Amazon E-book Sales Top Traditional Books

[gdv358]

Actually, as far as the eBook signing thing goes, they've already moved on that: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20057220-1.html

Hmm, well that is nice, but, written in their own hand or not, it still seems less personal than actually having the actual book signed. As you can guess, I'm a sucker for these things. Got a book signed by Neal Stephenson when he was in the area a while back and got a nice hand written letter from one David Mitchell once. It's that human element, makes the difference, I think.

I completely understand the emotional level of it. Even though I released my book in eBook format I'm also setting up print-on-demand so I can have a physical copy to put on a shelf. There's a sentimental value to it, it has a weight to it.

Unfortunately, it's not sustainable anymore. The culture has shifted, they still read, but they read the same way we're reading this thread. As much as the sentiment is strong for people like us, there's problems with the industry (most especially the mindset of many publishers) that's resulting in the format declining (rapidly).

This isn't some new vs. old thing going on here. Once people start to like reading they'll start to want that physical copy (in theory). But this is a new form of exposure for an art-form that's been suffering in the new digital age. Like some people said back when Harry Potter first boomed:

"It might not be what we're used to, but damn if it isn't getting the kids reading."

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

Just try playing D&D with ebooks and you'll understand why physical copies will never completely die out. :>

That, and they are far less likely to break when you slap your players with one for doing something stupid.

"I use sense motive on the rock"
"It's a ROCK!"

"I use Turn Undead"
".... You're in the middle of a tavern during the day!"

"I throw the halfling using my Ranged Smite"

But back on topic, yes, there are some things that just work better in physical medium.

 

[IndianaJonny]

good, data transfer over mechanically printed dead tree protocol is seriously antiquated technology

I like books also but they are hideously inefficient as information sources

I got mad the last time I had to look something up in a how-to book because I had to use an index instead of a keyword search

books should be collectors items and objects of art, they have no utility anymore

Strange, I'd consider ebooks to be woefully inferior when it comes to the genre of practical 'how-to' manuals. When I'm messing around with my bike I want a Haynes manual that I can flick through, flit between two or three pages at once and happily get grubby rather than a pamphlet sized, single-page device that is temperamental in such an environment. Granted, it can condense my whole library into one tablet but it isn't going to show me a helpful two-page spread cross-section of, say, a petrol direct injection engine, anytime soon.

Just try playing D&D with ebooks and you'll understand why physical copies will never completely die out. :>

Case in point.

Plus, books smell better. Oh, and not to mention the cover art! Put the three Asimov's Foundation trilogy books from the Panther publishing house alongside one another and you get a full Chris Foss panorama; beat that!

 

[eharriett]

This does gratify me. I do enjoy reading ebooks even more than I enjoy reading regular books. Now, with increased prices, maybe someone can do some investigating as to why ebook prices "mysteriously" jumped after apple entered the market and haven't come down yet.

 

[Radelaide]

This won't kill books at all. The younger generations who are becoming increasingly illiterate are already doing that.

I say this too, and feel like an old man for doing so. "Crazy kids, get off mah lawn!"

OT: Yep, not at all shocked. And when we can implant books into our minds, that will beat out this means of distribution

See, I think it'll keep kids reading. One of the biggest gripes I have with reading is that I can't read ONE book at a time. I'm currently reading "Dead in Dallas" (A Sookie Stackhouse book), the 3rd Harry Potter book, "Why Men have Nipples (and 1001 other Questions)" and "World War Z". And my Kobo saves me carrying around half a dozen books at once. I think that everyone under the age of 10 has some kind of smart phone with an app store can access an ebook reader, it'll save the next generation (the ones after Twilight) and give them at least the OPTION to read.

 

[DannibalG36]

Lo and behold: the era of archiving hell begins.

 

[NaramSuen]

I don't remember the exact quote, but a cultural critic was talking about ebooks and said that she had a ten year old zip drive she could not access, but books from a hundred years ago that still worked like new. I do not completely agree with her, but it's funny.

I do not think that ebooks will kill all paper books, but it will kill certain paper books: encyclopaedias, dictionaries, thesauruses, and text books. Basically any reference book which only has cosmetic changes every year is doomed. I do not own an ereader, but that is mostly because I am waiting for one in full colour so I can read comic books on it. I do read ebooks on my iPhone while taking the train, but I still prefer the paper variety.

 

[viranimus]

Yes, I think this is a good thing. I know since I started using a not nook/kindle personal media device to read books, Ive read more books in the last 2 years than the last 20 (I hate physical books)

As for the notion of knowledge lost due to an apocalypse. The notions of EMP discharge are greatly over exaggerated in that theres still going to be plenty of non shielded devices that survive. Also, its not difficult to make a Faraday box case to help further shield the device if your really that worried that your copy of World War Z isnt going to make it through the apocalypse. Seriously, hardshell case lined with heavy duty aluminum then coated with rubber is enough to "ruggedize" a box to shield against EMP. But the point is... I think you have to worry about hell fire more than the EMP. Also, after something like that happens, are you really going to have time to sit around reading? Wont your time be consumed more with ... Hunting, finding clean water, avoiding looters/raiders, staving off radiation poisoning, defending against super mutants, and any of the other promised pitfalls of a post apocalyptic world.

Anyway, glad to hear people are reading, and yes this is one form of digital distribution I can honestly get behind.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

This makes me sad, but mainly because I will always choose a book over a piece of tech. Stan Lee said it best in that History show about comics: "Nothing compares to having the comic in your hand, turning the actual page." Just like my video game collection, I take great pride in being able to SEE all my Star Wars books lined up on my shelves.

Well, you can only take two or three books with you at a time.
Do you really NEED to take more than two or three books with you? Do you honestly need to carry around an entire library with you at any given time?

You don't have to worry about your book getting ruined.
Right. Because I'd much rather replace an expensive piece of tech than I would an eight dollar book.

Those are the two things I always hear that these eBook things have going for them, and so far no one has been able to respond to my counter arguments with anything more than, "Well, they're just better!" Plus, reading on a screen hurts my eyes after a while.

 

[ionveau]

I see no real point in books anymore anything you need to know you google it, Story books maybe? well to that i say its fatser just to watch a movie over having the author explain whats happening in every area as the story evolves, I have read books where a chapter is just an explanation how a room looks with no real progess to the story

 

[Jamous]

snip

Wow; I thought they were cheaper. Although I never said anything about them replacing books. Kindles are all very well and good, but they just can't get the smell of books... Anyway. Didn't think about the problems of digitalizing and 'long night' ideas either, good stuff. Nice read.

 

[iblis666]

as a lover of books i prefer hard copy but since im such a voracious reader i usually buy mine used, when i buy them new though there is no way id ever buy a over priced ebook when i could get a new hard copy book at usually a better deal

 

[Phishfood]

I'd imagine that's because the ebooks are cheaper, just as easy to read and take up less space than the hard copies.

Actually, your not entirely correct about this. As someone who owns a (very old) Kindle, I can tell you first hand that a lot of books are cheaper to get hard copies of, rather than to buy electronically. For example when I fairly recently got a copy of Steven King's "Cell" on Kindle it cost me more money than it would have been to buy the actual, physical book.

- major snip -

Theres also the issue that e-books attract VAT whereas their tree based cousins do not.

Personally a lot of my ebook purchases have been at 11 at night when I think "I want a book" but nowhere will sell me a physical book.

 

[careful]

I will always purchase the hardcover of an excellent book. My Nook is merely used as a lightweight means of reading. Not to mention that I can now currently travel with over 100 books without having to bring eight separate suitcases.

This won't kill books at all. The younger generations who are becoming increasingly illiterate are already doing that.

but world literacy rates are growing, its only the youth in north america that are becoming more illiterate due to the failing education system, and even then its not so much as not being able to read but more like choosing not to read during leisure which is the trend.

also, ebooks may be more efficient at delivering content, but, i read, that retention rates were greater with text on paper which is in agreement with my personal experience. you should test it yourself: do a quick personal study by trying to memorize numbers or words from sentences on the computer screen versus printed text.

 

[KarmicToast]

Yay, Escapist magazine is the most recent site to jump on the shared revenue links from Amazon. I'm sure that has nothing to do with the number of Amazon related articles written recently, or the fact that others not about Amazon deals or news generally end with making a comparison to a game or other product also available on (and linked to) Amazon. This is not to say that this particular article is irrelevant, I'm just becoming increasingly saddened by the choices of Escapist staff, who alter their writing and subject material to accommodate a new form of direct ad share. At least those 30 second advertisements you slap onto the beginning of (sometimes) 30 second videos are clearly separated from the subject material.

 

[Hithlain]

I was packing up for school and looking at all the books in my boxes and thinking, "Geez these weigh a ton. Why am I lugging these around again?". I love books, I really do; I have certain memories with certain books which means that I will never give up hardcover books. But it's just so light to travel with 200 kindle books vs. 40 real books, it's sometimes cheaper, and you can really support independent authors through the kindle. I love that some of their best selling books are independent publishings!


This isn't the death toll of books. Rather I think it's the new beginning for the book industry and a new way to introduce people back to books

I love it!

 

[Phishfood]

I see no real point in books anymore anything you need to know you google it, Story books maybe? well to that i say its fatser just to watch a movie over having the author explain whats happening in every area as the story evolves, I have read books where a chapter is just an explanation how a room looks with no real progess to the story

No way. I could never have survived my degree with just Google. I had entire text books on a subject that just had a page and a half on wikipedia. Not to mention the whole "peer review" thing.

Moving on to the practicality, its much easier to have a printed (or e-book) resource in front of you next to a screen you are trying to work on. In fact, thats probably the biggest argument against e-books. Much easier to have 7 printed books open in front of you than 7 ebooks. Along with the whole "its much more ok to drop a £5 paperback in the sea than a £100 ereader"