DoJ Has Received 150 Comments on E-book Case

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Are there special, super-secret-agent channels to navigate? Codewords? Handshakes? What?

Proof that you recently sacrificed a goat is also a ticket inside.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by stonetools

My guess is that most of the comments are from book industry insiders, who unlike the typical person, have "skin in the game" . Most of those comments are going to be "anti-settlement" or to be more precise, are going to want the settlement terms to go easier on the publishers.

I agree with you, actually.

My question is what has happened to the comments that came from people who aren't "skin-in-the-game industry biggies?" Surely more than 150 letters have been sent to the address (physical and email) that has been posted here and other places around the internet. If there's no filtering process, a few pro-settlement letters have made it through, right?

I'm not saying there's any funny business going on. I'm just saying that the numbers don't quite jive here.

Is the DoJ accepting and considering/including all comments sent to the official addresses? If so, they have more than 150 (on the date of that particular claim). If they're not... what's the criteria for inclusion? That's all I'm asking.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

My question is what has happened to the comments that came from people who aren't "skin-in-the-game industry biggies?" Surely more than 150 letters have been sent to the address (physical and email) that has been posted here and other places around the internet. If there's no filtering process, a few pro-settlement letters have made it through, right?

Maybe most people squawked loudly on the internet, but didn't actually get around to writing a letter? Maybe if multiple identical form letters were submitted, they were counted as one submission from multiple people? (It certainly wouldn't make sense to publish 100 copies of an identical message.)

[John F]

Originally Posted by stonetools

My guess is that most of the comments are from book industry insiders, who unlike the typical person, have "skin in the game" .

...

If a "typical person" is paying for something, don't you consider that "skin-in-the-game".

[morantis]

It is just the illusion that control has been put in the people's hands.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

(It certainly wouldn't make sense to publish 100 copies of an identical message.)

If that's the case, then I would expect the number of unique comments to be waaaaaay less than 150... more like 2.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

If that's the case, then I would expect the number of unique comments to be waaaaaay less than 150... more like 2.

Make that 3. Monkey doesn't care which way this decision goes.

[DiapDealer]

Ok three. I can see three.

But then again, would you take the time to compose and send a formal comment if you didn't care? I'm back to 2.

[din155]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Make that 3. Monkey doesn't care which way this decision goes.

That will depend on whether the monkey has his skin in the game.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Ok three. I can see three.

But then again, would you take the time to compose and send a formal comment if you didn't care. I'm back to 2.

Point taken. You're right; I wouldn't waste time doing so. 2 it is.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by din155

That will depend on whether the monkey has his skin in the game.

I've actually paid $0.99 several times for some ebooks; but I'd rather buy bananas.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Ok three. I can see three.

But then again, would you take the time to compose and send a formal comment if you didn't care. I'm back to 2.

A lot of folks have taken the trouble to compose a formal, unique " Comment" that includes detailed argument and analysis. So far, the "pro Settlement" comment that I have seen has been a form letter that has rehashed a few general claims ("Consumers like-um low prices") with no analysis of why THIS settlement is in the public interest . Better than nothing, but not actually good.

My guess is that form letter was taken as a single Comment with multiple signatories.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by stonetools

My guess is that form letter was taken as a single Comment with multiple signatories.

I'm tired of guesses. I want someone to explain to me in detail, exactly how this comment period works. Are all comments accepted and considered, or are they weighted/combined? Surely it's not a secret.

Because let's face it: if 150 is a lot then it's obviously not a "come one, come all" situation. And if it's not a "come one, come all" situation, how does one make it past the velvet rope?

[ProfCrash]

I would be surprised if many readers submitted a comment. I would expect that the vast majority of comments have come from industry folks. That is the way these things tend to work.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm tired of guesses. I want someone to explain to me in detail, exactly how this comment period works. Are all comments accepted and considered, or are they weighted/combined? Surely it's not a secret.

Because let's face it: if 150 is a lot then it's obviously not a "come one, come all" situation. And if it's not a "come one, come all" situation, how does one make it past the velvet rope?

I've looked in at the DOJ site. For the Microsoft settlement, there were 47 public comments-just as a comparision.
I think it's down to the fact that a lot of folks BS on the Internet, but don't take the trouble to compose a formal response. That takes a lot of time and energy-which most people don't want to do, since this settlement isn't crucial to their business, the way it would be for an author, a bookseller, or a publisher.