Why are there OCR errors in Sony Connect Books?

[legaleagll]

I have downloaded a number of books from the Sony Connect store and some of them have had what can only be OCR errors in the text. At first I assumed that the books were published a while ago (some of them being the classics) and the publisher didn't continue to hold an electronic version of the book (not likely, but possible). My most recent purchase though was of a brand new release titled "House of Cards" that chronicles the days leading up to the downfall of Bear Stearns (fascinating read by the way).

Despite the fact that it is a new release, it is riddled with OCR errors for which there is no excuse. For example, almost ever reference to Bear Stearns shows up as Bear Steams, which you can imagine, given that this is a book about Bear Stearns, is quite a number of references. Those of you who have used OCR know that the software has trouble with the "r" and "n" combination constantly turning it into "m". There are a number of others that are equally annoying and obvious.

Am I wrong to expect that when I pay $15 for an e-book that it not be riddled with OCR errors. And what in the world are they even using OCR. For god sakes, the book was just published, I am sure the publisher has a few thousand copies of the book in Word that it could have simply transferred over to lrf. Even if they had to use OCR, is it too much to ask for them to have a copy editor read through the thing and correct the OCR errors before they sell the thing.

It is this kind of idiocy that makes me certain that the major publishing houses are going to go the way of the dodo bird.

OK, I am done with my rant...Ugh...

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by legaleagll

Am I wrong to expect that when I pay $15 for an e-book that it not be riddled with OCR errors.

No, you are not wrong. I have complained to several publishers and to Sony Bookstore about several books I bought. The responses I got were less than satisfactory, although Sony's was on the mark. Sony said it could only notify the publisher but otherwise couldn't do anything about it.

I let every one of the publishers know that i will no longer buy ebooks that cost more than $7 and have their imprint because it is insulting enough to pay a high price for a leased book, but to be doubly insulted by a high price and poor quality is too much.