Current version: 0.0.9

Announcements:   Working on the next release included threaded notes.

Woman hugging a laptop with dotReader installed on it

What is the dotReader?

It's a new e-book reader and documentation platform that...

  • is named after the late Dorothy Thompson, legendary foreign correspondent and broadcaster and one of the most influential women in American history.
  • is open source -- available free, owned by no one and usable by everyone.
  • runs on multiple platforms including Windows, Macs, Linux, tablet PCs, and most PDAs.
  • reads multiple document formats with the ability to add additional formats via plug-ins.
  • creates a community of readers with embedded forums, discussion groups, polls, and shared annotations.
  • is simple to use. 

The real benefit of the dotReader is not what it is "out of the box", but what it can do. Our plug-in archtecture allows users to enhance its use by simply "plugging in" new features - like adding food to your plate at a buffet.

The possibilities are endless.

 It's a tool ...

The dotReader is the "Swiss Army Knife" of e-book readers, a multi-function tool that is highly innovative and highly interactive.

It's a community, a social networking tool...

You are never alone when you use the dotReader. Be instantly connected and engaged to readers who share your interests.

It's a library ...

Content you download into the dotReader can be organized any way you wish -  similar to the way you might organize and bookmark your favorite websites in your browser. However, not only can you search YOUR library, you can also search OTHER remote libraries from within the dotReader. Examples might include public libraries, publisher websites, eBook distributors, organizational documents, and others.  Entire businesses can be built around this feature alone.
 

 With powerful search capabilities...

The dotReader allows users to select the extent of a search -- current book, select books, all content in the user library, even notes. [For the technophiles, academics, and serious researchers, the dotReader supports regular expressions and will save a history of your searches for later use after you add new content.] For the lay reader, you can find all references to a protagonist in every book in your library and instantly jump from book to book.

Recent accolades for ThoutReader* (dotReader)

* Note: ThoutReader™ is OSoft's first generation reader upon which dotReader was built - incorporating the best of Thout along with over 200 addititonal improvements.

"Then why in the wake of all of this am I more excited about a piece of open source software from a garage startup in Tacoma, Washington than all of the wizardry rearing its head in Las Vegas? Because it has the outlines of how publishers can actually control their fate in the midst of a rapidly changing marketplace for premium content". John Blossom (industry analyst - Shore Communications)

“We're extremely impressed with the functionality and usability of OSoft's dotReader. OSoft has clearly learned a lot from the mistakes of previous providers, and incorporated all of those lessons in this formidable application."
Stephen Cole, Founder, CEO of eBooks.com

"The dotReader is the best software tool to have ever debuted on the e-book scene.  It offers advanced options for users and content creators, yet is simple and intuitive for the most inexperienced readers.”
Pamela Turner, Digital Publishing industry consultant and operator of Turn the Page Consultancy

This sounds like it is an outgrowth of all the decisions you've made so far, opening up dotReader. It is in one sense evolutionary, but in effect revolutionary. No one else is saying anything like this.
Roger Sperberg, dotReader forum post

"I found something that was very interesting to me...a new OPEN SOURCE platform for creating eBooks called dotReader. These folks are going to use the OpenReader.org format. I know it’s all ‘geek’ to you, but believe me there are some really big things happening in e-book land… and Microsoft, Adobe, and some of the greedy corporations are not going to be happy when they find out about it.

"If you are a publisher and you want to be one of the survivors when e-books finally become a reality, you MUST join and participate in the OpenReader.org program. I look for great things from the dotReader folks as well and it will be nice to see a start-up beat the crap out of the established players… most of whom don’t know what they don’t know about publishing. Please folks. We don’t have to give in to Microsoft, Adobe, Sony, etc. Learn about Openreader.org, volunteer some time to help them, and it will be ‘good’ for all of us. End of sermon."
Alan Canton, author, blogger, publisher, creator of the popular Jaya123

"The ThoutReader™ brings together many of the best features of other readers into one platform."
Dave Howell, Chief Innovator, Founder & Chairman of the Board of Rosetta Solutions.

When will dotReader be available?

OSoft is expected to release the dotReader beta to the public in November 2006. To be amongst the first to hear the latest news, please sign up for the dotReader newsletter.*  We will inform you about release dates, features, and beta testing opportunities.

* [Note: Your contact information will be held in strict confidence and will not be sold or distributed. We do not SPAM. You can unsubscribe at any time.] 

 

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