Quote:
Originally Posted by stonetools
Well, they could just not write or publish books anymore, which means that we'll be just reduced to reading each other's comments. 
I think everyone who likes to read lots of good books has a vested interst in a flourishinbg book business |
I think you've missed the point. Authors will continue to write books whether or not the publishing industry pays the guy who operates the printing press. In an ebook world, that guy is no longer necessary and it is not incumbent upon me as the consumer of ebooks to ensure that he can feed his family in his chosen career path that is now obsolete. Taken to the extreme, the entire "publishing industry" essentially goes away, replaced by authors working directly with distribution pipelines (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc). When the author can directly publish his book to the Kindle store, what need is there for Random House?
There are a ton of people who will lose their jobs if that happens. None of them will be authors, though. As a reader, my only concern is whether or not my favorite author continues to make books available in a way that I can purchase them. If he no longer needs the entire publishing industry apparatus to do that, it's not my problem that a bunch of people no longer have a job.