(no subject)

[digitaldiscipline]

C&P from <lj user="lisamantchev"> here:

I don't pretend to know the intricacies of what is going on between Amazon and Macmillan, but here's what I do know:

Amazon Pulls Macmillan Books Over E-Book Price Disagreement

And that means: You cannot purchase Eyes Like Stars though Amazon except through third-party sellers. You cannot preorder the paperback of Eyes Like Stars or the hardcover of Perchance To Dream.

If you have preordered either book already, check your open orders. I've already heard from one reader that Perchance To Dream has disappeared from the order she placed it in without notice or explanation from Amazon. If this has also happened to you, please speak up and help us confirm this is taking place.

And, in the meantime and the future, please feel free to give your money instead to your local indie bookstore or brick-and-mortar chain, or head to the local library.


Massive link round-up (ganked from the lovely madkestrel )

Cory Doctorow said Amazon and Macmillan go to war: readers and writers are the civilian casualties.

And John Scalzi said A Quick Note On eBook Pricing and Amazon Hijinx.

More thoughts at Making Light.

And author Jay Lake says Bug off, Bezos. And take your damned bookstore with you.

I, personally, have not formed any kind of opinion. On the one hand, folks are getting screwed. On the other hand, some other folks are getting less expensive books. On the third hand, I use Amazon's referral service as a source of revenue (albeit a very small one). On the fourth hand, I'm not a content creator, and only occasionally a purchaser (and those cases are almost always book-and-mortar). On the fifth hand, I haven't delved into the intricacies of this beyond reading most of the above links.

On the sixth hand, I'm out of gloves.

Comments

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

on the gripping hand, the DRM that Amazon uses is ENTIRELY optional and up to the publisher. let me say that again, Amazon doesn't care, but the publishers seem to. Cory Doctorow whinges constantly about DRM, but i don't seem him publishing his stuff without it via Amazon/etc. he often just posts copies of his stuff for free too - go him.

it looks like Apple promised some book people MORE money if they switched sides, and they said "fuck yeah!" and Amazon is tell them "not over here, you signed a contract for this price, and if you don't like it, we're not selling your books" - they might even be obligated to suspend sales until they figure this out.

some of those reporting sources are HIGH as well. a Kindle2 costs $259 shipped, not $400. $489 for the ginourmous KindleDX, but most people don't really even think about that model.

and while the "Large Print iTouch" aka the "iPad" is interesting looking, it's a first gen "good start" imho. it's a poor book reader, and a better multi-media device. 10 hour MAX battery life (translation: more like 8ish in real world, at best)...

that said, since it runs app store apps just like the iTouch/iPhone... this means it already has access to the B&N, Kindle, and Stanza apps... so, hah, you COULD buy one (in two months, at $500-$829) and run the Amazon Kindle app, and have the Amazon store on the iPad... snark. Steve of course is hating that, but he thinks he can beat Amazon - go him.

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[jaylake.livejournal.com]

Actually, my understanding is Amazon's DRM is mandatory from Amazon, and covered under nondisclosure. FWIW.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

it's never been mandatory, just hard to not do...

however, as part of the new authoring plan, there's apparently a very obvious, and easy "no drm" mode. afaik, nobody has taken advantage of this yet.

i've been following this issue over at the MobileRead forums for a bit.

me? i'm waiting for Amazon to go "oh yeah, ePub, our customers want that *click* there you go"... the PDF engine from Adobe that they use has support for a number of things, not all of which were activated when they offered PDF support, first for the KDX, and now for the K2.

what i'm REALLY waiting on is "folders" or their version of tagging, for better organizing and sorting. 500+ books is tedious ;)

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[jaylake.livejournal.com]

I dunno from the new authoring plan. What I know is secondhand, but from discussing Amazon's trade contracts.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

And, in the meantime and the future, please feel free to give your money instead to your local indie bookstore or brick-and-mortar chain, or head to the local library.

well, i love my local used bookstore :>

and i'm REALLLLLLLY fond of my Kindle, and the more than 400 free (legally) books that i have on it.

$15 for an eBook is a crime, imho. $5? i'm all over that.

don't like DRM either, but i'm sure i can deal with that should archiving become necessary, desired, someday.

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[lisamantchev.livejournal.com]

Hey Rafe, I've since updated this entry with the link to Macmillan's CEO's response, plus some rephrasing about if people want to buy _my_ books. :)

[etcet.livejournal.com]

Good deal :-)

[tnh.livejournal.com]

Amazon's DRM is Amazon's idea.