Re: Amazon Kindle

Well said, Ed!  There's been a lot to sort out about Amazon and the Kindle, but I think 
you've really hit the nail on the head with this post.

John

--- In [email protected], "auwg" <auwg@...> wrote:
>
> --- In [email protected], "Kent S. Larsen II" wrote:
> > I'm merely trying to state my discomfort at yet another attempt to
> go beyond just selling books to a system where a large player uses its
> market power to dominate the nascent ebook form.
> >
> 
> No reason to think this attempt will be any more successful than
> others. Sooner or later everyone with a Kindle will find reason to
> look outside Amazon's system for content.
> 
> > I don't know if Amazon will be successful in this move.
> 
> Highly unlikely. They may achieve a strong market share for a while,
> and if they do, they'll be inviting strong competition from others
> who'll do the job better, faster, and cheaper.
> 
> > But I don't like the relatively small cut (35% instead of the 50%
> that is more or less standard),
> 
> Shrug. They're doing all the hosting, collections, bookkeeping (did
> anyone see an audit clause?), and heavy marketing. They're also
> providing wireless access for the devices. Other stuff, too.
> 
> > nor do I like the proprietary nature of the standard files, or the
> fact that the Kindle will display so few formats.
> 
> But those limitations have been standard in every dedicated ereader
> toy anyone's produced, so they aren't at all unusual.
> 
> > And I don't like the fact that Amazon is using a proprietary
> identifier for ebooks (ASIN) instead of supporting wider standards
> like the ISBN and DOI.
> >
> 
> ?? Fictionwise does the same thing. So did Gemstar and Nuvomedia and
> so do most of the outfits that market ebooks with or without ereader
> hardware.
> With or without an ISBN, a book gets a unique in-store stock number in
> almost any retailer's system.
>  
> > On the other hand, I do like Amazon's system for allowing new ebooks
> to be submitted. Its so simple that I believe the number of available
> ebooks will rise rapidly.
> >
> 
> Yup, and many will appear without the benefit of edits.
> Amazon's assembling a true slush pile. Wouldn't surprise me at all if
> they start sending 'Get Published!' promotionals for an in-house paper
> press soon.
>  
> > Despite the things I don't like, I probably will still participate.
> Not participating only hurts me, not Amazon, and I think there will be
> various pressures on Amazon to open its system eventually, even if it
> becomes the dominant standard in the industry.
> >
> 
> If it does become dominant, that dominance will be very temporary.
> Others will let Amazon do all the legwork, troubleshooting, and
> pioneering, then they'll barf up their own hardware versions.
> It's 'King of the Hill' and even the biggest kids get tired eventually.
> 
> > We'll see how this all shakes out. Perhaps the Kindle will help make
> ebooks a significant format for books.
> >
> 
> There you have the real reason that Kindle is a Good Thing. It can
> succeed or fail financially, and since the Kindle can eat Mobi books,
> failure of this biz model won't matter much to anyone but Amazon.
> But - succeed or fail - Amazon and its Kindle will expand OUR ebook
> marketplace, and perhaps expand it greatly.
> Nuvomedia was known for what before it came out with Rocketebook?
> No idea.
> 
> Gemstar was known for TV stuff when it bought Nuvomedia with the idea
> of presenting the world with electronic guidebooks and more. They
> strangled themselves with proprietary crap and poor customer service.
> 
> But Amazon is known for BOOKS, before all else, and it's big enough to
> absorb some hefty losses while it develops an ebook market we can ALL use.
> Ed Howdershelt - Abintra Press
> Science Fiction & Semi-Fiction
> http://www.AbintraPress.com
> My Fictionwise Ratings: http://tinyurl.com/26v45
>





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