February 2012
33 posts
1 tag
For the one person in the world who doesn't know.
J.K “I’m richer than both the Queens of England¹” Rowling, has signed a deal to publish her first novel “for adults”. The as yet untitled book will be released through Little, Brown in multiple formats [hardcover, eBook, Paperback etc etc.] and while no release date [nor title / genre / plot] has been announced, it’s rumoured to be released later this year.
...
AMAZON IS THE DEVIL!!!!
guatyno8do:
ughhh seriously they are ruining the publishing world and I hate them so much!!
You wanna back that up with some facts, or you just gonna whine like an idiot?
5 tags
News...
Fact: Barnes & Noble to release 8GB version of the Nook; price reductions on the Nook Tablet [More details].
Conjecture: Amazon are releasing a colour e-ink Kindle later this year. [More details]
Ooh - and Barnes & Noble revealed their latest earnings report this morning:
Net income down 16%, to approx. $52m
Sales up 5%
Revenue from physical stores: Up 2%.
Revenue from Online store:...
3 tags
“If I tile your bathroom and you refuse to pay me, or if you rob my family and...”
– An “anonymous” member of the publishing industry, commenting on the closure of library.nu
1 tag
Waterstone's 3 for 2 offer returns... But only...
Not much to say really - Waterstones are bringing back their “three books for the price of two” promotion, from today [09-02-12] until February 22nd.
The promotion will only cover children books, or YA books.
A spokesman for Waterstones said: “We think 3 for 2 is a great offer for people in half term week, but we will continue to use a variety of methods to promote titles and offer...
birdiewithoutwings:
Good things about having a kindle - carrying a mobile library in your handbag. Bad things about having a kindle - looking like a pretentious twat on the bus reading the picture of Dorian grey.
Pretentious: Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.
Isn’t that what people do, when they buy the latest...
The Hulu For Books That Never Was - The Digital... →
milenab:
A fantastic proposal. Unfortunately, I doubt anyone will listen to it. Still, absolutely worth the read.
An - let’s just say interesting proposal, for how the big six publishing companies can fight to remain relevant, over the coming decade[s]. There are parts I don’t agree with, but it’s an interesting read.
'I pledge to read the printed word and condemn...
Seems about right :)
thelibrarianontherun:
Should the value of a local independent bookstore be measured in more than dollars and cents?
“Part of the argument is that [they think] something is going to happen to the culture…that people are going to read less and it’s going to be very bad for literature,” he said. “I think that some of the smarter bookstores will survive, but I’m...
We're all going to hell... apparently
b-i-d-magazine:
Needless to say LGBT Going To Hell is not a book I am going to be purchasing anytime soon. Amazon are selling the e-book by A.Christian for 77p and by the looks of it the actual author doesn’t want to be identifiable due to the blatant hatred and contempt that it breeds. I want to download it just to read the stupid and outrageous statements that it clearly contains but I don’t...
Actually - at this point...
I’m reminded why I tend not to interact with people through this account at all.
I really should just put this account behind a password protect screen.
For the record:
I run this for my own gratification. That 300 [rapidly declining] plus people “follow” my content baffles me, but fair enough.
The actual reason for starting this particular stream? The Kindle comments /...
And another two...
Damn it, I wish I’d have had that article / post ready to go today - could have got rid of all of ‘em in one swoop.
Ah well.
"Libraries would love to be able to provide you...
libraryjournal:
librariesandlemonade:
Incredibly frustrated at people who blame libraries for not having readily available and accessible content for their e-readers.
It’s not the libraries standing in the way, kids. Generally, the libraries would love to be able to provide you with content. It’s the publishers.
This post from librariesandlemonade seems like an apt response to this.
In...
Speaking of that "Five reasons why libraries are -...
Here’s what precedes it:
Secondly - I’m going to point this out now - When they’re run “correctly” libraries are awesome. Simple as that. A good library should [imo] be a cathedral of learning. They should be full of books [of any format - hardcovers, paperbacks, eBooks, large print, braille, audio books etc, etc], and run by skilled librarians [all earning at least...
d1000words asked: Did your local library even have anything "in-store" saying it was National Library Day? The wife and I went to ours, thinking it'd be all bells and ribbons -- but nothing. Seemed a wasted opportunity.
So that's how you lose "followers"
Oh well - bye bye!
Anonymous asked: I hate to say it, because I'm very much on your side most of the time and enjoy your work, but harping on libraries is like harping on schools. Underfunded, understaffed, overworked, and expected to perform miracles with very little. I'm sorry you had a bad experience with an OPAC and a librarian, but please don't make that a "state of the libraries" thing. The fact is...
1 tag
Yet again, I'm reminded why I avoid my local...
On January 16th, I put out a question to tumblr, asking for advice on where exactly to start, when it comes to reading John Greens’ books. The majority of people who replied recommended starting at the beginning, so I hopped onto my local authorities online catalogue, and promptly reserved a copy of said book.
That was on January 17th. Frankly, I was impressed I was even able to reserve it,...
4 tags
say-quack asked: I purposefully "missed some important parts." I chose that part specifically to show that I will always choose books over eReaders. That's all. Haha.
1 tag
Books or Tablets/eReaders?
say-quack:
My response is always the same.
“Print will never die. There’s no substitute for the feel of an actual book. I adore physically turning pages, and being able to underline passages and not worrying about dropping them in the bath or running out of power. I also find print books objects of beauty.” —J.K. Rowling
Here’s the full quote - you missed some important parts out:
...
Electronic books shall never be better than real...
keepcalmandlistentoowlcity:
Streaming music will never be better than MP3s.
MP3s will never be better to CDs.
CDs will never be better than Cassettes.
Cassettes? Fuck that noise, they’ll never be better than 8-Track
8-Track? 8-TRACK? The fuck is wrong with vinyl?
Vinyl? Why would you listen to music on Vinyl? Radio is where it’s at.
Radio?!? Radio - bollocks to that, real...
5 tags
[UK]: Today is National Libraries Day!
It’s National Libraries Day, here in the land of Sherlock Snow!. Assuming you’re not snowed in, why not head down to your local library, and go pay ‘em a visit?
Most libraries should have a page on their respective websites, outlining any and all events that they’re running today - you could always have a look there first, to see if anything catches your attention.
If...
2 tags
“Last night I signed two paperbacks and four ebook readers. Really....”
– https://twitter.com/#!/cstross/status/165473333591293953
[Thanks to Katherine for telling me about this]
How I view the "real" book vs e-reader war
iamahendrocks:
2 tags
Yeah... That librarian is clearly anti-Amazon.
Some of y’all know which account I’m talking about. Seems childish to block said account from appearing in the search results, but it’s a lil annoying, as the immediate reaction is to re-blog their posts, and offer a different viewpoint, but alas, it’d just be ignored.
That said - really, you think B&N not stocking physical copies of Amazon exclusive titles is in...
January 2012
98 posts
“It doesn’t affect me because I look at the internet as the new radio. I...”
– Neil Young, on music piracy. I’m posting this, so that when people eventually criticise my “Libraries” article - specifically one section [“Torrents as libraries”] I can at least point to this, as being on the same wavelength.
2 tags
Amazons' latest results are in...
The condensed version?
Earnings down 57% compared to this time last year.
Projected revenue this quarter: $12BN to $13.4BN
Operating expenses up, again - 38% compared to last year.
Now, to the untrained eye, that’s - I believe the expression would be “alarming as all fuck”. Shit even to someone who follows the goings on at Amazon, it’s, at first glance, alarming.
...
Considering to buy a Kindle.. [Share your...
knowyourapi:
So… since I’m studying I spend much time on the subway. Most of the time I spend listening to music and/or reading (mostly books or lecture notes..). I find it really annoying to carry around heavy loads of books or notes, though.
Because I don’t own a magical bag of holding - and probably never will - I considered buying a kindle. It seems to be lightweight, small and because the...
Ebooks are Evil.
elephantsandmangoes:
So, I bought a nook recently. I bought it primarily for reading the results of my exhaustive archival research, but in the process I’ve also discovered that e-books are evil. Here’s why:
- E-books are platform specific. You cannot read a nook book on a kindle and you cannot read a kindle book on a nook. I downloaded Calibre because I was under the impression that this was...
Amazon
thelibrarianontherun:
I just love how much Amazon is getting crap from all ends right now. Love it. Where were you guys about a year ago when I was standing on my soapbox screaming about ‘em because they were the only e-format that didn’t support EPUBs? The library ebook format of choice?
Now, that’s not an issue anymore - but still. I love that they are taking some heat. MUHAHAHAHAHA! How’s...
1 tag
An additional two hours on this $&*£&!" Libraries...
I swear to the heavens, in about [hopefully] 30 - 40 years time, someone’ll find me slumped over a keyboard, and the last thing I’ll have been working on, will be the 1000th revision of this damn article.
/Grumble…
3 tags
Two years ago, Jonathan Franzen was asked to...
Number one on his list?
The reader is a friend, not an adversary, not a spectator.
I wonder how those people who’ve read his books via eReaders¹ - by his own first rule of writing, his friends - feel upon reading his diatribe over the weekend?
If you want my takes on Franzens’ latest rant - I think it’s worth sharing two more of his “rules” for writers:
When...
1 tag
This weeks prediction:
Lots of Jonathan Franzen in the “Fuck you Kindle / Nook / Digital / 21st Century” tags.
And probably some over -spill into the actual Kindle / Nook tags.
Barnes & Noble introducing a fifth Nook?
dualsub:
Not entirely sure what the strategy is. The Nook already covers the low to middle price range, and I can’t really see a higher priced Nook doing much better than the Nook tablet.
There’s a good chance the 5th Nook will be the “International model” - B&N have been in talks with retailers for a while now, as they figure out the best strategy to get into...
nathantopsider:
Save a book, break a nook.
You do realise that the Nook is pretty much the product that Barnes & Noble - Americas’ last big brick and mortar retailer of books, has gambled their future on?
And that if the device [and it’s projected launch overseas, with partners such as Waterstone’s] fails to make a significant dent in Amazons’ market share, Barnes...
doctorjt:
Physical books look better on my bookshelf, but I’m sorry….
my virtual bookshelf through Kindle is just as impressive.
As much as I love real books, I can’t randomly pick up a real book and start reading anywhere, considering I don’t carry books with me. My phone is just too convenient sometimes.
My apologies for helping to kill the book industry =(
If you think that using an...
brennnnna:
why is ‘sense and sensibility’ not a free classic on the kindle store?!?!?!
Must be an American thing, I’m looking at a free copy on the UK Kindle store. Different copyright laws, and all that jazz.
Either way, it’s available for free, via Project Gutenberg - Linky Linky.
I pledge to read regardless of the format. →
relatedworlds:
So… I made this.
I wondered who’d put that together - noticed a fair few posts from that account whilst perusing the various tags this morning :).
ALLLLLRIHHHHGGHGHT,
scarlettwind:
I’m done being passive aggressive.
but seriously, Ereaders are great for people who can’t see tiny lettering, like my mother who uses a magnifying glass, people who want to carry more than one book with them at a time, and who want to use less paper.
Paper books are good for people who want to share books, smell books, be able to have a public library, pass down books, have a...
That's the second time this week...
Where, roughly 1000 words into something, I’ve gone to press [Ctrl] + [C] to copy something, and ended up navigating back, in a browser tab…
It’s clearly going to be one of those weeks.
Now I’ve got to figure out if I start again [replying to this] or if I should just quit for the evening, go watch something on Netflix, and pick up again tomorrow evening [in terms of...