Re: "The Elusive E-book"

From: "Bill Janssen"
>> > The libraries are already full.
>>
>> ???   Meaning what?
>>
>
> I think this is the point Jon Jermey is making, isn't it?  I 
> meant
> that there are enough "great books" that already exist to last 
> anyone
> a lifetime.  No need to worry that the libraries won't be 
> filled;
> they're already filled.  Thanks to Google and Amazon and Chris
> Anderson's tail, they're probably "fuller" now, for most 
> people, than
> they've ever been.

Isn't this 'fusty-dusty, we've already reached Nirvana'?    I 
think Emily and Brenna have already made the point about one 
contemporary trend that is most certainly not covered by 
classics.   Most non-fiction has to  be up-to-date too.   I 
simply reject this as very partial and limited, and failing to 
recognise the difference between one's own position, and that it 
may be a very minor position!

>
>> > And books are going away, as far as popularity goes.
>> If you mean fewer books are and will be read I think the 
>> figures
>
> I mean that the figures show that novels are no longer used by 
> the
> majority of people to while away idle time, or as a major 
> source of
> leisure-time pleasure.  TV and videos have driven books away.

Look, books never were the 'majority' pastime.   Probably a 
larger percentage read books now than ever before.   Films killed 
the stage, tv killed films and video/DVD is killing tv.   But 
they all rely on books for their plots and stories;  I think the 
Bible is still the major plot source ;-).

>
>> Well, why?   This is on what precise basis?   You mean you
>> encourage people to break copyright because you don't agree 
>> with
>> it?
>
> You seem to have copyright on your mind -- I never said 
> anything like
> this.

The implication is clear.   But we have had this argument on the 
list before.   The idea that any particular direction is 
inevitable happens in a regulation free environment.   Well if 
that is your preference of hell...

I meant that the occupation, lucrative over the last few
> centuries, of writing popular novels which were then bought by 
> the
> masses to pass leisure time,

Bill, I am trying to get you to recognise the historical 
perspective.   The mass market could not be said to have started 
before the latter part of the nineteenth century, and arguably 
that date might be as late as  the turn of the C20.   Up to the 
later part of the C19 the masses would have loved to have had the 
leisure time.   Let alone to have been able to read and write.

is going away, and that people who write
> those kinds of books, for a living, shouldn't fool themselves 
> about
> that.

To follow on Mark Twain's contribution to this discussion:  'News 
of this death is greatly exagerrated'.

Other sectors of the book authoring market may do better for a
> while, though.  And I'm sure that the Internet blogs and 
> websites that
> you mention will produce other authoring opportunities that 
> will pay.
>
> An interesting experiment along those lines is Helium, which 
> initially
> pays authors a pittance, then raises them based on reader 
> feedback.
> It's a fascinating site, and maybe it's the kind of place that
> beginning writers will get their training when the newspapers 
> finally
> finish collapsing.  http://www.helium.com/whatishelium
>
> I see that Helium is currently debating the proposition,
> "Shakespeare's writing is incomprehensible", and I'm happy to 
> report
> that the "No"s have an 85-15 lead :-).
>
> Bill

These are interesting points.   One of the reasons I left the 
newspaper world is because I was not prepared to be part of the 
advertisng industry.   It is possible that the empires built on 
this are finally about to get their comeuppance;  even so i am 
not holding my breath.

But the net may prove a very viable news medium.   At the moment 
that aspect is entirely dependent on the traditional news empires 
who have the newsgathering structures and delivery mechanisms. 
The advertising route is not, I believe, a future model, since it 
depends on a certain style of capitalism.

I foresee a mixture of sketchy free information, and subscription 
detail and opinion on the net.   I also think the protection of 
all IP will become more of a state matter as the international 
body becomes more sophisiticated.   But both these may take a 
decade or so.

Joseph



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