Pottermania ?

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

Also, I absolutely agree that it's Rowling's right and privilege to not release her books as eBooks.

I just also think it's my right and privilege to opine that means she gives f*** all about people with disabilities. Sorry if that offends people -- I'm sure she's a very nice person and I'd probably enjoy having tea with her. Except I don't like tea. But I like cake, so there's that.

ETA: And to actually stay on topic, I will note that I was amused to see @1DollarScan tweet yesterday about how many #HarryPotter books they're receiving to be scanned.

https://twitter.com/#!/1dollarscan/s...90289007788032

Yes, it's her right. But why tease people with the promise of the ebooks and then not deliver? Naturally, that also is her right, but I doubt it would do her, as a writer, or even person, any good...

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I have a friend who's unable to hold large heavy books because she has severe arthritis. What she does it to take a kitchen knife to them and cut them up into 3 or 4 sections which are of a weight that she can manage.

I have a friend with RA who does something similar, I think.

Every time I cut books on my own, I end up massacring them. Apparently I lack the steady hand required?

[Xanthe]

It doesn't matter what Rowling's decision is about ebooks. By the time she finally decides to release it, any one who really wanted it will have already gotten it off the dark net directly or from one of their "friends".

So her obstinance is only harming her wallet in the long run, and alienating people who would like to read her books but have physical limitations with their weight and size.

Not being a Harry Potter fan, I just munch on my popcorn and watch the drama.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

It doesn't matter what Rowling's decision is about ebooks. By the time she finally decides to release it, any one who really wanted it will have already gotten it off the dark net directly or from one of their "friends".

So her obstinance is only harming her wallet in the long run, and alienating people who would like to read her books but have physical limitations with their weight and size.

Not being a Harry Potter fan, I just munch on my popcorn and watch the drama.

Not true. With as many book sales of Harry Potter there is not enough people left that need a supply from the dark net. Granted, I have the ebooks of Harry Potter, but I also have two complete sets of the paper versions. I see that as format shifting. Others don't - look at Ana Mardolls refusal to download the books and her mentioning that 1dollarscan has alot of requests for Harry Potter books beeing scanned in. There is a lot more honest people out there than you think there is. I hate the ebooks I have, because they are the translated american version. Until the original british ebooks come out they will have to do though. The british ebooks I might not mind buying again, unless they are going to be geo-restricted and cannot be bought in the US.

JKR's wallet does not need to be boosted in any way shape or form - especially with the movies and franchise of Harry Potter (junk) like toys, collectables, and such. Not releasing the ebooks or releasing them would make no noticeable difference money wise for her.

You not beeing a Harry Potter fan makes it less understandable for you. I remember how bad it was to have to wait for the last 3 books to be released. If I was unable to read the hardcover version for any reason, I would be pissed too. I did not even like that I had to wait until the original hardcover books were shipped to me - they were not easily available in the US.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

I have a friend with RA who does something similar, I think.

Every time I cut books on my own, I end up massacring them. Apparently I lack the steady hand required?

No steady hand required. Get a knife with a serrated edge (a bread knife is ideal). Lay the book flat on a table, with the book closed. Slip the knife into the book at the point that you want to cut it, and, keeping one hand on the top of the book to keep it steady, cut along the spine from one side to the other. The fact that the knife is between the pages of the book keeps the cut even.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by HarryT

No steady hand required. Get a knife with a serrated edge (a bread knife is ideal). Lay the book flat on a table, with the book closed. Slip the knife into the book at the point that you want to cut it, and, keeping one hand on the top of the book to keep it steady, cut along the spine from one side to the other. The fact that the knife is between the pages of the book keeps the cut even.

Oh, I see what you're saying. Yeah, that's more shoulder work than I could do. Maybe Husband could give it a go, if I asked him.

I can do the Xacto-along-the-margin cut. But steady hand DEFINITELY needed for that.

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Not true. With as many book sales of Harry Potter there is not enough people left that need a supply from the dark net.....JKR's wallet does not need to be boosted in any way shape or form......Not releasing the ebooks or releasing them would make no noticeable difference money wise for her.

Then why not release them? If the American version of the books are inferior to the British version, then quality control is obviously not an issue with her. If she's overflowing with money due to merchandising of the brand, then ebooks aren't going to hurt her paper book sales.

If she's holding up releasing them because of some Luddite aversion to the new technology, then more power to the dark net to distribute her books, IMO.

You not beeing a Harry Potter fan makes it less understandable for you. I remember how bad it was to have to wait for the last 3 books to be released. If I was unable to read the hardcover version for any reason, I would be pissed too. I did not even like that I had to wait until the original hardcover books were shipped to me - they were not easily available in the US.

Pottermania is totally unfathomable to me - and I am a fantasy reader; I have never been obsessed with a book series to that extent. And for the book series which I have loved, I remained clear-eyed enough to see when the author was playing his/her customers with the release dates and usually reached a point where I was no longer willing to be played, and turned to other books by other authors. Then when I went back to that first author, there was usually a backlog of the series books to read.

[Rich_D]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

I remember how bad it was to have to wait for the last 3 books to be released. If I was unable to read the hardcover version for any reason, I would be pissed too. I did not even like that I had to wait until the original hardcover books were shipped to me - they were not easily available in the US.

I ordered all my HP books through Amazon and for the last 2 or 3, they offered Sat delivery. I remember getting up Saturday morning, googling the title of the latest book and downloading the pirated pdf version so I could start reading while waiting for the Fed-Ex guy. The ebooks were remarkably clean considering the books had only been released 8 hours prior to my download.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

If the American version of the books are inferior to the British version, then quality control is obviously not an issue with her.

There is no problem with quality at all. I just prefer reading books and watching movies not translated if I can understand the language. It is the most ridiculous thing to translate an english book into english. They even insisted to change the title for the first book. If that was Rowling's idea than I am even less impressed by her decision making skills. I am not going to stop enjoying the books (and movies for that matter) only because the author is a total jerk about certain things.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

It is the most ridiculous thing to translate an english book into english.

+1

[Shopaholic]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

There is no problem with quality at all. I just prefer reading books and watching movies not translated if I can understand the language. It is the most ridiculous thing to translate an english book into english. They even insisted to change the title for the first book. If that was Rowling's idea than I am even less impressed by her decision making skills. I am not going to stop enjoying the books (and movies for that matter) only because the author is a total jerk about certain things.

That was not her idea. It was the US publisher's decision. I've heard interviews with Arthur Levine on some Harry Potter podcasts. It was always the US publisher's that came to the conclusion that Americans wouldn't know what a jumper or a cracker or a philosopher was. It didn't come from her.

They weren't too far off either. Listening to old podcasts one group didn't have the slightest clue what a Christmas Cracker was. They thought it was a food. I'm listening not understanding why if they can produce a podcast they can't simply Google Christmas Cracker instead of making incredibly stupid comments guessing what it is and make themselves look utterly ridiculous.

I am chomping at the bit for the eBooks. I have the soft & hard cover editions of the books. I want to reread them but on my much lighter ereader. I am annoyed that I can't get them yet. Well, more whining really, but it's not her personally. It's the incompetents that have been hired for the job that I place the blame on.

In the meantime, I will wait & hope that sooner rather than later somebody get's their act in gear & gets them out there so we can read them - again!

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by Shopaholic

They weren't too far off either. Listening to old podcasts one group didn't have the slightest clue what a Christmas Cracker was. They thought it was a food. I'm listening not understanding why if they can produce a podcast they can't simply Google Christmas Cracker instead of making incredibly stupid comments guessing what it is and make themselves look utterly ridiculous.

First time I read a mention of a Christmas Cracker in a book, back in the pre-Google days, I didn't know what it meant either, but I kept on reading. When I first read mention of someone wearing a "jumper", I thought it was something completely different and in the context of the story I thought to myself, "that's an odd bit of clothing for that character to wear", but I kept on reading. Eventually I figured out what the terms were referring to, and I learned something in the process. When you read, you increase and improve your vocabulary. Too bad Rowling's publishers are apparently afraid of people thinking when they read the books, and too bad Ms. Rowling didn't tell them "no" regarding the "translations".

[Shopaholic]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

First time I read a mention of a Christmas Cracker in a book, back in the pre-Google days, I didn't know what it meant either, but I kept on reading. When I first read mention of someone wearing a "jumper", I thought it was something completely different and in the context of the story I thought to myself, "that's an odd bit of clothing for that character to wear", but I kept on reading. Eventually I figured out what the terms were referring to, and I learned something in the process. When you read, you increase and improve your vocabulary. Too bad Rowling's publishers are apparently afraid of people thinking when they read the books, and too bad Ms. Rowling didn't tell them "no" regarding the "translations".

I agree with you on learning new things as you read. Isn't that why most if not all ereaders have dictionaries in them afterall? However her being a new, unknown writer at the time being lucky enough to be published in the first place, I hardly think she was in the position of telling anyone No, I want it done my way.

Now she certainly can but not in the mid-90's when they were looking at publishing Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone in the first place.

[carpetmojo]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

...............
I just also think it's my right and privilege to opine that means she gives f*** all about people with disabilities. Sorry if that offends people -- I'm sure she's a very nice person and I'd probably enjoy having tea with her......

God, here we go again....

For a lady who you say "gives f*** all" Ms. Rowling manages to contribute an awful lot of money to medical research and disabled and educational charities, and also spends an awful lot of time working for them.
I'm surprised you aren't, apparently, aware of this fact. It is, sadly, an inconvenient truth for her critics, who may well choose to ignore it......

She is - horror - someone who actually enjoys her (self-made) fortune, but then also commits the cardinal sin of actually giving a lot of it away, and doing a lot of good.

I suggest, anamardoll, and anyone else who may not be aware of it, you follow this link for an idea of how wrong you can be. From your comments, I can only think you did not appreciate the true position.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling#Philanthropy

And I am happy to say I have met the lady, and she is a very nice person.

But I suppose we can now have the " it's alright for her,she's got plenty, why does she only do so little, she's only doing it for publicity" blah, blah...... school popping up.

[poohbear_nc]

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