Ripping a CD... UPDATE

[ElaHuguet]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's like try before you buy. And it worked. But the RIAA had their heads so far up their rear that they could not see this.

Like the difference between bookshops in Spain vs. in the UK... they don't like you browsing too long here in Spain (they come up to you and say "can I help you?", ugh!), you get armchairs, a coffee shop and a kids section in the UK. I told my husband about it, but he was still amazed when he actually saw it, he kept saying "but if they let you read the whole book right there, why would you buy it?".

Note: that nasty habit is starting to change in Spain, good bookshops will leave you alone to roam among the bookshelves now.

[JSWolf]

In the USA we have large books shops that have comfy chairs, coffee shops, kids sections. And they do leave you alone. They may has "Can I help you?" but if you say you don't need any help they leave you alone. It's like you described for the UK. Now if we only Sony made ebook shops like that it would be awesome.

[ElaHuguet]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Now if we only Sony made ebook shops like that it would be awesome.

Mobipocket is not bad that way, allowing you at least a sample of the book... although I've found first chapters to often be misleading, many a book I've had to struggle past the first chapter before it gripped and turned out to be a good book; when I browse through a p-book, I open it in the middle and read a few paragraphs from there.

But, I've never browsed online like I did at Dillon's in Oxford, where I would go after lunch and be in danger of getting locked in at night (boy, do I love bookshops in the UK!).

[JSWolf]

We have two biggies here Barnes and Nobel and Borders. both are nice for browsing and spending too much time in. But my problem is I see things on the shelf that just make me want to go to the publishers and shake them till they realize what a mess dead tree books are becoming. This new MMPB format that's taller and thinner and more expensive is a horrendous idea. It's just a way to make more money on the same content. They blame it on old people. Saying that older people prefer larger print. SCREW YOU PLUBLISHERS! I WILL NEVER BUY ONE OF THEM!

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by ElaHuguet

Mobipocket is not bad that way, allowing you at least a sample of the book... although I've found first chapters to often be misleading, many a book I've had to struggle past the first chapter before it gripped and turned out to be a good book; when I browse through a p-book, I open it in the middle and read a few paragraphs from there.

I used to see a lot of books that would put a few paragraphs of an internal chapter on an inside cover page, something akin to an exciting teaser scene:

Doc Savage took a quick look over the edge of the abyss, while Monk opined, "We'll never get to the bottom of the gorge in time to stop Baron Rotweiller from launching that rocket! What else can we do?" He hadn't noticed, though, that he was speaking to no one... as Doc had silently leapt off of the rock he'd been perched on, and was already plunging down into the thick forest canopy like a guided missile...

(Whew! Those were the days!...)

Anyway, I occasionally think about adding something like that to each of my novels' detail pages, but haven't tried it yet. Maybe I should give it a shot.

[jasonkchapman]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

In the USA we have large books shops that have comfy chairs, coffee shops, kids sections. And they do leave you alone. They may has "Can I help you?" but if you say you don't need any help they leave you alone. It's like you described for the UK. Now if we only Sony made ebook shops like that it would be awesome.

Thanks to Sony and Borders, you may be getting your wish before too terribly long.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

Thanks to Sony and Borders, you may be getting your wish before too terribly long.

I hope they are smart enough to do this in at least one Boston Store.