MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Do you think JK Rowling will cave eventually?

Fat Abe · 03-27-2010, 03:59 PM

The survey should have split the "Other" category into "No Opinion" or "Who Cares?"

Rowling is not the first artist to insist on confining her books to one medium. Harold Lloyd, the famous movie actor/screenwriter/director/producer, reportedly placed a stipulation in his will and testament that his films were only to be shown to movie audiences (note the plural). His heirs interpreted this literally, and did not allow his movies to be sold in any of the future recorded formats (beta/vhs/laserdisc/dvd, etc.), for many, many years. Not until the 21st century could you buy his movies on DVD. In the 1990's, I obtained a Japanese pressed copy of one of his movies on laserdisc for $150. The story of how this came to be (i.e., available on laserdisc in Japan and not the U.S.A.) is interesting but not germane to this thread.

Thus, when you wonder, "how long, how long ? ...", be glad you can read Rowling's work in hardcover today, in the privacy of your own home. Or, just post an open letter, requesting distribution in ebook format, to Rowling and her publisher.

03-27-2010, 03:59 PM	#59
Fat Abe Man Who Stares at Books Posts: 1,826 Karma: 10606722 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: 50th State, USA. Also, PA, NY, CA, and elsewhere. Device: All of the Above	The survey should have split the "Other" category into "No Opinion" or "Who Cares?" Rowling is not the first artist to insist on confining her books to one medium. Harold Lloyd, the famous movie actor/screenwriter/director/producer, reportedly placed a stipulation in his will and testament that his films were only to be shown to movie audiences (note the plural). His heirs interpreted this literally, and did not allow his movies to be sold in any of the future recorded formats (beta/vhs/laserdisc/dvd, etc.), for many, many years. Not until the 21st century could you buy his movies on DVD. In the 1990's, I obtained a Japanese pressed copy of one of his movies on laserdisc for $150. The story of how this came to be (i.e., available on laserdisc in Japan and not the U.S.A.) is interesting but not germane to this thread. Thus, when you wonder, "how long, how long ? ...", be glad you can read Rowling's work in hardcover today, in the privacy of your own home. Or, just post an open letter, requesting distribution in ebook format, to Rowling and her publisher.