MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Word against Google's digitization of books

clicclic · 04-21-2005, 09:17 AM

I have worked in book publishing for 14 years as an editor and writer on the business side and the author side.

Books are still to some degree the ultimate data medium. A book can contain amazing amounts of information and still be portable, lightweight, and durable.

The publishers have been banking on this fact forever basically. And they haven't really done much to innovate. Like all money machines/cash cows, someone will innovate for them, threatening their dividend checks.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" was the old mantra. In our globally connected community, this just won't fly any more. A 15 year old in the Seychelles can completely re-invent any industry that relies on intellectual property.

I'm not sure that's such a bad thing.

04-21-2005, 09:17 AM	#3
clicclic Member Posts: 11 Karma: 32 Join Date: Nov 2004 Device: Zire 72	Publishing must re-invent I have worked in book publishing for 14 years as an editor and writer on the business side and the author side. Books are still to some degree the ultimate data medium. A book can contain amazing amounts of information and still be portable, lightweight, and durable. The publishers have been banking on this fact forever basically. And they haven't really done much to innovate. Like all money machines/cash cows, someone will innovate for them, threatening their dividend checks. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" was the old mantra. In our globally connected community, this just won't fly any more. A 15 year old in the Seychelles can completely re-invent any industry that relies on intellectual property. I'm not sure that's such a bad thing.