"Your time is up, publishers..."

[number8]

Cool article.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/adrianhon/100005867/your-time-is-up-publishers-book-piracy-is-about-to-arrive-on-a-massive-scale/

I do think that online self-publishing is the way of the future.

[Kurosawa Fan]

My first reaction was going to be, "Yeah, but I love the way books look in my house, so while I'm going to get a Kindle sooner rather than later, illegally downloading books doesn't much interest me." It only took me a half of a second to realize I made this argument with DVDs, and long, long ago, with CDs. Now I don't have a single CD case displayed anywhere in my house, and my DVD collection is almost nil, and will be nil, as I'm going to start ripping them to a hard drive and selling the hard copies next year. Still, I think it will take a lot longer for this technology to be useful for books. It'll hurt the bestseller market, sure, but there are so many books out there that are worth reading, and it'll be a long time before you can find working torrents for most of those.

I do love the idea of giving away a free epub version of the book when you buy a physical copy. That would keep me from downloading books for a long time, as the one thing that's been holding me back from buying a Kindle is that I don't want to buy books twice, and I'd much rather own the physical copy than the digital one. If I had the option to own both with one purchase, I'd jump at it.

[Benny Profane]

Number one reason why I will never, ever get a Kindle:

www.bookshelfporn.com

[number8]

I do love the idea of giving away a free epub version of the book when you buy a physical copy. That would keep me from downloading books for a long time, as the one thing that's been holding me back from buying a Kindle is that I don't want to buy books twice, and I'd much rather own the physical copy than the digital one. If I had the option to own both with one purchase, I'd jump at it.

He mentioned in the article that that's why book piracy is rising exponentially. Years ago, you'd have to scan or OCR the books, just like the movie/TV piracy business depends on people recording or ripping physical copies. But because Kindle, iPhone and iPad have become so prominent the past couple of years, literally every book released by a major publisher now has the official ePub version available somewhere, and all it takes now is to crack the DRM of an already available digital file. It's going to become widespread way faster than movie or music piracy, because they've made it so fast and easy to do so.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Right. I was just mentioning that I love his suggestion.

My point about the more obscure books that don't make a bestseller list is that you have to have a large enough number of people who want those titles and who download and share books illegally for the torrents to stay active and be successful. With fewer and fewer young adults reading these days(and let's face it, they're the demographic that push illegal torrents forward), I don't think it will spread like wildfire like he predicts. I think that, outside of the bestseller lists, it will be difficult to find smaller titles. I'm sure it will happen at some point, but I just don't think most titles will be as easily accessible as he predicts.

[D_Davis]

I have a couple of friends who self-publish. One has done it for years - started with a zine of underground authors, and now he makes a modest living off of it. The zine was called "Wake Up Heavy." Another friend of mine self-publishes his own fiction. He hasn't received a lot of sales, but he's loving it.

And then there are all the musicians I know who do the same with their music.

The problem is getting the word out there, and getting the download into people's hands, as it were.

Corey Doctorow has built his professional career on giving away e-books for free.

Interesting, for sure.

[D_Davis]

He mentioned in the article that that's why book piracy is rising exponentially. Years ago, you'd have to scan or OCR the books, just like the movie/TV piracy business depends on people recording or ripping physical copies. .

Yeah. I mean, there have been torrents up for years with books. I remember way back in the day using Scour and downloading PDFs of every Stephen King book. Someone actually scanned them! I didn't read them this way though, it was more of a novelty thing.

But with e-books now, yes, it will be easier to pirate books.

[[ETM]]

Number one reason why I will never, ever get a Kindle:

www.bookshelfporn.com

I tend to look at these for-show book collections like a Big White Hunter's trophy room. It's precisely why I'm thinking of buying an e-book reader.

[Benny Profane]

;294269']I tend to look at these for-show book collections like a Big White Hunter's trophy room. It's precisely why I'm thinking of buying an e-book reader.


It's not for show so much as it is beautiful decoration. I love being around books. I stare at my own shelves constantly. It's comforting.

But hey good for you.

[[ETM]]

But hey good for you.

But not just for me, right...?
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Environment/Pix/pictures/2008/05/14/brazil-stephenferry-getty460.jpg

[Dukefrukem]

This brings up a question I've been meaning to ask you guys (a little bit off topic). But how do you currently store your DVD/Music/Book collections? How do you display them? I've been toying with the idea that KF suggested about just RIPPING everything. But I feel like that would take so long... a lot longer than music ripping. I'm struggling with the idea of getting rid of my hard copies entirely. I still prefer them in the car (regardless what rate you rip them at, CDs always sound better on premium sound systems)

So I'm just trying to get an idea what you guys do. My book collection is growing to the point where I don't have anywhere to put them. I made my first kindle purchase about a month ago. Loved it, but there's nothing like having a hard copy on a shelf.

Do you guys store your DVD collection on shelves? in a box? in a booklet? just stream everything off your hard drive? I'm very interested in this (and all three forms of it).

[D_Davis]

I'm in the process of selling a bunch of DVDs. Those that I keep (mainly the Asian films) will be kept in binders. I'm getting rid of the cases and covers, and just keeping the discs.

I have about 200 more CDs to rip and then get rid of.

I just sold about 10 boxes of books. Those that I have now are on shelves:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs092.ash2/37943_131401646910488_10000121 9601760_178245_2113349_n.jpg

And that's about all I'll ever have. I might add one more shelf to make it an even four.

[Mara]

I'm obsessed with the way books smell and feel and look. Having a book on Kindle or similar would be like getting brownies through an IV instead of being able to eat it. Technically, the end result is the same, but the journey is less enjoyable.

[Dukefrukem]

I'm in the process of selling a bunch of DVDs. Those that I keep (mainly the Asian films) will be kept in binders. I'm getting rid of the cases and covers, and just keeping the discs.

I have about 200 more CDs to rip and then get rid of.

I just sold about 10 boxes of books. Those that I have now are on shelves:


And that's about all I'll ever have. I might add one more shelf to make it an even four.

I think I'm gonna head the "Binder" way myself, but I'll keep the boxes and store them in the attic if I want to resell them. What I think will irritate me is I'll probably end up putting them in alphabetical order... and if I buy a new movie, I'll have to rearrange the whole bottom half of my collection. What is a good solution for this???

[D_Davis]

I think I'm gonna head the "Binder" way myself, but I'll keep the boxes and store them in the attic if I want to resell them. What I think will irritate me is I'll probably end up putting them in alphabetical order... and if I buy a new movie, I'll have to rearrange the whole bottom half of my collection. What is a good solution for this???

I'm just going to leave a blank space or two or three every few pages.

[[ETM]]

I'm obsessed with the way books smell and feel and look. Having a book on Kindle or similar would be like getting brownies through an IV instead of being able to eat it. Technically, the end result is the same, but the journey is less enjoyable.

My main issue is with the amount of books that are produced but never read, and the paper used for daily publications which are then discarded. I'd love it if books on paper were produced only for those who'd enjoy them like you.

[Mara]

;294285']My main issue is with the amount of books that are produced but never read, and the paper used for daily publications which are then discarded. I'd love it if books on paper were produced only for those who'd enjoy them like you.

That's an excellent point.

[D_Davis]

;294285']My main issue is with the amount of books that are produced but never read, and the paper used for daily publications which are then discarded. I'd love it if books on paper were produced only for those who'd enjoy them like you.

Yes. More publishers should do print on demand.

[Dukefrukem]

Yes. More publishers should do print on demand.

And with today's technology... we now can. You'll start seeing these in Barns & Noble soon.

[number8]

I have no sentimental attachment to papers being stapled together. Just the words on them.

[Raiders]

I find during reading I often flip back to earlier passages/events either for reiteration, information or for the heck of it. How easy is it to do this on a Kindle or iPad?

[Benny Profane]

;294274']But not just for me, right...?
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Environment/Pix/pictures/2008/05/14/brazil-stephenferry-getty460.jpg


I think books should be printed on paper made from a renewable crop such as hemp. Trees are farmed these days, too. I have no idea what type of tree book paper comes from, but I'm not the one who took this from a "trophy/decor" discussion to an environmental one.

[number8]

I find during reading I often flip back to earlier passages/events either for reiteration, information or for the heck of it. How easy is it to do this on a Kindle or iPad?

Very. You flip back and forth pretty much like a normal book, but as a bonus, there's a slider or "go to page" for quicker jumps.

[[ETM]]

I think books should be printed on paper made from a renewable crop such as hemp. Trees are farmed these days, too. I have no idea what type of tree book paper comes from, but I'm not the one who took this from a "trophy/decor" discussion to an environmental one.

I know, I wasn't making a direct statement, I just think that in general turning to digital is a much more practical solution than finding new ways to recycle paper and farm trees just for books. We just waste too much paper as it is.

[[ETM]]

Very. You flip back and forth pretty much like a normal book, but as a bonus, there's a slider or "go to page" for quicker jumps.

Not to mention annotations, bookmarks etc.

[D_Davis]

;294328']I know, I wasn't making a direct statement, I just think that in general turning to digital is a much more practical solution than finding new ways to recycle paper and farm trees just for books. We just waste too much paper as it is.

The problem with this is that books can generally be recycled, while electronic stuff generally cannot be recycled (at least as thoroughly). And with digital things becoming cheaper and cheaper these days, digital storage mediums seem more disposable, and thus they are often discarded into landfills and not recycled.

Don't know which one is more environmentally sound.

Also, what uses more energy to produce? Paper products or digital ones? How long do you have to keep a Kindle for its energy cost to balance out with the paper-savings?

[Ezee E]

Kindle should bring back the "Choose Your Adventure" books.

[Derek]

I'm obsessed with the way books smell and feel and look. Having a book on Kindle or similar would be like getting brownies through an IV instead of being able to eat it. Technically, the end result is the same, but the journey is less enjoyable.

I am completely with you, though I like the print-on-demand idea. To me, it's like the difference between watching a movie on DVD and watching it at the theater. The images are the same, just as the words are no matter where you read them, but the aesthetic experience itself is completely different. It's not an attachment to paper and staples, just as watching a film in the theater is not an attachment to sticky floors and a blank screen, but the sensations associated with the smell and feel of a novel. When buying a book, I will most often go with a version that feels better even if it's a few bucks more. I do recognize the value of a Kindle, but personally, I don't want paperbacks to go away completely.

[Ezee E]

Wikibooks.com is already books on demand. I don't really advise printing Dickens out on paper though. Might as well buy the book and save yourself the ink.

[Mysterious Dude]

If I could download as many books as I wanted, I would probably never read them. I'm gonna stick with library books for now. They have due dates -- an incentive for me to finish them.

[lovejuice]

;294285']My main issue is with the amount of books that are produced but never read, and the paper used for daily publications which are then discarded. I'd love it if books on paper were produced only for those who'd enjoy them like you.
I, on the other hand, think that's precisely why books are such treasures. There are so many books printed each day, way beyond the consumption rate of anybody. So many books out there that you will love have gone under your radar, waiting to meet you one day in a bookshop or a second-hand store. But first, that book has to be out there, in print.

In short, "stumble upon" is a phenomena that is book-specific. I am actually not against e-book -- I find it a wonderful tool for critical reading -- but I'm with KF and believe that the technology doesn't quite answer the reading culture.

[number8]

In short, "stumble upon" is a phenomena that is book-specific.

Hey, now. (http://www.stumbleupon.com/)

[Winston*]

Having had to lug around the Complete Works of Shakespeare the last few months, I can really see the benefits of digital media.

[number8]

I have all of Shakespeare's plays in my phone.

Bonus: search function.

[Winston*]

Problem is I can take my book into my exam but I doubt they'd let me take an e-book reader.

[[ETM]]

I, on the other hand, think that's precisely why books are such treasures. There are so many books printed each day, way beyond the consumption rate of anybody. So many books out there that you will love have gone under your radar, waiting to meet you one day in a bookshop or a second-hand store. But first, that book has to be out there, in print.

Oh, God.

[Derek]

http://cooper.lunarbreeze.com/~ercsv0/images/stories/RecyclingatHemingway_F979/computer_dump8x6.jpg

[[ETM]]

http://cooper.lunarbreeze.com/~ercsv0/images/stories/RecyclingatHemingway_F979/computer_dump8x6.jpg

I see what you did there. E-readers should have a much longer lifespan than average computers.

[Derek]

;294499']I see what you did there.

Respond with a provocative picture rather than actually addressing any point you made? I figured you'd catch that.

[[ETM]]

Respond with a provocative picture rather than actually addressing any point you made? I figured you'd catch that.

Is it something I said?