Is it time to split the Freebies forum ?

[CleverClothe]

But how many hardware discounts do we really see?

The only think I would suggest to improve things is this, if you are going to post mutliple books that have deals (within a few days time) PLEASE put them all in one thread.

Thanks.

[Faenad]

It was also discussed in the feedback forum:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61173

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

Alright, something we'll be looking into next.

[rcuadro]

Originally Posted by Journier

Yes, but it can be argued where the distinction should lie. I would like to see one forum for free and discounted ebook offers and a seperate forum for hardware.

Lucky for us Kindle owners that we have something like that already
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42973

[Treven]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

I really like that idea.

I think I do as well.

[koland]

Originally Posted by tech_au

My original thought was that Kindle owners don't care about Sony deals, Sony owners don't care about Kindle deals(unless you belong to the elite multiple device owners club ) and a general area showing discount coupons, ebook store sales and titles that everyone would like such as unpublished authors providing their ebooks in a variety of formats.

Except that Kindle owners can read Sony books on their PC (if it's a really great book). And some deals are not in a "hardware store", so are not specific. Or, are specific, but are direct from a publisher (some do EPUB only, I've noticed). With different forum areas, we'd have to check a half dozen each day to find what we do here (and I can easily skip the ones that are not interesting, such as LCD based readers being dumped at discounts).

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I don't think it's that big a deal to have a particular deal listed a few times, but if it's hundreds of times, then yeah.....

But if a bunch of things end up getting repeated, on a page of 20 posts, you may only have 4 or 5 separate items.

[Hellmark]

Right now, I'm looking for deals on hardware, for getting my girlfriend one for christmas. For those looking for a reader, the deals on books aren't of any interest to them.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

But if a bunch of things end up getting repeated, on a page of 20 posts, you may only have 4 or 5 separate items.

right, but would not expect that too happen often at all, unless everyone is just "blind" posting.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by tech_au

My original thought was that Kindle owners don't care about Sony deals, Sony owners don't care about Kindle deals(unless you belong to the elite multiple device owners club )

They don't--but a lot of publishers release free promo ebooks in several formats at once. The Suvudu offers are non-DRM PDFs at their website, or DRM'd Sony, Kindle or Epub formats at other sites. And when Random House releases free ebooks, it tends to make them available in several formats at once.

[koland]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Right now, I'm looking for deals on hardware, for getting my girlfriend one for christmas. For those looking for a reader, the deals on books aren't of any interest to them.

And vice versa - I'm pretty much uninterested in any of the deals being posted on readers ... but don't want them consigned to purgatory, just because I don't want to read them. And if a price were low enough (and the right reader), I might be interested in picking another up as a spare to to read the Sony only books I've picked up free.

Although, actually, I can't imagine someone who has a reader or is shopping for one and isn't interested in ANY of the free book deals out there...

[Madam Broshkina]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Right now, I'm looking for deals on hardware, for getting my girlfriend one for christmas. For those looking for a reader, the deals on books aren't of any interest to them.

I would think that if one saw 50 posts about free eBooks for the Kindle and 12 or so for the Sony or Nook might have some influence on their decision.

[Hellmark]

I'm really not interested in many of the free books, since most of the ones I see are for Kindle, which I don't have. On the ones in formats I can use, they don't interest me. When I was looking at the freebies before I got my reader, I was bad about a pokemon type mentality of "gotta have 'em all", but afterwards, I sat down and really didn't see any I liked (at least not not enough to buy normally). I've shown my girlfriend the freebies, and they don't interest her for either platform, but the library where her grandfather works offers ebooks, so that has settled her to want an reader that supports epub. So, once again, that boils things back down to just wanting the reader.

[HappyMartin]

I think it would be best if freebies and deals for particular readers were posted only in the section dealing with that device and keep this thread going for those wonderful authors that tempt us with their own books to give us a taste of what they are doing (bless them all)

[Dr. Drib]

We're all busy "a-thinkin'" and and "a-thunkin'" on this.


Don (Moderator)

[koland]

Originally Posted by HappyMartin

I think it would be best if freebies and deals for particular readers were posted only in the section dealing with that device and keep this thread going for those wonderful authors that tempt us with their own books to give us a taste of what they are doing (bless them all)

You already have that in the member authors forum (and some of those deals never make it to this forum). So, would you want only hardware deals here (if so, I suspect may of us would never stop in, unless specifically looking for a new device).

Splitting out book deals by device would mean a lot more work to find them for readers (since I really don't care a bit about the Sony device, for example, but am interested in the occasional free book in epub format, in their store or otherwise, but know some others here have both devices). Stores with a free book in multiple formats would have to be posted in multiple places.

Sure, splitting it out by device would mean that those that don't have a Kindle and can't or won't download the Kindle app won't have to read about deals they don't get for free (and even at $2.50 or so, depending on local currency, many of the titles that are free in the US are still a good deal in other places). Seems a petty reason to spread the information out across the forum, when it is much easier to ask people to identify the device/store where the deal is, in the title or have a mod add it if left out. Then, just ignore the Kindle deals (or add a local currency 2.30 to the deal listing and then decide if you want to read about it), if they don't entice you.