[neilmarr]

I make a habit of dropping a line of welcome to all newcomers to MR. But something's been puzzling me for months:

Why do so many self-publishing e-authors introduce themselves here to promote their ebooks when hardly any actually own an ebook-dedicated reading device?

Time and time again a new ebook-plugger will come along and his or her listing for 'device' reads 'none'. I always say a polite hello, but it's starting to peeve me to do so. I find it a tad insulting to members of the MR community who've invested good money to read the kind of stuff these folks aim to peddle and take such pains to advise each other on how to improve their e-reading experience.

Some well-established and admirable Knights of the Forums even lovingly prepare classics and public domain titles for the library here. No fanfares. Just generosity, outstanding, painstaking technical creation and sheer interest in their fellow e-reading brothers and sisters.

If you're in the business of selling cars, you'd hardly advertise the fact that you don't use one yourself and prefer to take a bus or ride a pushbike. So why so many new wannabe authors exploiting the ebook-reading market here with no reading devices of their own?

Apologies for the rant, lads and lassies. Bestests. Neil