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I just don't see what the big deal is.
I've never known of a one-stop shop of any kind where I could get all the books I want to buy: not a mom-and-pop bookstore, not a super bookstore like B&N, not Amazon.com, not a used bookstore (no matter how many acres), not a campus bookstore, not a trade show, not a library--nowhere.
Apparently, this situation is going to continue. Yawn.
Further, it seems people are all looking out for their own interests as they perceive them--authors, publishers, retailers, and consumers included. Imagine! I do the same, of course. I predict that Publishing As We Know It will be different someday than it was before, in fact I could make some suggestions, but chances are everyone will work things out for themselves, with a little arm-twisting by some governments (and the smart money should be on whomever donates the most to the super-PACs). Yet somehow, when the dust clears, I suspect I'll still be reading what I consider good stuff, cheaper and more conveniently than I was 5 years ago.
I love Amazon.com, though I wish they would do some things differently (the thing I hate the most is 1-click buying that doesn't let me use some payment options); I love Barnes & Noble, though I wish their prices were lower and they more often had the book I was looking for; I love the corner used bookstore, though I wish they refreshed their stock more often; I love a couple of specialty bookstores, though I wish they were closer. Interestingly, none of these entities have yet consulted me on how they should do business. Oh well, guess I'll just buy something and move on.
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