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There is a false alternative being described by some here, as if the only two options are perfection and the situation we have now. While it is true that professional proofreading to eliminate nearly every typo is virtually a lost art, the errors I see in ebooks are not due to a failure to proofread but simply a failure to read at all. I have seen ebooks with as many as 200 typos and commonly see them with about 50. Most of them are egregious and easy to spot. In fact, all it would take to eliminate 90% of the typos I see in ebooks is to have someone, anyone, read the book on a Kindle or Nook before release; not proofread it, just read it. Or, for crying out loud, at least run it through a spellchecker, which would catch some of them.
I worked in book publishing for many years, and the reality is that the publishers truly don't care about typos. The idea of taking pride in one's work, while still existent among many individuals, is not really a part of corporate culture in America, certainly not in the book publishing industry today.
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