Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaggy
I think the answer to a similar question regarding commercial books would receive two completely different answers depending on whether you asked publishers or consumers.
(1)Eliminate easy access, and people who otherwise wouldn't have participated in your service will (for some reason) decide to do so. Inconveniencing your regulars with a deliberately crippled product is justified in order to try to force the leeches to participate.
(2)Exposure and an improved product will increase the number of people participating in your service. The people who are only interested in leeching aren't worth worrying about, because they're unlikely to participate in your service either way. Focus on making the service better for those who participate, and more people will become participants.
It sounds like, for some people on here, their answer is basically the same as the publishers. You'd think they'd be more enlightened than that.
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Using the term "deliberately crippled" to refer to the lack of a bulk download option at MobileRead sounds very much like a complaint based on entitlement to me.
I am completely in favor of allowing at least some form of bulk downloading from MobileRead. I would love to download a collection of Burroughs or Wodehouse or any other writer - and bulk downloads would make that much easier. I love bulk downloads for the convenience factor.
That doesn't mean MobileRead needs to arrange the download section for my convenience - the section is arranged to meet the goals of the site. How well that arrangement works to meet those goals is open for discussion, but that doesn't take away the rights of MobileRead's staff to make those decisions and offer the books the way they want to.
It's not "deliberate crippling," it's a different set of priorities, and people are allowed to do things according to their own priorities.