E-book's you want to see being made?

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Not at all, Jon. I'm simply saying that somebody who wants to create eBooks really needs to get the elementary stuff, such as using apostrophes correctly, right. That's a perfectly reasonable comment to make. No tar and feathers - just stating my views as to what the essential pre-requisites are for the job.

J A Konrath often makes the same mistakes with his apostrophes, but he seems to do okay making ebooks. As does Selena Blake, judging by her comments on various blogs that I've seen her on recently. In fact quite a few modern writers do, including one that is semi-regular on this site.

I find them quite jarring myself, but they are extremely common.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

J A Konrath often makes the same mistakes with his apostrophes, but he seems to do okay making ebooks. As does Selena Blake, judging by her comments on various blogs that I've seen her on recently. In fact quite a few modern writers do, including one that is semi-regular on this site.

I find them quite jarring myself, but they are extremely common.

Oh, I know, and it annoys me intensely. Language is the most important tool that a writer possesses, and it's essential to be able to use it correctly.

[CallOfCth'reader]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why are so may people picking on the OP when the OP hasn't even said he's going to be writing these eBooks?

"So many"? I only see two posters who commented on the error.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

J A Konrath often makes the same mistakes with his apostrophes, but he seems to do okay making ebooks. As does Selena Blake, judging by her comments on various blogs that I've seen her on recently. In fact quite a few modern writers do, including one that is semi-regular on this site.

"Semi-regular"?

Oh, good, then that wouldn't be me.

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

And while we're on the subject of grammar, I wasn't aware that the phrase "waiting on" was correct. English isn't my first language (though I'm better at it than my mother tongue). I've been seeing this phrase used a lot more often recently and I wonder why people won't just use "waiting for". An explanation would be great

In American English, "waiting on" refers to what a waiter in a restaurant, a servant, etc., does: They wait on you. They're probably not actually waiting as in not doing anything else (though I have some questions about certain restaurants where their "waiters" wait far too much, and serve far too little). "Waiting for" refers to what a person awaiting another person does, such as Waiting For Godot (for those unfamiliar with it, it's a famous play). It's a difference between sitting by a roadside hoping some dude will show up versus serving him his dinner.

That said, "waiting on" seems to be creeping in to take the place of "waiting for". It may be something from some regional variant of English, it may be simple misunderstanding or ignorance, or people may actually like it better that way. I'm not sure. But I've seen "I'm waiting on Fred" when it should be "I'm waiting for Fred", which introduces ambiguity in what should be a simple, unambiguous statement. No, you're not giving Fred his dinner or tying his tie; you're awaiting his arrival.

[CallOfCth'reader]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

... it may be simple misunderstanding or ignorance...

That's definitely the case with some people, I think. I met a lad at work a while ago, from middle England, who honestly believed the letter 'Z' was pronounced "zee". To prove that his was the correct pronunciation, he said "So why aren't Zee Zee Top* called Zed Zed Top"....



* US rock band called ZZ Top

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by CallOfCth'reader

That's definitely the case with some people, I think. I met a lad at work a while ago, from middle England, who honestly believed the letter 'Z' was pronounced "zee". To prove that his was the correct pronunciation, he said "So why aren't Zee Zee Top* called Zed Zed Top"....

That of course IS the way it's pronounced in the USA, but it's disturbing that any British person would think it correct in Britain.

[CallOfCth'reader]

That's what I tried to explain to him, but he wasn't convinced at all. It was a very surreal situation.

[twowheels]

It is also possible that it was a temporary lapse. I have to admit to writing e-mails and forum posts in a hastier manner than technical documents and other such writings. For that reason I often go back and find mistakes that grate at me if I see them elsewhere, things that I KNOW are wrong and am surprised to find in my own work. It's possible that this OP on this thread knows better and has suffered the same fate.

[phenomshel]

Well, I misread the question entirely. I thought the OP was asking which books we've read that we'd like to see in ebook forms. In that case, I'd have had a whole list for him/her.

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by CallOfCth'reader

To prove that his was the correct pronunciation, he said "So why aren't Zee Zee Top* called Zed Zed Top"....

Well, he does have a point there!

Of course, I'm from the zee part of the English-speaking world, not the zed part (as well as something of a ZZ Top fan) so I suppose I'm slightly biased.

I've gotten used to people not understanding that, say, pavement is something different in different countries. But I generally expect people to know the correct forms for their local area, not think some other region's are the right ones. English is a rather wiggly language to begin with, but at least you can get the local variant right! (mind you, this doesn't justify those people who use a word wrong because it's some provincialism they grew up with; "bring" doesn't mean "take" no matter where you are)

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Oh, I know, and it annoys me intensely. Language is the most important tool that a writer possesses, and it's essential to be able to use it correctly.

The relative success of those writers would suggest otherwise. I don't think it is something that many readers even notice, never mind get annoyed by enough to stop reading.

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by CallOfCth'reader

That's definitely the case with some people, I think. I met a lad at work a while ago, from middle England, who honestly believed the letter 'Z' was pronounced "zee". To prove that his was the correct pronunciation, he said "So why aren't Zee Zee Top* called Zed Zed Top"....



* US rock band called ZZ Top

I always called them Zed Zed Top.

[wyndslash]

i pronounce Z as "zee"

[carpetmojo]

Perhaps I'm not skilled in reading sub-text, but I thought the original post was about what type of books we would like to see in an ebook package.

Just in case that was the case, I would like to see, apart from one's favourite fiction titles, far more non-fiction ebooks.

For example,I am have an interest in prehistory (or perhaps the old "Stone Age" classification, and before, covers it best), and would love to be able to access
a) e-versions of already published works
and
b) new writings on the subject in e-form.

But I just wish more non-fiction generally was out there....

[ I was delighted, however, to find a fascinating little offering on oriental carpets on Gutenberg, that I would never have found normally.