Quote:
Originally Posted by fugazied
The paper book publishing industry is in a similar position to the recording industry, the movie industry etc. Either adapt or die.
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I think book publishers are on far more solid footing than the recording industry, and I do not think the movie industry's woes are anything other than imaginary.
Unlike the recording industry, the movie industry and the publishing industry unavoidably make the difference well more than 9 times out of 10 between something hopelessly amateurish and acceptably professional for general public consumption.
And while I agree with you that book publishers will eventually need to become more amicable toward electronic methods of publication and distribution, and do so at saner prices than prevalent today... I'm not certain that time is now.
Frankly, as an owner of an eBook reading device, it is amply clear to me that neither the hardware nor the eBook formats out there make it possible to easily publish professional looking eBooks aimed at a general reading audience.
Though obviously many folks on here are happy enough with the experience, on account of many positives that even butchered eBooks cannot negate; the general readership will not pay out $200 - $300+ dollars to read poorly formatted dark-grey-on-light-grey text books.
In a few years, when the devices are under $100, have better contrast, offer reasonably full colour, and work with one or more standardized formats that do not make typographically professional eBooks more complex than practically unformatted novels downright impossible... perhaps then, or, more likely, a few years after then, book publishers will find themselves in an adapt or die situation. But that's definitely not less than 5 years away, and very likely more than 10 years away.
Until that time, eBook readers and eBooks will remain important primarily to a niche interest group, and not even all important to many of them. (i.e.: How many kindle-owners [doubtless either already or due to be the largest subgroup within the eBook reader owning community] stop reading or buying regular paper books? I suspect not many. And to any Kindle owners itching to reply to say they have, if you are on mobileread, chances are you are not representative of the average person.)
To be clear, I agree with your sentiment... but I think your prediction goes too far from overgeneralizing based on the very unrepresentative (if admittedly more progressive and enlightened than average) views here on these happy fora.
- Ahi