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Old 03-19-2010, 04:34 PM   #99
Joebill
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alpha Centauri's Library of Alexandria
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I have read about 8,000 to 10,000 books on many different subjects over my lifetime.

Some I felt were way over priced. Particularly the past 5-7 years. Some were priced correctly for the amount and type of content.

Many of the recent computer technical books seemed of rather poor quality text. Lots of graphics, claimed big names on the cover, but they were mostly fluff. Little actual content. The cover clamied it would teach me certain things. That particular subject was barely covered in the book. That would happen in many of the technical books I read in the past 5-7 years. Wrox has good computer books. So I now read those.

For fictional works. I paid 95 cents for the first sf paperbacks I purchased. 25 cents for magazines. The books were new when I bought them. Most of them I felt were a good price.

Those authors were paid by the word.

About 5 years ago I stopped buying new sf books. I would read them, and felt the story was of por quality. Happened over and over. I bought reprints of a Heinlien, Asimov, and other authors who have been honered by being called "Masters' by sf community.

Even their early works shows quality.

More recent authors, and I don't claim to have read all of the new sf authors, just don't write as well.

I'll spend money on an author's work if they produce good work.

I wont spend the money on drek.

And I certainly wont spend more money on an ebook than the paperback version costs.

The local bookstore clerks know me rather well. I spent over $1,000 on books and music there last year. Computer books, Dilbert and other such cartoons like Bucky Cat, New Age, Japanese language, history, Native American, etc.

If an ebook publisher wants part of that money, they will have to lower prices.

Web sites and domain names are cheap these days. I just don't see any justification for charging $10 for an ebook, and less for the same in paperback.
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