Scanning question

[Guy Dunphy]

At 08:51 PM 18/07/2019 -0600, you wrote:
>On 7/18/19 3:50 PM, Warner Losh via cctalk wrote:
>> So, I have a bunch of old DEC Rainbow docs that aren't online. I also 
>> have a snapscan scanner that I use for bills and such.
>> 
>> There's four kinds of docs, and I'm looking for advice:
>
>I always wanted to apply (fiber) optics to this.  I wanted something 
>that was akin to a (glass) block that I could set on the bed of a 
>scanner that would be tall enough that I could open books 90–110° with 
>the to be scanned side sitting on top of the raised / extended scanner 
>bed with the book pages laying off to one side.  Much like you would see 
>if someone was reading the book while laying on their back.
>
>I don't know if anything like this exists or is even possible.

Same thing, much simpler. Called an Edge Scanner. (google) It's just a normal
travelling sensor scanner, but without all the wasted space along one side.
They usually can scan to within a small few mm of the edge of the glass plate,
and there's no side structure beyond the glass plate edge. You just raise
the scanner up on blocks to give sufficient vertical clearance at the side
for your book width. There's still the issue of compressing the book to
ensure the pages lay properly flat on the glass.

For this 'small edge' you pay a lot extra, even though many existing scanners
can be hacked to be edge scanners just by cutting away excess garbage at one side.
The usual corporate calculated feature-limitation bullsh*t.


I have a few related UNFINISHED articles online:
   http://everist.org/temp/edge/20150214_hacking_edge.htm
   http://everist.org/temp/On_scanning.htm
   http://everist.org/temp/20140812_disconnecting_the_dots.htm

And threads like this make me hate myself for not having finished those. 
Too busy, and they are all halted by dependencies on _other_ unfinished/
unsolved problems.

I have a lot more to say about the wisdom of destroying original publications
to scan them, especially when you are not already an expert at scanning and
the many tradeoffs.
But have to go afk just now.

Guy