Kindle Unlimited 2.0 - early assessments

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

It is insulting to say that a small minority of the general population is stupid?

That isn't insulting, that is demographics.
Calling specific people stupid, now that is insulting.

Remember, statistically, half the population is below average intelligence

Originally Posted by eschwartz

And you chose the worst of all possible examples, as Baen not only caters to a specific demographic group that tends to be more tech-savvy, and not only do they offer their books in MOBI format, they also offer a shiny button to "send this book to your Kindle"!!!!

I thought Amazon made them remove the shiny button.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Every non-techie I've talked to has been very meh about it, to them it's just a fact. Like apps for iOS don't transfer to Android if you change phone or Playstation Games don't work on an xBox, Blu-Rays don't work on a DVD player (People were surprised when I told them DVD's would work on a Blu-Ray player). People in general (that I have spoke to at least) seem used to the idea that if you change platform you can't take your toys with you.

That's interesting. The non-techies I talk to don't expect books to behave like apps/games, but more like documents/files. A .rtf or .jpg or .xls or .pdf file works just as well on your work PC or your Mac or your friend's old PC as it does on your home laptop. They understand DRM once I explain it, but they're thoroughly annoyed by it.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by meeera

That's interesting. The non-techies I talk to don't expect books to behave like apps/games, but more like documents/files. A .rtf or .jpg or .xls or .pdf file works just as well on your work PC or your Mac or your friend's old PC as it does on your home laptop. They understand DRM once I explain it, but they're thoroughly annoyed by it.

Might be a cultural thing?
Any more Brit/Oz anecdotal evidence anyone?

Could be everyone I know is a bit weird.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Might be a cultural thing?
Any more Brit/Oz anecdotal evidence anyone?

Could be everyone I know is a bit weird.

Could be the non-techies I know are a bit more techie than the non-techies you know? Ebooks are words with a bit of formatting, they know that much, and words-with-a-bit-of-formatting should be relatively easy to transfer from one platform to another. DRM has been deliberately layered on top to make them non-interoperable. Apps and games, on the other hand, obviously won't 'naturally' be able to be run on a variety of platforms unless a lot of effort has been put in to port them.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You just don't get it. Not everyone uses Calibre. Not everyone is going to look up how to convert eBook formats. So yes, some do care about the format because they need the correct format in order to read on their Reader.

I take a break from the boards for a year and Jon is still kicking the same dead horse. I don't know if this is comforting or not...

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by meeera

Could be the non-techies I know are a bit more techie than the non-techies you know? Ebooks are words with a bit of formatting, they know that much, and words-with-a-bit-of-formatting should be relatively easy to transfer from one platform to another. DRM has been deliberately layered on top to make them non-interoperable. Apps and games, on the other hand, obviously won't 'naturally' be able to be run on a variety of platforms unless a lot of effort has been put in to port them.

How deep among the general has ebook tech penetrated the antipodes? 5%, 10%, 20%?

In the US/UK (25-30%) there are a lot of mainstream readers; people who got into ebooks via the walled gardens, especially kindle, and thus see ebooks as more inline with iPhones, iTunes, and console gaming where the content is specifically tied to the consumption platform.

Other countries (cough*continental europe*cough) where ebooks have not yet hit the mainstream (and never will if the entrenched pbook establishment maintains their influence in local givernment) the typical reader is a techie or ebook enthusiast. Often a veteran of the pre-Kindle era.

Very different expectations between veterans of the PDA era and the Kindle core demographic. The latter cares primarily about getting books cheap and reading books. The plumbing is of less interest to them than the torque curve of their car's engine.

To them ebooks are a serendipitous form of Clarke tech.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Remember, statistically, half the population is below average intelligence

Yeah, and even most of them can figure out with the help of google, how to get their books into calibre.

I thought Amazon made them remove the shiny button.

I suppose that is true, maybe I shouldn't have been so hard on Jon.

Actually, IIRC there was discussion about how they would only be able to do *some* traffic, possibly on a daily limit. If not that, then they certainly have a detailed help page for getting your books which includes instructions for emailing to Amazon.
Unfortunately I cannot check, as their site appears to be down for maintenance.
EDIT: Or not, or maybe they were very fast?

[tomsem]

I see that 'DRM and proprietary formats' discussion has hijacked yet another thread. Does it not merit a thread of its own?

Ironically, subscription services like KU are not inherently tied to specific DRM or format technology. Authenticate, and whatever that gives you access to is what you get to consume. There's no expectation of being able to package up content and move it to another system.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I see that 'DRM and proprietary formats' discussion has hijacked yet another thread. Does it not merit a thread of its own?

We have tried to give it its own thread, many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many times.

It hasn't stopped hijacking additional threads though.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I see that 'DRM and proprietary formats' discussion has hijacked yet another thread. Does it not merit a thread of its own?

Ironically, subscription services like KU are not inherently tied to specific DRM or format technology. Authenticate, and whatever that gives you access to is what you get to consume. There's no expectation of being able to package up content and move it to another system.

Most are app-locked.
A practice spreading to other platforms, some focused on sales.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

How deep among the general has ebook tech penetrated the antipodes? 5%, 10%, 20%?

I don't know. Around me: at least half a dozen of my family members have ereaders (that I know of and assist with). All are intelligent people with some degree or other of computer literacy, as most professional and semi-professional people do in Australia.

Poking around the web, ebooks had >10% of the market here in early 2013. I'm assuming it's risen since then.