her shelf. I think hers was from the late 90s?

Definitely before 1997 when the K book came out with most of the old 1st grade in it. My original grades 1 and 2 are from 1991.