Quote:
Originally Posted by daffy4u
I don't agree with that. If it were an author that I was really into, it would make it more likely that I would buy a Kindle.
Now if exclusive deals started popping up all over the place, one author for this reader another for that one, then I would pause and maybe decide to bypass the whole ebook deal altogether.
On the whole, I don't think the most people will care. Some of the folks on Goodkind's own boards weren't even aware of the issues.
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Actually it looks like you do agree with me.
I'm not saying that some people won't be drawn into it. I just think more will be scared away. Most people understand that Amazon isn't going to get away with signing exclusive deals and competitors won't react. Publishers will be threatened by it also. When people see this type of exclusive content they are more likely to decide to take a pass on the technology for a while and let it iron itself out.
Just look at what happened in the HD DVD vs Blu-ray debacle. When Paramount signed an exclusive deal with the HD DVD consortium some people might have decided they liked Paramount movies so they'll buy a HD DVD player but the vast majority just took a pass on either technology. Sony apparently "won" the war but the last reports I've seen Blu-ray still isn't selling well. A lot of people think that downloadable HD content will be the winner.
I agree with Jon. It doesn't matter if it's Kindle, Mobipocket, BBEB or eReader. Exclusive agreements like this are bad for the electronic book industry.
My theory on this specific instance is that Terry Goodkind is afraid of e-books. Amazon probably tried to get all his books in Kindle format but he didn't want to lose everything to evil pirates. Amazon says, "Look your first book was published in 1994 how much money do you really expect to make off it in the next x years. Let us pay you that amount up front and then any sales you make on top is a bonus. You can't lose anything and we'll prove people will pay for your book. You get comfortable with it and we'll talk about the rest of the series."
Short term it looks like a win/win situation. Long term... well it's shortsighted.