Open Letter to the Science Fiction Book Club (sfbc.com) - Page 2

nekokami · 10-19-2006, 03:58 PM

I got a form letter acknowledgement from SFBC, and thought I might as well post it here:

Quote:

Thank you for contacting us.

Thank you for your feedback! We appreciate the time you took to write us and consider your comments of great importance to us. Only by knowing your feelings can we gain insight as to whether or not we are providing the services our members desire.

We have forwarded your email to the appropriate department for consideration.

As always, we appreciate your membership and your feedback.

Please feel free to contact us again, if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
Customer Service Representative

Shirley 147

VillageReader · 10-19-2006, 04:03 PM

I wonder if Shirley is form letter 147.

NatCh · 10-19-2006, 04:10 PM

Or maybe the server's name?

yvanleterrible · 10-19-2006, 04:21 PM

What kind of server?

NatCh · 10-19-2006, 04:31 PM

I was thinking of the computer kind ... is that what you're asking?

yvanleterrible · 10-19-2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I was thinking of the computer kind ... is that what you're asking?

Never mind!

morpheus · 12-07-2006, 11:55 PM

Rather than dealing with customer service, you might want to look at Andrew Wheeler's SFBC blog at http://thebookblogger.com/sfbc/

You could probably contact Andrew directly there, or at least post a comment. If every new book SFBC announced had a comment asking when an electronic version was available, I'm sure they'd get the message pretty quick. In fact, I just posted such a comment on their latest acquisitions list at http://thebookblogger.com/sfbc/2006/...n_novembe.html

nekokami · 12-08-2006, 08:56 AM

Sounds like a good idea. Is Andrew actually associated with SFBC? Or is there some other reason to think they check this site? (The site itself is a great one to know about, in any case-- thanks!)

morpheus · 12-08-2006, 10:56 AM

I believe Wheeler is the senior editor of the SFBC.

He posted a response:

When will the SFBC start carrying electronic versions of these books for the Sony or Irex ebook readers?

No time soon, I'm afraid; the market for e-books is still small and very fragmented, and we don't actually own the rights to do e-books. (So we'd have to pay what would probably be a lot of money to sell a very few e-books.)

We're waiting for the market to shake out, and a solid, clear winner to emerge from the format wars. If and when that ever happens -- and if e-books ever turn into a decent-sized market -- then we'll try to jump into that area.

nekokami · 12-08-2006, 11:04 AM

Disappointing. The SF community has been scanning and passing around ebooks for years, and most would probably be happier to be able to get authorized high-quality ebooks for a reasonable price. But it sounds like their minds are made up.

Edit: I can see their point about formats, though.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-12-2006, 10:38 PM

Sounds like the same old corporate song and dance to me: "E-books would require us to do something new and different, and the accountants haven't given us a green light. No, thanks."

Of course, no one said money-makers have to be innovators...

12-07-2006, 11:55 PM	#22
morpheus Aio, quantitas magna frum Posts: 30 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lemuria Device: Sony 505	Blog Rather than dealing with customer service, you might want to look at Andrew Wheeler's SFBC blog at http://thebookblogger.com/sfbc/ You could probably contact Andrew directly there, or at least post a comment. If every new book SFBC announced had a comment asking when an electronic version was available, I'm sure they'd get the message pretty quick. In fact, I just posted such a comment on their latest acquisitions list at http://thebookblogger.com/sfbc/2006/...n_novembe.html

12-08-2006, 11:04 AM	#25
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Disappointing. The SF community has been scanning and passing around ebooks for years, and most would probably be happier to be able to get authorized high-quality ebooks for a reasonable price. But it sounds like their minds are made up. Edit: I can see their point about formats, though. Last edited by nekokami; 12-08-2006 at 11:07 AM.

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10-19-2006, 04:03 PM	#17
VillageReader Evangelist Posts: 430 Karma: 2718 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Iliad	I wonder if Shirley is form letter 147.

10-19-2006, 04:10 PM	#18
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Or maybe the server's name?

10-19-2006, 04:21 PM	#19
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	What kind of server?

10-19-2006, 04:31 PM	#20
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I was thinking of the computer kind ... is that what you're asking?

12-08-2006, 08:56 AM	#23
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Sounds like a good idea. Is Andrew actually associated with SFBC? Or is there some other reason to think they check this site? (The site itself is a great one to know about, in any case-- thanks!)

12-08-2006, 10:56 AM	#24
morpheus Aio, quantitas magna frum Posts: 30 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lemuria Device: Sony 505	I believe Wheeler is the senior editor of the SFBC. He posted a response: When will the SFBC start carrying electronic versions of these books for the Sony or Irex ebook readers? No time soon, I'm afraid; the market for e-books is still small and very fragmented, and we don't actually own the rights to do e-books. (So we'd have to pay what would probably be a lot of money to sell a very few e-books.) We're waiting for the market to shake out, and a solid, clear winner to emerge from the format wars. If and when that ever happens -- and if e-books ever turn into a decent-sized market -- then we'll try to jump into that area.

12-12-2006, 10:38 PM	#26
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Sounds like the same old corporate song and dance to me: "E-books would require us to do something new and different, and the accountants haven't given us a green light. No, thanks." Of course, no one said money-makers have to be innovators...

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