Comments on: Ebooks cost a lot of money to make; will no one explain why that has to be so? http://futurismic.com/2009/10/02/ebooks-cost-a-lot-of-money-to-make-will-no-one-explain-why-that-has-to-be-so/ Presenting the fact and fiction of tomorrow since 2001 Sat, 19 May 2012 23:03:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Adam http://futurismic.com/2009/10/02/ebooks-cost-a-lot-of-money-to-make-will-no-one-explain-why-that-has-to-be-so/comment-page-1/#comment-636977 Adam Sat, 31 Mar 2012 17:05:50 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=9176#comment-636977 The only problem that I see is that the people who charge to create content and then subsequently aggregate e-books into stores like Amazon, iBook store, and Barnes & Noble are charging a lot of fees and a percentage of profits. Realistically, if an author wants to get his or her book into any store, other than the iBook store, he or she simply has to type the book in MS Word and then copy/paste it into a WYSIWIG HTML editor, then format it. The formats are not that stringent, and HTML is the format that works best with every ebook type, all the files start out as .html webpage files and then are turned into their respective file types to satisfy the DRM requirements of ebook readers. If someone wanted to dramatically impact this industry, they would create an open source WYSIWIG editor whose interface (page breaks, indents, font formats) automatically inserted the few specialty HTML tags necessary to create the perfectly formatted ebook in each DRM format. That step would go pretty far to cut the middle man out of the e-book creation process. No more Smashwords. No more Createspace. No need for XLibris. The only problem that I see is that the people who charge to create content and then subsequently aggregate e-books into stores like Amazon, iBook store, and Barnes & Noble are charging a lot of fees and a percentage of profits. Realistically, if an author wants to get his or her book into any store, other than the iBook store, he or she simply has to type the book in MS Word and then copy/paste it into a WYSIWIG HTML editor, then format it. The formats are not that stringent, and HTML is the format that works best with every ebook type, all the files start out as .html webpage files and then are turned into their respective file types to satisfy the DRM requirements of ebook readers.

If someone wanted to dramatically impact this industry, they would create an open source WYSIWIG editor whose interface (page breaks, indents, font formats) automatically inserted the few specialty HTML tags necessary to create the perfectly formatted ebook in each DRM format. That step would go pretty far to cut the middle man out of the e-book creation process. No more Smashwords. No more Createspace. No need for XLibris.

]]> By: R Davis http://futurismic.com/2009/10/02/ebooks-cost-a-lot-of-money-to-make-will-no-one-explain-why-that-has-to-be-so/comment-page-1/#comment-373597 R Davis Wed, 02 Mar 2011 02:49:38 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=9176#comment-373597 Every discussion I have seen on this topic totally ignores an important factor. I buy a TON of older books in second hand stores and yard sales, and alomst never buy books in a bookstore, but would be interested in having them on a reader, and so revenue that was formerly going elsewhere would be going to the people who actually produced the books. Keep charging new book prices for books I bought a decade ago for a quarter? No way. 1/2 price & I'd consider it to get books on a reader. & many of the 'benefits' of the reader don't apply to folks like me...saving trees...nope, somebody else already bought the book...convenience? Sure, if I'm not on a boat, at the beach, camping, or by the pool. I know a lot of people who buy books as I do. So do ya want our money, or should we keep giving it to others? Every discussion I have seen on this topic totally ignores an important factor. I buy a TON of older books in second hand stores and yard sales, and alomst never buy books in a bookstore, but would be interested in having them on a reader, and so revenue that was formerly going elsewhere would be going to the people who actually produced the books. Keep charging new book prices for books I bought a decade ago for a quarter? No way. 1/2 price & I’d consider it to get books on a reader. & many of the ‘benefits’ of the reader don’t apply to folks like me…saving trees…nope, somebody else already bought the book…convenience? Sure, if I’m not on a boat, at the beach, camping, or by the pool. I know a lot of people who buy books as I do. So do ya want our money, or should we keep giving it to others?

]]> By: Paul Raven http://futurismic.com/2009/10/02/ebooks-cost-a-lot-of-money-to-make-will-no-one-explain-why-that-has-to-be-so/comment-page-1/#comment-53339 Paul Raven Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:35:49 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=9176#comment-53339 Sounds like you need to speak to an IP lawyer rather than a science fiction blogger, Jan. :) Sounds like you need to speak to an IP lawyer rather than a science fiction blogger, Jan. :)

]]> By: Jan http://futurismic.com/2009/10/02/ebooks-cost-a-lot-of-money-to-make-will-no-one-explain-why-that-has-to-be-so/comment-page-1/#comment-53321 Jan Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:17:00 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=9176#comment-53321 Is it legal to put books of deceased people on-line as a complete book . I have noticed that some of my late-father-in-law and his sister's books are on the WWW and feel this should not be allowed without permission of living relatives. The books are out of print not available in Uk libraries Please would someone verify the law about this. Who would benefit finacially? Are people making money out this without family living permission. Is it legal to put books of deceased people on-line as a complete book . I have noticed that some of my late-father-in-law and his sister’s books are on the WWW and feel this should not be allowed without permission of living relatives. The books are out of print not available in Uk libraries Please would someone verify the law about this. Who would benefit finacially? Are people making money out this without family living permission.

]]> By: Heather http://futurismic.com/2009/10/02/ebooks-cost-a-lot-of-money-to-make-will-no-one-explain-why-that-has-to-be-so/comment-page-1/#comment-50618 Heather Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:17:54 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=9176#comment-50618 People also left out the cost of space and storage that dead-tree books take up. Computerized books take up ZERO space. Another cost factor. Sorry... no way a eBook should cost more. And eBooks would become more popular if they were significantly cheaper. But when you can get a small few you can gouge vs. many with low prices... people like to see higher prices. Its like the idiots I work for in the hotel business. They would rather see ONE room go for $89 then 5 rooms at $65. They would rather a 25% full hotel at $89 then 75% full hotel at $65. There is no way to convince me looking at all the cost facotors (storage for books, transportation for books, equipment to print books, ink to prink books, someone to oversee printing of books, etc etc etc) that eBooks remotely should be running the same cost as a hard copy/paperback. People also left out the cost of space and storage that dead-tree books take up. Computerized books take up ZERO space. Another cost factor. Sorry… no way a eBook should cost more. And eBooks would become more popular if they were significantly cheaper. But when you can get a small few you can gouge vs. many with low prices… people like to see higher prices. Its like the idiots I work for in the hotel business. They would rather see ONE room go for $89 then 5 rooms at $65. They would rather a 25% full hotel at $89 then 75% full hotel at $65.
There is no way to convince me looking at all the cost facotors (storage for books, transportation for books, equipment to print books, ink to prink books, someone to oversee printing of books, etc etc etc) that eBooks remotely should be running the same cost as a hard copy/paperback.

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