Comments on: The random endorsement: e-books (and anyone who disagrees is an imbecile) http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/ Gadgets, gear and computer hardware. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0500 hourly 1 By: Krytes http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-748828 Krytes Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:51:31 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-748828 While I agree that the argument "paper books just feel better in my hands" is insufficient in itself, there are other, much more important reasons for not switching to ebooks right now: 1) Ebook price (for ebooks not in the public domain). I find it hard to stomach a $10 price for something that costs Amazon virtually nothing to reproduce. Why should the profit margin for ebook sellers suddenly jump up so sharply? 2) DRM. If I buy an ebook, I want full rights over what I do with it and who I choose to lend it to. I have these rights with physical books, and I'm not willing to give them up just to read an ebook. Because of the formats in which ebooks are distributed, I would also need the ability to back it up to any common format I choose, so that my book format doesn't become obsolete and unreadable in a few decades. I will NEVER be willing to buy a DRMed ebook. I wouldn't even accept one for free if I had a choice of that or paying for a non-DRM version. 3) Availability. Many of my books are old, unpopular and/or out of print. Very few in my existing collection are available as ebooks, and those are generally available only in DRMed formats which I refuse to buy for reasons outlined above. There is a way to get around both the availability and DRM issues by manually scanning and digitizing my paper books. This is actually what I've done, but it's an expensive solution (it's cost me about $800: $400 for an ebook reader and $400 for good OCR software) and a tedious one. I don't think it would appeal to the average paper-book reader. While I agree that the argument “paper books just feel better in my hands” is insufficient in itself, there are other, much more important reasons for not switching to ebooks right now:

1) Ebook price (for ebooks not in the public domain). I find it hard to stomach a $10 price for something that costs Amazon virtually nothing to reproduce. Why should the profit margin for ebook sellers suddenly jump up so sharply?

2) DRM. If I buy an ebook, I want full rights over what I do with it and who I choose to lend it to. I have these rights with physical books, and I’m not willing to give them up just to read an ebook. Because of the formats in which ebooks are distributed, I would also need the ability to back it up to any common format I choose, so that my book format doesn’t become obsolete and unreadable in a few decades. I will NEVER be willing to buy a DRMed ebook. I wouldn’t even accept one for free if I had a choice of that or paying for a non-DRM version.

3) Availability. Many of my books are old, unpopular and/or out of print. Very few in my existing collection are available as ebooks, and those are generally available only in DRMed formats which I refuse to buy for reasons outlined above. There is a way to get around both the availability and DRM issues by manually scanning and digitizing my paper books. This is actually what I’ve done, but it’s an expensive solution (it’s cost me about $800: $400 for an ebook reader and $400 for good OCR software) and a tedious one. I don’t think it would appeal to the average paper-book reader.

]]> By: Deward Blevins http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-528489 Deward Blevins Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:59:18 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-528489 As a compulsive SciFi reader I would love to have an ebook. When I was in high school and college I would have been "over the moon" if I could have had my textbooks all available on something like an ebook. Sony's and Amazon's are the closest to being what I would prefer, but content is still the REAL problem. There is still much more paperback content and it often costs the same or less than the electronic content. And there are too many restrictions on how the electronic content can be handled. I need to be able to handle and store electronic books much like I handle paperback books. For me even a 500 book limit of storage on the Kindle would require me to be able to store some of my books offline. And I would not be willing to store something I paid for anywhere not in my personal control. Nowhere on the internet is in my personal control. I do not understand DRM concerns regarding educational text. The cost of the course materials could be included in the tuition for the course. As a compulsive SciFi reader I would love to have an ebook. When I was in high school and college I would have been “over the moon” if I could have had my textbooks all available on something like an ebook. Sony’s and Amazon’s are the closest to being what I would prefer, but content is still the REAL problem. There is still much more paperback content and it often costs the same or less than the electronic content. And there are too many restrictions on how the electronic content can be handled. I need to be able to handle and store electronic books much like I handle paperback books. For me even a 500 book limit of storage on the Kindle would require me to be able to store some of my books offline. And I would not be willing to store something I paid for anywhere not in my personal control. Nowhere on the internet is in my personal control.

I do not understand DRM concerns regarding educational text. The cost of the course materials could be included in the tuition for the course.

]]> By: Skorch http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-528454 Skorch Thu, 22 Nov 2007 14:58:44 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-528454 In the end, people just want instant access to whatever. Be it music (how cool is wifi on the Touch?) or information. An e-reader isn't very exciting. What makes this product incredibly cool, is exactly what Nick describes with his Columbus analogy. The other stuff is neat (battery life, epaper, etc), but they're not very revolutionary. In the end, people just want instant access to whatever. Be it music (how cool is wifi on the Touch?) or information. An e-reader isn’t very exciting. What makes this product incredibly cool, is exactly what Nick describes with his Columbus analogy. The other stuff is neat (battery life, epaper, etc), but they’re not very revolutionary.

]]> By: HS Kinn http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-528051 HS Kinn Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:00:13 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-528051 Indeed, my hubby was one who thought he'd never dig the eBook format, till we went on vacation a couple summers ago. He ran out of beach reading material, and I didn't. I let him read on my Palm Tungsten and he was hooked. Now he'd rather have an eBook than a print one anyday! Indeed, my hubby was one who thought he’d never dig the eBook format, till we went on vacation a couple summers ago. He ran out of beach reading material, and I didn’t. I let him read on my Palm Tungsten and he was hooked. Now he’d rather have an eBook than a print one anyday!

]]> By: Katrina Strauss http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-528048 Katrina Strauss Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:51:36 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-528048 Thank you, thank you, and did I mention, thank you? I am an e-book author who spends as much time promoting the medium itself as I do my work. If I had a dollar for every person who promises to buy my work "once it comes out in print", well I could quit trying to write for a living. Guess what, I love print books, too. But I also used to love my 12-inch vinyl collection, scratch marks and cluttered entertainment center and all. I'm not sure how to get this point across outside of whacking people upside the head with it. So I'll just refer them to your post instead. ;) Thank you, thank you, and did I mention, thank you? I am an e-book author who spends as much time promoting the medium itself as I do my work. If I had a dollar for every person who promises to buy my work “once it comes out in print”, well I could quit trying to write for a living. Guess what, I love print books, too. But I also used to love my 12-inch vinyl collection, scratch marks and cluttered entertainment center and all. I’m not sure how to get this point across outside of whacking people upside the head with it. So I’ll just refer them to your post instead. ;)

]]> By: Damien D. http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-528036 Damien D. Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:31:14 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-528036 Thanks for these points. I agree that some of the arguments of people just loving their shelves and physical books are weak. That argument has never worked for any other media and I doubt it will for books (I will also be grateful for the day I don't have to drag around the boxes & boxes of books from apartment to apartment). All in all, though I still don't think kindle will be the item to bring this around. It's not that aesthetically pleasing, it's expensive, and not open enough. Thanks for these points. I agree that some of the arguments of people just loving their shelves and physical books are weak. That argument has never worked for any other media and I doubt it will for books (I will also be grateful for the day I don’t have to drag around the boxes & boxes of books from apartment to apartment).

All in all, though I still don’t think kindle will be the item to bring this around. It’s not that aesthetically pleasing, it’s expensive, and not open enough.

]]> By: Randy http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-528034 Randy Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:25:35 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-528034 As a Sony eBook reader for the past year, I like the article. Will I switch to the Kindle? Lower prices for the Kindle, but an uglier device than the Sony book. Amazon backing Kindle versus Sony's Connect Store. Sony book 299 versus Kindle 399 Kindle keyboard versus no (Sony) keyboard Can't decide As a Sony eBook reader for the past year, I like the article. Will I switch to the Kindle?

Lower prices for the Kindle, but an uglier device than the Sony book.
Amazon backing Kindle versus Sony’s Connect Store.
Sony book 299 versus Kindle 399
Kindle keyboard versus no (Sony) keyboard

Can’t decide

]]> By: dk http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-528025 dk Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:55:16 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-528025 Nick, I agree with you on almost all of your points here (I don't want to be an imbecile, after all), especially since I currently read eBooks on my Treo. As a graduate school student, I would gladly pay $600 + $50/book if I could move my textbooks to a device like the Kindle, but the publishers simply haven't bit on the concept (I would assume due to DRM concerns). If this .azw format proves semi-secure, perhaps we might see a change in this stance. Mr. Bezos, I beg of you - please get the textbook publishers on-board. My back can't take much more of this. Nick, I agree with you on almost all of your points here (I don’t want to be an imbecile, after all), especially since I currently read eBooks on my Treo.

As a graduate school student, I would gladly pay $600 + $50/book if I could move my textbooks to a device like the Kindle, but the publishers simply haven’t bit on the concept (I would assume due to DRM concerns). If this .azw format proves semi-secure, perhaps we might see a change in this stance.

Mr. Bezos, I beg of you – please get the textbook publishers on-board. My back can’t take much more of this.

]]> By: tim http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-528022 tim Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:46:43 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-528022 Paper has had a great run and remains one of the most flexible means of transporting and absorbing information. Anything that replaces it must equal or exceed that flexibility. The Kindle isn't it. Saying that - anyone who says they "will never catch on" or "i will never use it" and works for a technology review website must be fired immediately or rename his/her column "Lemmings Daily" Paper has had a great run and remains one of the most flexible means of transporting and absorbing information. Anything that replaces it must equal or exceed that flexibility. The Kindle isn’t it. Saying that – anyone who says they “will never catch on” or “i will never use it” and works for a technology review website must be fired immediately or rename his/her column “Lemmings Daily”

]]> By: Travis http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/comment-page-1/#comment-528018 Travis Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:36:36 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/21/the-random-endorsement-e-books-and-anyone-who-disagrees-is-a-imbecile/#comment-528018 Call me an imbecile then because I never want to read a book on one of these crappy ebook readers. I have hundreds and hundreds of paper books and trade them with other readers across the country via Bookmooch - until you can do that with an e book file easily then forget it. I refuse to pay full price for a real book let alone a text file of a book. These things may be the future, but sometimes the classics are the best. Paper books have been around for centuries and they are not going away in our lifetimes. Call me an imbecile then because I never want to read a book on one of these crappy ebook readers. I have hundreds and hundreds of paper books and trade them with other readers across the country via Bookmooch – until you can do that with an e book file easily then forget it. I refuse to pay full price for a real book let alone a text file of a book. These things may be the future, but sometimes the classics are the best. Paper books have been around for centuries and they are not going away in our lifetimes.

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