Mmmm, books.

[denny]

A recent post by annathenerd reminded me that I was going to look into the possibility of barcode scanning all my books to build up a database of them (partly for insurance purposes, but mostly just for geeky joy). She's using the software that I found on my first glance around on the subject (Readerware), so that looks like the thing to go for - they even have a Linux version. I just need to find an affordable barcode scanner and get swiping :) Probably a project for after I've moved, although it might be an idea to get all the kit working now so that I could swipe things as I unpacked them at the new place...

Comments

[blaadyblah.livejournal.com]

Damn you, I'm trying to resist!

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

It looks like the project can be done fairly cheaply if you can find a CueCat scanner (on eBay, probably). Apparently they were freebie things that used to be spyware devices, but most of them have been modified to stop that and the company went bust anyway.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_nicolai_/]

Yeah, though the spying bit was that without their software you couldn't decode the scan result and their software told tales about you, so if you don't run their software, no problem. They're not some secret radio spy device (pity, that would be much more fun :) ). They've been hax0red into giving up a plain barcode these days, it's trivial (snip a wire on the circuit board inside, IIRR).

[wechsler.livejournal.com]

Give in... we're all doing it: http://wechsler.livejournal.com/843805.html

[blaadyblah.livejournal.com]

Nooo! Too many! Must declutter first!

[arachne.livejournal.com]

If you unpack at the new place as quickly as you unpacked at the current, you probably don't need to rush

[wechsler.livejournal.com]

Yay for geeky book joy!

Really wish I'd had an iSight to scan mine in, I had to hand-type all the ISBNs...

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I've just done a rough estimate on how many books I have, and it's in the region of a thousand. Geeky joy is all well and good, but I'm not typing that many numbers into anything for any reason :)

[theorb.livejournal.com]

Another thing to do is to swipe/record them /before/ they go in boxes, so you can go back in a year, when you still haven't unpacked, and desperately want to know where your copy of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is, and grep for it in your DB, and find out it's in book box 12. Then you only have to find book box 12, which is hopefully easier. (You /did/ label them on all 6 surfaces, right?)

[lzz.livejournal.com]

I started using LibraryThing (www.librarything.com), but I didn't get beyond a couple of books before I found I had things to do other than typing in barcodes. However, with a barcode scanner it would be much easier... I haven't looked at either of them enough to tell whether Readerware would be even easier than LibraryThing, but I REALLY want a barcode scanner now!

[lzz.livejournal.com]

damn, I somehow cocked up the html on that. www.librarything.com

[kelemvor.livejournal.com]

You missed the "http://" bit at the beginning. Used to drive me wild.

[lzz.livejournal.com]

Yes, I realised that too late! It also drives me wild that you can't edit comments, only delete them...

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I've just been sniffing around on eBay, there are loads on there potentially for a quid (if you get lucky and win the auction).

[lzz.livejournal.com]

Oooh ooh ooh! Must get one!

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Get two, and I'll accept one as commision for thinking of it! :-P

Oh yeah, did you get your email?

[lzz.livejournal.com]

I did - I replied. It was wonderful! Sadly my attempts to create a gay Western using that site were thwarted by personal pronoun issues.

[lzz.livejournal.com]

Hm, a large number of those going for 0.99 on the first page have excessively high postage!

[bluecassandra.livejournal.com]

We contemplated barcode scanhners for the warehouse but it was a nightmare and expensive.

[mr_magicfingers]

If you had a Mac I'd recommend this and lend you my iSight camera. I've been meaning to get it for a year or so, it's had great reviews.

http://www.delicious-monster.com/

Perhaps I'll treat myself before we move next and scan everything as it goes in the boxes.

[wechsler.livejournal.com]

I've found DL very useful - easy to use and it generates a nice clean XML file as output.

[mr_magicfingers]

Thanks, that's good to know, really think I'm going to get that for the next move later this year.

[fellcat.livejournal.com]

Is there a CD/DVD/video version too (most of my CDs seem to have barcodes on them)? It would be sooo useful here, especially if I could record items as being mine/Mum's/Peter's as they were scanned in.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I'm told they do a music/film/book bundle, with free barcode scanner thrown in. Haven't checked the details on that one yet myself.