The Price of Exclusivity

[djulian]

Originally Posted by tompe

But that is not comparable. For ebooks you can usually buy the paper copy. So the default case (the paper book) is that no restrictions concerning readers apply. So introducing ebook restrictions is going from no restriction to restrictions which seems to be something that is not wanted.

There are many e-books that are not available as paper books, and in any case, the video game analogy seems to stand.

You're not buying a pile of words; you're buying a pile of words organized by an author, distributed through one or more technological avenues. The hard copy, bound-and-printed book is technology (I'd say it's the most important invention in human history), the e-book is technology (and it branches out into various distribution tech as well, once file formats are taken into consideration), the audiobook is technology, the braille copy is technology...

Authors and creators can choose to restrict the types of technology through which they distribute their pile of words.

In the case of the OP's article, DC is choosing to restrict their content to a couple of specific technological avenues. DC has every right to do this. B&N has every right to refuse to carry their content. They're both taking a gamble. I think DC will gain a little in the short run, B&N will lose a little, and in four months (!) it will all revert to normal. Although, if I bought my comics at B&N and I had to give up 16 weeks of releases because they're being childish, I'd find another shop and not return. It seems to me that comic book readers are much more committed to the content creator than they are to the distribution channel, so maybe B&N is taking a greater risk.

[Ken Maltby]

Oh...just for some related background:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...6&postcount=56

Luck;
Ken

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

What if "Angry Birds" only played on "Kindle Fire"? Would Angry Birds be as big a hit?

Didn't AB become a hit while exclusive to iOS?

Also, PC gamers, isn't the ereader argument sort of like Linux and Mac users being upset that the hotest games are exclusive to the PC?

[ekster]

Originally Posted by ApK

Also, PC gamers, isn't the ereader argument sort of like Linux and Mac users being upset that the hotest games are exclusive to the PC?

I would say not exactly. To run a PC game on a Mac or Linux (without using a Win emulator) would actually require extra coding, testing, compiling, etc. It's a fair amount of work.

Here, there is 0 extra effort to make it available elsewhere. It would be more akin to getting the newest, hottest game and realize that it will play on your PC only if you have a Sony DVD player, a Microsoft mouse or a Western Digital hard-drive.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by ApK

Didn't AB become a hit while exclusive to iOS?

..

That's my understanding.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by ApK

Didn't AB become a hit while exclusive to iOS?

Also, PC gamers, isn't the ereader argument sort of like Linux and Mac users being upset that the hotest games are exclusive to the PC?

I don't know the game's history, but if it was a hit only to Apple users then,
compare it to its status now, that it is so wide spread. If you were an author
and you had a book that while greatly loved by a prison population could not
be had by those not in that prison, would you be satisfied with the acclaim
of the inmates?

Why stop at the PC exclusivity? There are still plenty of books published
that are exclusively available on paper. The concern is when someone is
attempting to obtain a monopolistic position and control the distribution of
the product. It usually ends up with a poor outcome for all involved, in the
long run.

Luck;
Ken

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by ekster

I would say not exactly. To run a PC game on a Mac or Linux (without using a Win emulator) would actually require extra coding, testing, compiling, etc. It's a fair amount of work.

Here, there is 0 extra effort to make it available elsewhere. It would be more akin to getting the newest, hottest game and realize that it will play on your PC only if you have a Sony DVD player, a Microsoft mouse or a Western Digital hard-drive.

It depends on how the game is designed. If it is intended to be cross platform from the get go, it is much less work than to take a completed product and change things to make it work on something else.