tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post294444833780023955..comments2024-02-06T02:55:38.691-05:00Comments on Eco-Libris blog: A New Business Model for the Book Publishing BusinessRaz Godelnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16563394691076298729noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-85187298438374323542009-02-26T12:20:00.000-05:002009-02-26T12:20:00.000-05:00I applaud his forward thinking. It is right in l...I applaud his forward thinking. It is right in line what our president is asking us to start doing. Collectively, all the small ideas become one big push to change the way that we do business in general and re-think the impact our actions have on the enviornment.<BR/><BR/>madamerkf at aol dot comwendy wallachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03244664354441203413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-12410145064164797692009-02-25T00:14:00.000-05:002009-02-25T00:14:00.000-05:00hey folks, keep those posts coming! i am eager to...hey folks, keep those posts coming! i am eager to hear all sides, for if my arguments are flawed i would rather find out sooner than later. note the art resale deal in europe (this was news to me!) is explained here:<BR/><BR/>http://painting.about.com/od/careerdevelopment/a/ArtResaleRight.htm<BR/><BR/>artists get something like 1-4% with a minimum price and an upper limit too. very interesting. -- jlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-4183605097271966892009-02-24T19:37:00.000-05:002009-02-24T19:37:00.000-05:00Thanks for the blog - lots to think about. I agre...Thanks for the blog - lots to think about. I agree that authors should get the same deal as union musicians etc. Can't wait to read these books! alicedemske at hotmail.comAlice Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11750626863255015363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-1913309528178722082009-02-23T09:29:00.000-05:002009-02-23T09:29:00.000-05:00The art world has a similar issue when it comes to...The art world has a similar issue when it comes to resales at auctions. Europe resolved it by giving a portion of the profits to the artists, but ONLY at auctions, not private resales.Brookehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14674735841575589260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-35382313226500016942009-02-21T22:33:00.000-05:002009-02-21T22:33:00.000-05:00Thought provoking ideas, although I don't agree wi...Thought provoking ideas, although I don't agree with all of them.<BR/><BR/>rsgrandinetti(at)yahoo(dot)com<BR/><BR/>I like to read Real Men don't rehearse.Renee Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16405063753972082642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-37493514537096156462009-02-21T18:26:00.000-05:002009-02-21T18:26:00.000-05:00This looks like a very thought-provoking book that...This looks like a very thought-provoking book that I would enjoy reading.Theresehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14240099663160843987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-59520762683121685702009-02-21T14:07:00.000-05:002009-02-21T14:07:00.000-05:00Well I am very happy to see some comments on my po...Well I am very happy to see some comments on my post. These have presented some very cogent, interesting, and challenging arguments, and I would like to offer a response. <BR/><BR/>Several posts (this discussion is happening on numerous blogs) have made the point that a book is a”physical object,” and therefore an owner can do what they want with it. Examples of both cars and Audio CD’s have been offered. Fair enough.<BR/><BR/>But here’s is one response: there are no instances I know of where an object that contains intellectual property is sold free of any conditions. For example, when you install a windows operating system, you must agree to some severe restrictions, e.g., in terms of only installing the system on one machine. Many an office manager would love to take the “object” he owns of a windows disk and install it on all of the computers in their office. But this is not legal (in the USA anyway). <BR/><BR/>Further, when you buy a car, it is not clear of certain legal limitations. For example, you may not remove the anti-air pollution equipment. You may also have to pay an annual city excise tax on your car, and you are also probably required to pay for an annual state inspection. Also, even though you own your condo, you probably have to pay a maintenance fee. You may own your house, but local zoning laws may prevent building a 3rd story or renting out the carriage house. <BR/><BR/>So even though you “own” something, those rights are seldom absolute. Your rights of ownership may be limited in some way for the greater good of society. <BR/><BR/>These examples may not be right on point but they do demonstrate that conditions may be attached to ownership or sale of either physical or intellectual property, as circumstances and collective interest may warrant. <BR/><BR/>Now, bear in mind, I am not making pronouncements here, I am merely debating my side. So: <BR/><BR/>I would also argue that not all forms of intellectual properties are the same, commercially or technologically or legally speaking, especially in how they are used. People tend to buy CD’s and play them repeatedly, and they may buy movies and watch them repeatedly, but how many people read a book repeatedly? It could be argued that there is more likelihood that many kinds of books (not all) will be disposed of or passed on after a single use, as many books are designed and used in that manner. Therefore the creators of that “kind” of intellectual property may qualify for special protections. <BR/><BR/>Again, I would argue that taking a book and repeatedly passing it on (via internet used book sales) to an endless chain of strangers, each of whom is paying a penny apiece for the rights to have the typical full use of that product, i.e., one reading, and then pass it on again, is equivalent to old time napster music file sharing. (Arguing, not stating!) At the moment there is an opportunity for individuals to get full use of most books for very cheap or almost free on the internet, and it is my contention that this constitutes the same threat to the book business that old free napster file sharing was to the music business. <BR/><BR/>Therefore, again, one could argue that the legal precedent exists for some sort of different system– a literary Itunes, if you will– to take its place, where the people who own intellectual property are not denied participation in the online sharing/sale of their intellectual property, regardless of the medium on which it resides, or who owns that the paper media it is carried upon. I hope that anyone who owns a kindle knows they cannot pass on the intellectual property that resides on that device. <BR/><BR/>Of course, you have certain ownership rights in a physical book– you can certainly use it as a doorstop, or to start a fire, or as wallpaper and no one can stop you. Or you can buy a kindle and do the same to the physical device. But the intellectual property resides on it is not yours, and never was. <BR/><BR/>If the book’s resale value is derived from the intellectual property attached to it and not the physical book itself, well now it gets vague as to who owns what. Teams of lawyers at Microsoft spell this out on their discs, but the book business, to my knowledge, never has. Just what intellectual property “license” was bestowed upon you when you bought the book? Hmmmmmmm . . . <BR/><BR/>Speaking as an author/publisher, I never gave a resale/sub-distribution license away, and I believe I should get a payment from other users of my work, work that took thousands of hours to create and bring to market, just as each user of windows vista has to pay a fee, and kindle owners have to pay for new downloads. <BR/><BR/>Also in England there is further interesting precedent . . . The British government funds a program that pays authors a fee every time their books are borrowed from a public library. It is not a huge sum, but it acknowledges the rights of the book’s creator as being separate from the ownership of the physical book. <BR/><BR/>Also, back to the environmental issue: right now there is no incentive for authors and publishers to encourage recycling of books. Instead, there is an economic incentive for them to make past editions as obsolete and land-fill worthy as much as possible, in terms of content anyway. This is, in essence, a business model similar to making dixie cups. We have no other way to make money. Do we really want to encourage cutting down trees right now? <BR/><BR/>It was also argued that a solution would be to price new books higher, but to me that is a disagreeable thought in terms of how both the book business and society would work . . . New knowledge should be available all, not just those with deep pockets. Not everyone lives an easy walk from a major public library. <BR/><BR/>So I again, I propose that some compromise, where some small payment be made for the re-use of a book’s intellectual property, would be of benefit to all, without being onerous to any. <BR/><BR/>I look forward to your arguments, they sharpen my brain. Thanks for the challenge. – Justin Locke <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.justinlocke.com" REL="nofollow">www.justinlocke.com</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-49684256596829924122009-02-20T16:53:00.000-05:002009-02-20T16:53:00.000-05:00This sounds like an interesting read. I would lov...This sounds like an interesting read. I would love to read it!Jennahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11574641185432494872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-57438842098618289552009-02-20T15:01:00.000-05:002009-02-20T15:01:00.000-05:00Interesting idea. But I don't agree with the conce...Interesting idea. But I don't agree with the concept. <BR/><BR/>Can't used DVDs can be resold online without royalties? I think even the movie industry recognizes there is a limit... otherwise, how would you like to pay a % to GM when you sell your used car to the next person? Or 1% back to the house builder when you move?<BR/><BR/> Plus, Most of the books I bought used were for small amounts. $4 for $45 retail book. There is the recycling and whats good for society. Would it become a bigger hassel to re-sell resulting in more items thrown away vs. reused?<BR/><BR/>Just a few thoughts <BR/>ken@dopplerVUE.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-43026280892710636102009-02-19T22:32:00.000-05:002009-02-19T22:32:00.000-05:00Very interesting ideas are presented by Mr. Locke....Very interesting ideas are presented by Mr. Locke. It would be a treat to win a copy of "Principles of Applied Stupidity" ...the title makes me curious!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the opportunity!<BR/><BR/>pumkinlady430@yahoo.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-19716943255008787672009-02-19T21:56:00.000-05:002009-02-19T21:56:00.000-05:00just a little addendum here, from the wikipedia li...just a little addendum here, from the wikipedia listing on ASCAP: <BR/><BR/><I>In 2005, ASCAP collected US $750 million in licensing fees and distributed US$646 million in royalties to its members, with a 12.5% operating expense ratio.</I> <BR/><BR/>see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCAPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4198904273734254988.post-87068304102581855232009-02-19T16:19:00.000-05:002009-02-19T16:19:00.000-05:00I really enjoyed the post by Justin Locke! I've lo...I really enjoyed the post by Justin Locke! I've long heard my professors complain about how they get no royalties for sale of their used books online - I've never paid much attention, but this article really put it in perspective. Being an author is hard work, and I agree with Mr. Locke that authors should receive some sort of compensation for used book sales as well.<BR/><BR/>Would love to win a copy of 'Principles of Applied Stupidity'. My e-mail is vvperesk@gmail.com.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com