Specifically a database that shows a JPEG of the front cover with a UI that allows you to filter by date, and/or author. Click on the JPEG to get a short summary. There are so many questions from people trying to identify books from fragments of memory (myself included). We humans are "visual" in many ways pertaining to memory. I'm thinking that if one could just scroll through a set of book cover images and adjust a few simple filters - it would be a useful app/website. It would have to allow users to add more book entries. Does such a site exist? Maybe I should build one...
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1Have you seen isfdb.org– SteBApr 18, 2013 at 13:25
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No I hadn't. Just checked it out and like it! Thanks for the info. I might borrow some ideas from it.– Skippy VonDrakeApr 19, 2013 at 14:32
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Voting to close as its off-topic. I wonder why this 5 day old question hasn't been closed yet.– user931Apr 20, 2013 at 20:38
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@SachinShekhar It hasn't been closed because questions about tools that can be used to help generate questions/answers are on topic for Meta.– user1027Apr 24, 2013 at 18:13
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3 Answers
The isfdb.org website is a useful resource I've used several times.
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I voted for your answer because it is a useful website that I was unaware of. My original question was meant more as a vehicle to promote discussion. However it appears this website isn't really designed for that. It appears to be more like a "got a question - here's some answers. Move along now" model. The ultimate take-away I got from this is that I should just BUILD what I'm looking for! Which I'll do. Thanks to all that responded. Apr 22, 2013 at 13:21
Isn't that one of the main things that Goodreads has? Perhaps not quite the way that you are envisioning, but since they've got a pretty good head start, it seems unlikely that you would be able to get any market traction unless you have some truly compelling features that they don't.
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My interest wouldn't include generating revenue (via adds) for such a website. It wouldn't cater to specific publishers either. Just a place one could go to view the books published in 1980, 81, etc and of a genre. So I guess it would be more "timeline-centric". Something to help us aging readers recall books of the past. Apr 16, 2013 at 16:36
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"It wouldn't cater to specific publishers either." That's actually what would probably make this near-impossible, especially with the growth of self-publishing in recent years. Apr 17, 2013 at 16:01
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Obviously it wouldn't be all encompassing... There'd have to be limits set, a target scope to begin with. I think I've talked myself into trying to build this. Time will tell if I'm successful. At least to the point to satisfy my "vision". :) Thanks for the inputs. Apr 19, 2013 at 3:49
Google Books [Advanced Book Search] may be helpful as well.
results:
Plus, for most widely-printed books, it has the text of the book- which can be linkable.
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Perhaps I'm not familiar enough with Google Books advanced search... Without a search term, but WITH a date window, no results will be given. So I guess my original question should have emphasized the user interface and not the existence of a book database. My idea of an interface would be a date and a genre - not a search term. Because if you put "science fiction" as a key to search on - I don't think you'll see ALL books that can be categorized as science fiction - in their database. If you're interested - someday I'll have a prototype up and can send you a link for constructive criticism? Apr 19, 2013 at 14:28