How are geographic restrictions affecting you? - Page 5

HarryT · 08-06-2010, 04:12 PM

American spelling is one thing. What I really don't like is when books are "localised" to a much greater extent. A good example are the US versions of the Harry Potter books; to a British reader it's very strange to read a book which is obviously set in Britain, but which has "automobiles", "parking lots", "mail slots" and "sneakers" instead of the British "cars", "car parks", "letter boxes" and "trainers" of the original British book. I really do think that's going too far.

FlorenceArt · 08-06-2010, 04:18 PM

Wow. They actually translated from British to American English?

HarryT · 08-06-2010, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Wow. They actually translated from British to American English?

Unfortunately, yes. Certainly for the first book. I don't have US editions of the later books, but I'd imagine that the same was done for those.

tpw · 08-06-2010, 04:46 PM

As an Aussie I learned early on not to even bother legitimately trying to purchase from US sites such as Fictionwise or Diesel, since the GR bit me every time. I've been happily getting epubs from the book depository in the UK until a couple of days ago, when a download failed due to GR (kraken by china mieville). Not a happy camper

I've spent hundreds of $ on ebooks but GR is doing its best to stop me.

And don't get me started on americanisation of english, or kids walking on my lawn...

Clancy_s · 08-06-2010, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

American spelling is one thing. What I really don't like is when books are "localised" to a much greater extent. A good example are the US versions of the Harry Potter books; to a British reader it's very strange to read a book which is obviously set in Britain, but which has "automobiles", "parking lots", "mail slots" and "sneakers" instead of the British "cars", "car parks", "letter boxes" and "trainers" of the original British book. I really do think that's going too far.

Reportedly they also changed 6th form (last year at school, 17-18) to 6th class (last year of junior school, 11-12), in their first printing of one of the books, which gave a new slant to some of the goings on!

Fbone · 08-06-2010, 06:15 PM

Now I'm affected.

Cant buy the cheap kindle versions on the Amazon UK site.

tech_au · 08-06-2010, 10:34 PM

I am finding less and less reason to buy from the US and UK now that Borders AU have opened their ebookstore as their prices are currently better than the US and UK on some titles.
As an example the brand-new Random House thriller The Ocean Dark was AU$5.95 at Borders AU, GBP4.40(AU$9) at WH Smiths in UK and US$7.19(AU$8) at BooksOnBoard.
It also depends on what books you want to read though. I still have some credit at BoB and Sony but I'll save that for specials I think.

AprilHare · 08-06-2010, 11:16 PM

Actually, I'm starting to progressively notice a steady decline in incidences of georestrictions in my presence. With Borders and A&R in Australia releasing ebook stores combined with Waterstones and local publishers with their ebook stores, its becoming less of an issue.
I wish some ebooks were cheaper though. For instance, Dominic Knight has release a book called Comrades - and since University of Sydney is currently a topic of interest to me I was interested; but the interest drops off when it turns out it costs $32.95!
http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Books/...2740904/eBook/

Stitchawl · 08-07-2010, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I was thinking more of the CC... I can't download certain books at FW anymore, because I don't have an US registered CC, for exampe.

I built my own computer while in Malaysia, used it in Singapore, Thailand, and Japan, have never had a US internet provider, and currently use a fibre optic line with my ISP here in Japan. I never even heard of a 'US registered CC' before you mentioned it. When I register for a US-based bookstore, I sign in as living in the US. Nothing more complicated than that, except perhaps for the initial start-up turn off the Internet connection to initialize the program. It then accepts what ever I've typed in as fact, and never checks again.

Stitchawl

FlorenceArt · 08-07-2010, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I built my own computer while in Malaysia, used it in Singapore, Thailand, and Japan, have never had a US internet provider, and currently use a fibre optic line with my ISP here in Japan. I never even heard of a 'US registered CC' before you mentioned it. When I register for a US-based bookstore, I sign in as living in the US. Nothing more complicated than that, except perhaps for the initial start-up turn off the Internet connection to initialize the program. It then accepts what ever I've typed in as fact, and never checks again.

Stitchawl

I think CC means credit card. Some stores check the country of the credit cards, others check your IP address. And they change their strategies all the time. That's why I gave up trying to outsmart them, what works one day will stop working the next, it's just not worth the hassle IMO.

HarryT · 08-07-2010, 03:31 AM

A US registered credit card is one whose billing address is in the US. I am a credit card merchant myself, and when I sell a product online I'm required to check that the shipping address for the product matches the billing address for the card, as a protection against people trying to use stolen credit card details. I can't find out what the card's billing address is, but the software I use to authorise a credit card transaction tells me whether or not the address the customer has supplied is valid for that card.

murraypaul · 08-07-2010, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

A US registered credit card is one whose billing address is in the US. I am a credit card merchant myself, and when I sell a product online I'm required to check that the shipping address for the product matches the billing address for the card, as a protection against people trying to use stolen credit card details. I can't find out what the card's billing address is, but the software I use to authorise a credit card transaction tells me whether or not the address the customer has supplied is valid for that card.

And this is how virtual credit cards can be useful, as they always return true for that check, regardless of the address supplied.

daxbr · 08-07-2010, 06:25 AM

While in Europe, I received an email ad from Amazon.

Followed the link and observed the kindle book sold by Amazon costs US$19.34 but after logging in to US based Amazon account, the publisher offers the same ebook for US$12.99. Amazon does not offer the book.

Quite a price difference. Copies attached.

neilmarr · 08-07-2010, 06:39 AM

***I agree that for e-books, the rights should be sold by language, not by country***

And I couldn't agree more fully, Bev. But there is a hitch.

My own wee publishing house contracts both treebooks and ebooks for publication in a single international English language edition and for simultaneous release, as do many smaller indies (and, indeed most self-publishing authors also go single-edition in PoD treebook and ebook), so there's no problem with us, unless a third-party retail outlet slaps on its own uninvited geographical restrictions for some mysterious and never explained reason.

The bigger houses, though, usually take English language rights to treebook and ebook on a country-specific basis and release dates for the same title are often wildly staggered.

Agents and their sub-agents, quite understandably, negotiate the very best separate deals they can for an author client's book in, say, the US, UK, Canada and Australia; anywhere with an English-reading customer base that can potentially support a title.

Sometimes, a house will buy international rights to a title and either work through its own imprints in various countries or even on-sell publication rights to another house in whatever country is targeted. So, again, release dates of a title in treebook and ebook are not likely to coincide and ISBNs differ. If an international retailer were to sell an ebook in some countries it would undermine the strategy of the publishing house with local rights if his release is behind that of the first digital publisher in the line.

Sometimes the cover is different in each country (the art work, edit and internal text design usually being the copyright of the individual publisher); also the English standard of spelling might be adjusted in edit on a country-specific basis; inside text designs may differ; even content might be re-worked to local taste; and, of course, release dates on any given title can be wildly different from country to country and publisher to publisher.

Sadly, I don't think we'll see an end to this in treebooks or ebooks until major publishers have their backs pressed even harder against the wall and book deals are negotiated by an agent by bringing together an international consortium of publishers in each relevant country who will agree a simultaneous release date for their editions of a title and simultaneous launch of both paper and digital editions.

Cover work and English standard might still be adjusted in treebooks for a long time to come to cater to local market appeal, but the very nature of ebook sales (and ebook and treebook release dates should and must coincide) would make differing cover art and language standard a matter of disproportionate effort and surplus to requirements.

This is, perhaps, why agents dealing with the Big Six should negotiate ebook rights separately on the firm basis that both ebook and treebook would have the same international release date.

I'm not sure of the morality issue in an agency actually publishing ebooks themselves -- especially on a store-specific basis, a la Andrew Wylie with his Odyssey operation and exclusive deal with a single retailer, Amazon. Then again, Wylie's job is to pull the best deal possible for his clients (and for the Wylie Agency, of course), so I for one understand this recent move. Whether or not I agree with it is quite another matter, but I must disqualify myself from comment on the grounds of vested interest.

I realise that big houses would find a treebook-only deal less attractive these days and I can see the reason (dubious as it might be) for the big houses whose older contracts contain no mention of digital rights but who fight to assume them anyway (to the extent that Random House will not now do business with Wylie). But the industry is standing on its head right now and we'll see huge changes very soon. Hopefully to the benefit of readers and authors ... possibly even to publishers in the long run.

Best wishes. Neil

HansTWN · 08-07-2010, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murraypaul

And this is how virtual credit cards can be useful, as they always return true for that check, regardless of the address supplied.

Which one can you recommend?

08-07-2010, 06:25 AM	#73
daxbr Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangkok, Th and Boca Raton, Fl Device: kindle1, kindle7	While in Europe, I received an email ad from Amazon. Followed the link and observed the kindle book sold by Amazon costs US$19.34 but after logging in to US based Amazon account, the publisher offers the same ebook for US$12.99. Amazon does not offer the book. Quite a price difference. Copies attached. Attached Thumbnails

08-07-2010, 06:39 AM	#74
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	*I agree that for e-books, the rights should be sold by language, not by country* And I couldn't agree more fully, Bev. But there is a hitch. My own wee publishing house contracts both treebooks and ebooks for publication in a single international English language edition and for simultaneous release, as do many smaller indies (and, indeed most self-publishing authors also go single-edition in PoD treebook and ebook), so there's no problem with us, unless a third-party retail outlet slaps on its own uninvited geographical restrictions for some mysterious and never explained reason. The bigger houses, though, usually take English language rights to treebook and ebook on a country-specific basis and release dates for the same title are often wildly staggered. Agents and their sub-agents, quite understandably, negotiate the very best separate deals they can for an author client's book in, say, the US, UK, Canada and Australia; anywhere with an English-reading customer base that can potentially support a title. Sometimes, a house will buy international rights to a title and either work through its own imprints in various countries or even on-sell publication rights to another house in whatever country is targeted. So, again, release dates of a title in treebook and ebook are not likely to coincide and ISBNs differ. If an international retailer were to sell an ebook in some countries it would undermine the strategy of the publishing house with local rights if his release is behind that of the first digital publisher in the line. Sometimes the cover is different in each country (the art work, edit and internal text design usually being the copyright of the individual publisher); also the English standard of spelling might be adjusted in edit on a country-specific basis; inside text designs may differ; even content might be re-worked to local taste; and, of course, release dates on any given title can be wildly different from country to country and publisher to publisher. Sadly, I don't think we'll see an end to this in treebooks or ebooks until major publishers have their backs pressed even harder against the wall and book deals are negotiated by an agent by bringing together an international consortium of publishers in each relevant country who will agree a simultaneous release date for their editions of a title and simultaneous launch of both paper and digital editions. Cover work and English standard might still be adjusted in treebooks for a long time to come to cater to local market appeal, but the very nature of ebook sales (and ebook and treebook release dates should and must coincide) would make differing cover art and language standard a matter of disproportionate effort and surplus to requirements. This is, perhaps, why agents dealing with the Big Six should negotiate ebook rights separately on the firm basis that both ebook and treebook would have the same international release date. I'm not sure of the morality issue in an agency actually publishing ebooks themselves -- especially on a store-specific basis, a la Andrew Wylie with his Odyssey operation and exclusive deal with a single retailer, Amazon. Then again, Wylie's job is to pull the best deal possible for his clients (and for the Wylie Agency, of course), so I for one understand this recent move. Whether or not I agree with it is quite another matter, but I must disqualify myself from comment on the grounds of vested interest. I realise that big houses would find a treebook-only deal less attractive these days and I can see the reason (dubious as it might be) for the big houses whose older contracts contain no mention of digital rights but who fight to assume them anyway (to the extent that Random House will not now do business with Wylie). But the industry is standing on its head right now and we'll see huge changes very soon. Hopefully to the benefit of readers and authors ... possibly even to publishers in the long run. Best wishes. Neil Attached Images Last edited by neilmarr; 08-07-2010 at 06:50 AM. Reason: trypos -- my laptop keyboard is on its last legs.

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08-06-2010, 04:12 PM	#61
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	American spelling is one thing. What I really don't like is when books are "localised" to a much greater extent. A good example are the US versions of the Harry Potter books; to a British reader it's very strange to read a book which is obviously set in Britain, but which has "automobiles", "parking lots", "mail slots" and "sneakers" instead of the British "cars", "car parks", "letter boxes" and "trainers" of the original British book. I really do think that's going too far.

08-06-2010, 04:18 PM	#62
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	Wow. They actually translated from British to American English?

08-06-2010, 04:46 PM	#64
tpw Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 250 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Brisbane, Australia Device: Kobo, Sony PRS650	As an Aussie I learned early on not to even bother legitimately trying to purchase from US sites such as Fictionwise or Diesel, since the GR bit me every time. I've been happily getting epubs from the book depository in the UK until a couple of days ago, when a download failed due to GR (kraken by china mieville). Not a happy camper I've spent hundreds of $ on ebooks but GR is doing its best to stop me. And don't get me started on americanisation of english, or kids walking on my lawn...

08-06-2010, 06:15 PM	#66
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,189 Karma: 100500000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Now I'm affected. Cant buy the cheap kindle versions on the Amazon UK site.

08-06-2010, 10:34 PM	#67
tech_au Oz Bookworm Posts: 516 Karma: 4056 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Device: Sony PRS 505,PRS 650	I am finding less and less reason to buy from the US and UK now that Borders AU have opened their ebookstore as their prices are currently better than the US and UK on some titles. As an example the brand-new Random House thriller The Ocean Dark was AU$5.95 at Borders AU, GBP4.40(AU$9) at WH Smiths in UK and US$7.19(AU$8) at BooksOnBoard. It also depends on what books you want to read though. I still have some credit at BoB and Sony but I'll save that for specials I think.

08-06-2010, 11:16 PM	#68
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	Actually, I'm starting to progressively notice a steady decline in incidences of georestrictions in my presence. With Borders and A&R in Australia releasing ebook stores combined with Waterstones and local publishers with their ebook stores, its becoming less of an issue. I wish some ebooks were cheaper though. For instance, Dominic Knight has release a book called Comrades - and since University of Sydney is currently a topic of interest to me I was interested; but the interest drops off when it turns out it costs $32.95! http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Books/...2740904/eBook/

08-07-2010, 03:31 AM	#71
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	A US registered credit card is one whose billing address is in the US. I am a credit card merchant myself, and when I sell a product online I'm required to check that the shipping address for the product matches the billing address for the card, as a protection against people trying to use stolen credit card details. I can't find out what the card's billing address is, but the software I use to authorise a credit card transaction tells me whether or not the address the customer has supplied is valid for that card.

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