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6charlong · 11-11-2011, 03:38 PM

I usually use my computer browser to find the books I buy, so a bookstore's Internet site is important. Second, since I've decided to refuse to strip DRM I also have to factor in the reading experience, for example, which reader is most pleasant to use. At the moment, I like the Nook Touch best of the book readers I have so I look for ePub books first. Factoring all this in I end up shopping first at Barnes and Noble, then Kobo, Books on Board, eBooks.com and Amazon.

I quit using the Sony store because they won't sell through a browser. You have to use their application to buy anything which complicates counting the number of ADE sockets I'm allowed--refusing to strip DRM makes buying books difficult enough that I doubt the decision makers in this industry have any experience actually using eBooks on anything except the latest model their own company sells. Unless I'm careful (and lucky) I will reach the point someday when I have no choice except to strip DRM in order to read a new book. That's one of the reasons I buy books at B&N, in hopes the different DRM scheme they invented uses a new set of sockets.

It's not true that Amazon's books are always cheaper. It is true that Amazon is more likely to have obscure books although Kobo is good too and I have sometimes found books I wanted at B&N that no other seller had. B&N's selection of children's books in particular is better than the rest although I don't read many children's books. And naturally all of this changes from year to year. I think the trend is to get better.

After using the B&N store for awhile I discovered it's just as easy to use as Amazon, but you have to commit the time to learn its oddities. I don't use Smashwords because it's interface baffled me when I first tried to use it and I've never tried to go back. For one thing, it's filled with the work of authors I don't know. I'd like to discover new, indie authors but I haven't found a reliable way to do that. The user forums at both B&N and Amazon have given me some good tips to indie authors.

I've tried to use Goodreads to find new authors but I thought it was too fragmented and I could never find anyone with my same interests and taste in reading. In the end, the old-line professional publishing houses have an inside advantage on marketing. They know what people will pay for and how to reach the buyers.

I apologize for going on a rant.

11-11-2011, 03:38 PM	#36
6charlong friendly lurker Posts: 896 Karma: 2436026 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Device: Kindle, nook, Apple and Kobo	A rant I usually use my computer browser to find the books I buy, so a bookstore's Internet site is important. Second, since I've decided to refuse to strip DRM I also have to factor in the reading experience, for example, which reader is most pleasant to use. At the moment, I like the Nook Touch best of the book readers I have so I look for ePub books first. Factoring all this in I end up shopping first at Barnes and Noble, then Kobo, Books on Board, eBooks.com and Amazon. I quit using the Sony store because they won't sell through a browser. You have to use their application to buy anything which complicates counting the number of ADE sockets I'm allowed--refusing to strip DRM makes buying books difficult enough that I doubt the decision makers in this industry have any experience actually using eBooks on anything except the latest model their own company sells. Unless I'm careful (and lucky) I will reach the point someday when I have no choice except to strip DRM in order to read a new book. That's one of the reasons I buy books at B&N, in hopes the different DRM scheme they invented uses a new set of sockets. It's not true that Amazon's books are always cheaper. It is true that Amazon is more likely to have obscure books although Kobo is good too and I have sometimes found books I wanted at B&N that no other seller had. B&N's selection of children's books in particular is better than the rest although I don't read many children's books. And naturally all of this changes from year to year. I think the trend is to get better. After using the B&N store for awhile I discovered it's just as easy to use as Amazon, but you have to commit the time to learn its oddities. I don't use Smashwords because it's interface baffled me when I first tried to use it and I've never tried to go back. For one thing, it's filled with the work of authors I don't know. I'd like to discover new, indie authors but I haven't found a reliable way to do that. The user forums at both B&N and Amazon have given me some good tips to indie authors. I've tried to use Goodreads to find new authors but I thought it was too fragmented and I could never find anyone with my same interests and taste in reading. In the end, the old-line professional publishing houses have an inside advantage on marketing. They know what people will pay for and how to reach the buyers. I apologize for going on a rant.