[jesuslop]

I want all local, future proofish things. A pdf library and a heap of markdown notes. Windows, once prepared, gives me a local search engine of contents and metadata queried via Flow Launcher. I use a custom protocol handler to have file URIs relative to a configurable basis (so URIs remain valid if synched elsewhere). Use files of URL extension that are text files but intepreted by Explorer as symbolic links (being text makes them play well with sync), so the same file can appear in many places of the file tree hierarchy (ground organizational principle).

Now that djvu JBIG2 patents expired I jotted a script from parts to convert djvu to pdfs much better than earlier alternatives (with converted file size swolled a typical mild 66% more than djvu). I read pdfs with sumatra that has customizable external "viewers", that means invoking stuff on the pdf page with alt_f + key. One "viewer" copies a link to the current page in the clipboard. Now sumatra supports pdf annotations, made a couple scripts to convert annotations to pdf clickable hyperlinks (and other to undo that). So basically I have a pdf folder and a markdown folder (managed via Obsidian, if you ask) all interlinkable. I read, and copy and paste into markdown, and paste also a link to return to the source from the note. Pay mathpix suscription, there starts to be free would-be replacements. Use Mozilla reader mode chrome extension and print to pdf to save neat pdf versions of blog posts. Finally I have an e-ink e-reader (2nd hand sony dpt-rp1) and am just writing scripts to sync it with windows via an always-on NAS (the e-reader registers itself via zeroconf, and in the NAS via python one can hook a listener that will call unison two-way sync tool). Add also Omnivore.

[theshrike79]

Have you looked into Calibre + Calibre-web for managing the e-reader? There are dockerized solutions for both if your NAS can run images.

[jesuslop]

This e-reader is quite dumb and only talks to the world via propietary GUI app so I don't think it had a friendship with a selfhosted Calibre. There is a hacked python module to pilot the e-reader but some extra glue would be needed. In my case my data model is laptop first and then have backups on other places including NAS, after, so I prefer to have Calibre in laptop. I can map a NAS path to a laptop folder and Calibre sees it as a device, with a nice send-to-device button. So I just need to end the glue to sync the e-reader with the NAS. Calibre automatically converts EPUBs to pdfs. Having bought a Kindle DX back then, I can even setup a Calibre DRM plugin with the Kindle serial number, buy an e-book in Amazon, click on the AZW file, and have a PDF generated automatically :-) For papers, I prefer to manage them separately.