Would you buy ebooks subsidized with ads? - Page 3

Elfwreck · 02-21-2009, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Magazines are no longer a pleasure to read. Between the endless cards that you have to pull out in order to be able to turn the pages, and the content that is more ads than articles, no way would I do it.

What, you don't look forward to your free samples of cheap perfume that soaks through all the pages of the magazine?

Just think how much more fun they'll be when sound chips get cheap enough to embed them in every issue! And what incredible stuff they'll do with projecting holograms as soon as those are chip-sized!

desertgrandma · 02-21-2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Oddly, I find I don't think I'd mind if books had ads in them. I remember older books having ads at the beginning or end, and sometimes in the middle. (A postcard for ordering more stuff by that publisher, usually.)

It'd be especially okay if the ads were more targeted than pbook ads can be--I wouldn't mind having a half-ebook-page telling me where I can order incense and candleholders in a religious book, nor an ad for DRM-free ebook stores in a book devoted to copyright concerns, nor an ad for the related video game if I buy a popular novel.

I am not interested in lingerie ads in romance novels; lingerie in my size & shape looks ridiculous. The topic of the book isn't going to be a nice, obvious source of "put ad for physical versions of what you're reading about." (The ads I'd like attached to romance novels would offend many readers, and besides, then the books couldn't be sold in Texas.) However, ads for *more books* of a similar type would be very appropriate--the free Harlequin romances all have a section at the end, with an excerpt from another book by the same author. That advertising, I have no problem with.

"If you liked this, here's a suggestion for another one," especially at the end of the book, is fine with me.

That's assuming the ads don't blink or move. I've had more than enough animated ads. Also assuming I can just skip past the page like any other, not that I have to spend 10 or 30 seconds "looking at the ad" before going on to the other content.

Places for ads:
Before the prologue, after the summary blurb (if there is one).
End of book.
Possibly middle of book, at major chapter breaks. (I.e. between "Section 1" and "Section 2"--not between every chapter.

I can't imagine such ads would be worth much to the advertisers, though. Can't imagine them subsidizing book prices for such subtle ads. Ads in books to be read on my Sony Reader aren't going to link to webstores; they're maybe going to remind me that a store where I can buy stuff exists.

There might be enough benefit to nonprofit orgs and such, that they'd consider subsidizing books for a few lines at the beginning and a couple of (Reader-sized) pages at the end, describing their org and how to contact them. But I suspect that if every page had a footer saying "This book brought to you by the Concerned Citizens Against Cancer - Please donate to keep our children safe!"... I wouldn't buy many of those books, not even greatly discounted. Possibly not even free, unless I felt up to the effort of stripping out the nuisance message.

What makes you think you would have one iota of say as to where the ads will be placed or what they will say?

Personally, I would prefer to not see ads for the "magic pill for men" (And the slimeworm hemorrhoid who put the Elvis song "Viva Las Vegas" to "Viva Viagra should be hung, and I'll pull the rope) or feminine hygiene products at any time. But still.....there they are.

Advertisers. BAH!

sammsmom · 02-21-2009, 02:15 PM

Absolutely not. Those things drive me crazy on the internet let alone when I'm trying to read a book.

Moejoe · 02-21-2009, 02:47 PM

If they're unobtrusive, located at the rear of the book and complimentary to the text then I don't see a problem with advertisements. Sample chapters from new books, excerpts and links to where you can buy might actually add value. But if we're talking the kind of obnoxious, web-style adverts we already see, then NO WAY!

ShortNCuddlyAm · 02-21-2009, 02:57 PM

I vote for more ads in books. But only along the lines of the ones in Jasper Fforde's books

deety · 02-21-2009, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

What, you don't look forward to your free samples of cheap perfume that soaks through all the pages of the magazine?

Off topic, but as someone with who has some type of funky perfume allergy I always write complaint letters to any magazines with perfume samples. I try not to complain about it too much when I run into people who seem to have bathed in their perfume or cologne, but I really resent headache-inducing chemicals being sneaked into something I've paid for.

JSWolf · 02-21-2009, 04:47 PM

Will the advertisers pay me for the electricity used to have to bypass their adverts?

JSWolf · 02-21-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moejoe

If they're unobtrusive, located at the rear of the book and complimentary to the text then I don't see a problem with advertisements. Sample chapters from new books, excerpts and links to where you can buy might actually add value. But if we're talking the kind of obnoxious, web-style adverts we already see, then NO WAY!

That is a good idea. Put the adverts in the samples of the eBooks. That way the prices of the actual eBooks can be lowered.

Elfwreck · 02-21-2009, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

What makes you think you would have one iota of say as to where the ads will be placed or what they will say?

Oh, I don't. But for the sake of discussion, I'm mentioning that I wouldn't mind ads in ebooks if they fell within certain constraints. Which I don't expect they will, and therefore I don't bother telling advertisers "you could include ads and I'd buy it," 'cos the track record with the advertising industry is the notion "if a little is good, more is better! If they were okay with a logo and a name in the corner, they'll still buy it with the logo dancing across the middle of the screen and occasionally chirping through the MP3 player!"

Quote:

Personally, I would prefer to not see ads for the "magic pill for men"

When do women get equal attention? Where's the pill for "women who no longer get aroused as easily or as often as they used to?"

Quote:

(And the slimeworm hemorrhoid who put the Elvis song "Viva Las Vegas" to "Viva Viagra should be hung, and I'll pull the rope)

Agreed. Can we take up a collection?
Years ago, the rec.arts.sf.mst3k newsgroup tried to collect money to hire an assassin to kill the Zima beer guy. (I think someone actually assembled $43. Then they got too ambitious--tried to include the Mentos kid. Then it all kind of fell apart, and they gave up on the project.)

desertgrandma · 02-21-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

When do women get equal attention? Where's the pill for "women who no longer get aroused as easily or as often as they used to?"
You haven't been paying attention to the informercials...

Agreed. Can we take up a collection?
Years ago, the rec.arts.sf.mst3k newsgroup tried to collect money to hire an assassin to kill the Zima beer guy. (I think someone actually assembled $43. Then they got too ambitious--tried to include the Mentos kid. Then it all kind of fell apart, and they gave up on the project.)

Too bad.

Andybaby · 02-21-2009, 05:59 PM

I wouldnt Mind Ad Supported Ebooks along the Lines of Wowio.com

I Wish Wowio would Package Ebooks and distribute them with ads instead of having to read in the browser.

JSWolf · 02-21-2009, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

When do women get equal attention? Where's the pill for "women who no longer get aroused as easily or as often as they used to?"

Supposedly Viagra can make a woman more sensitive. So if you know of a woman who is no longer as sensitive, get her to go to the doctor and ask for some Viagra.

JSWolf · 02-21-2009, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andybaby

I wouldnt Mind Ad Supported Ebooks along the Lines of Wowio.com

I Wish Wowio would Package Ebooks and distribute them with ads instead of having to read in the browser.

WOWIO doesn't do eBooks. They only do PDF.

kovidgoyal · 02-21-2009, 06:31 PM

The coolest thing about ebooks with ads is that it would be trivial to strip out the ads

just like it's trivial to strip out commercials from TV shows

pilotbob · 02-21-2009, 06:36 PM

You know.. I was thinking about this and about all the "ad supported" things I use every day. Places like google (with search, gmail, google reader, blogger, etc), mint.com and of course right here at mobileread.com.

All of them have ads and the most popular sites are able to make the ads unobtrusive. So, it ebooks could be free and have unobtrusive ads in them, I am all for that. I would even be ok with DRM in that case because if they book is free I can re-get it in any format I need.

BOb

View Poll Results: Would you mind ads in ebooks if they reduced the cost of the device and/or content?
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02-21-2009, 02:15 PM	#33
sammsmom Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 192 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 2	Absolutely not. Those things drive me crazy on the internet let alone when I'm trying to read a book.

02-21-2009, 02:47 PM	#34
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	If they're unobtrusive, located at the rear of the book and complimentary to the text then I don't see a problem with advertisements. Sample chapters from new books, excerpts and links to where you can buy might actually add value. But if we're talking the kind of obnoxious, web-style adverts we already see, then NO WAY!

02-21-2009, 02:57 PM	#35
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	I vote for more ads in books. But only along the lines of the ones in Jasper Fforde's books

02-21-2009, 04:47 PM	#37
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,044 Karma: 129333562 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Will the advertisers pay me for the electricity used to have to bypass their adverts?

02-21-2009, 05:59 PM	#41
Andybaby Wizard Posts: 1,279 Karma: 1002683 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New York Device: PRS-700	I wouldnt Mind Ad Supported Ebooks along the Lines of Wowio.com I Wish Wowio would Package Ebooks and distribute them with ads instead of having to read in the browser.

02-21-2009, 06:31 PM	#44
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,871 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	The coolest thing about ebooks with ads is that it would be trivial to strip out the ads just like it's trivial to strip out commercials from TV shows

02-21-2009, 06:36 PM	#45
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	You know.. I was thinking about this and about all the "ad supported" things I use every day. Places like google (with search, gmail, google reader, blogger, etc), mint.com and of course right here at mobileread.com. All of them have ads and the most popular sites are able to make the ads unobtrusive. So, it ebooks could be free and have unobtrusive ads in them, I am all for that. I would even be ok with DRM in that case because if they book is free I can re-get it in any format I need. BOb

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