Amazon – I haven't bought any "Print on Demand" yet; but I've bought a lot of regular books from Amazon, and nothing yet from Lulu.
HTML – When I read a book on the computer, I prefer HTML because it's not read-only like the other formats. I can easily alter the style as I see fit to make it look the way I want it to look. Plus, I dislike proprietary formats that require their own annoying readers (PDF) or special hardware (Kindle). I already have multiple computers with multiple browsers (and my Massive Tool); I see no reason to buy another single-use device for something I can already do on my computer.
Dead tree edition – I like books. They're a user-friendly medium that can be carried anywhere, and electronic books just don't have the same feel as a book in your hands. I only use electronic editions rarely, such as when I'm reading on my computer at work while doing other things (or waiting for a program to compile or someone to get back to me with data/comments); and I also seldom use audio books, except possibly on long road trips. The quality of an audio book really depends on the reader; Jim Dale reading Harry Potter and Tim Curry reading Lemony Snicket are two good examples.
Bookstores will become increasingly diversified to try and stay in business – The majority of readers still prefer dead paper editions; devices like the Kindle and PC formats like PDF and LIT have only caught on with marginal groups. (It doesn't help that people like to loan, borrow, and swap books back and forth with their friends, something that the DRM on Kindle is designed to prevent.) There are also quite a lot of people who are unwilling or unable to buy things online; either in general, or in specific cases where they're impatient and want something in their hands right now rather than in however long it takes to ship by mail (for additional cost). All of this also applies to music and video, although in a lesser sense; there's little difference between playing a CD or an MP3 (many people do both through the same devices, and easily move music back and forth between the two formats), and ditto with video. I think all of the major book chains have already added music and video departments (as well as coffee); there are certainly other things they can add to remain relevent. (Plus, for us parents, are you really going to give your toddler a Kindle or PDF file rather than an expendable book?)
Yes – I generally try to support the creative efforts of people I know, and I since I friended you on LJ relatively recently I haven't had the time or inclination (I'm lazy and/or easily distracted) to go back and read all of your earlier writings. Even if you've posted most of your book to LJ already, it would be new to me.
I have purchased POD items from Lulu before and have been mostly satisfied (the cover on my copy of Monkey, Ninja, Pirate, Robot was attached securely but printed a bit off kilter -- but that's the only time I've seen a printing error). Amazon I still by from, but keep getting annoyed with on what could be termed publishing politics.
Given a choice of formats I'd say, HTML, RTF, then mobipocket as a distant third and PDF as an even more distant forth (PDF is a universal format for items to be printed format, for on screen reading format it ranges from annoying to horrid).
I selected both dead-tree and electronic on my preferred reading format. A few years back I read A Feral Darkness (a most excellent book) in both formats, alternating between a paperback and my PDA. With the PDA I could grab even a few moments of reading time while standing in line.
Future of publishing: Publishing houses will become even more disassociated from the world of printing. Which is not at all a prediction of the death of dead tree editions. Rather I think the publishers will be concentrating almost fully on the book itself while the format will become much more a decision of the purchaser. I think the Hardcover -> Paperback -> Out-of-print -> remaining copies pulped to avoid punitive taxes, cycle is what is going to go away.
I think pretty soon (if it doesn't happen in the ten years of your inquiry then I will be very shocked) at least one 'name' publishing house will shift to a no inventory process in which everything is print to order. I also suspect that one thing the major booksellers will do it invest heavily in on-site print on demand technology and will use their market share to pressure the major publishers into allowing them to offer on-site printed copies of books.
Houses like Baen that have been working on bringing backstock into electronic form (currently for e-book sales) will have an advantage here. Imaging being able to walk into a bookstore, walking up to a kiosk and saying, "Well, my friend insists Elizabeth Moon's Serrano books are a must read... Why not, I'll buy Hunting Party in hard cover." It won't matter that the book came out in 1993. All that matters is that the machine in the back room has paper, glue, and binders board in its hoppers.
As for that last question... Well, I do note that so far no one has voted with a no. :)
I'll note that there is one more dead-tree format out there. Loose leafs. Keith Smith, who has written a series of books on hand bookbinding offers loose leaf copies of each book that people can then bind in whatever format they choose.
Although I do not see that taking the publishing world by storm. Not many people are interested in hand assembling they books they have bought.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-01-30 10:25 am (UTC)Also, I still don't like audio books. And I tend to pick up electronic versions primarily - but that's mostly a question of logistics.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-30 11:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-30 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-01 01:05 am (UTC)Given a choice of formats I'd say, HTML, RTF, then mobipocket as a distant third and PDF as an even more distant forth (PDF is a universal format for items to be printed format, for on screen reading format it ranges from annoying to horrid).
I selected both dead-tree and electronic on my preferred reading format. A few years back I read A Feral Darkness (a most excellent book) in both formats, alternating between a paperback and my PDA. With the PDA I could grab even a few moments of reading time while standing in line.
Future of publishing: Publishing houses will become even more disassociated from the world of printing. Which is not at all a prediction of the death of dead tree editions. Rather I think the publishers will be concentrating almost fully on the book itself while the format will become much more a decision of the purchaser. I think the Hardcover -> Paperback -> Out-of-print -> remaining copies pulped to avoid punitive taxes, cycle is what is going to go away.
I think pretty soon (if it doesn't happen in the ten years of your inquiry then I will be very shocked) at least one 'name' publishing house will shift to a no inventory process in which everything is print to order. I also suspect that one thing the major booksellers will do it invest heavily in on-site print on demand technology and will use their market share to pressure the major publishers into allowing them to offer on-site printed copies of books.
Houses like Baen that have been working on bringing backstock into electronic form (currently for e-book sales) will have an advantage here. Imaging being able to walk into a bookstore, walking up to a kiosk and saying, "Well, my friend insists Elizabeth Moon's Serrano books are a must read... Why not, I'll buy Hunting Party in hard cover." It won't matter that the book came out in 1993. All that matters is that the machine in the back room has paper, glue, and binders board in its hoppers.
As for that last question... Well, I do note that so far no one has voted with a no. :)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-01 01:10 am (UTC)Although I do not see that taking the publishing world by storm. Not many people are interested in hand assembling they books they have bought.