Ser Scot A Ellison Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 This is from January, but, I recall seeing an article this week, that I can't locate talking about the same issue. It seems Paperbooks are on the rise while eBooks are flat regarding sales:http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/americans-prefer-print-books-over-e-books/ Mr.OJ complained about the pricing for the Novella The Slow Regard of Silent Things in the Wise Man's Fear thread. Is pricing a reason why people aren't converting to eBooks? If they are going to pay normal price for the work perhaps they want a tangible copy to keep? Discuss (I did check for a more recent thread on this topic. The most recent I could find is from 2014 and already archived) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSumm Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I'll throw in my reason for switching to ebooks, just because it's pretty weird; I have an eye floater the exact shape of a screen cursor that's been bugging the crap out of me for months. When I read, it sits about three words to the left of the one I'm reading and is incredibly distracting. I tried reading with shades which helped a little (feels pretty daft though) but the only true solution is reading on an iPad in night mode (white on black). Doctor says the only thing to do is a surgical operation which flushes the whole layer of fluid out, but that's usually for cases where there's loads of floaters and it's basically like being partially sighted. So I guess I'll just hope it goes away eventually. I would certainly still like to own a physical copy of a book if I like it, and so it occurred to me that if I buy ebooks and then subsequent paperbacks if I enjoy it, my library will gradually come to represent my tastes more closely than it currently does (containing as it does, books I've bought but not enjoyed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Richard II Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 No, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilbur Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 1 minute ago, Darth Richard II said: No, Cogent and convincing argument! Seriously, though, I think that the overall available market for books will expand. Paper will comprise a smaller than 100% percentage of the overall book market, obviously, and the gross numbers for paper may even fall, but I expect that the overall gross numbers of available books will increase because of the growth of ebooks. There are authors for whom I can no longer find paper copies, but whose works are now available in electronic format.  Without the ebooks, I would never have been able to read some of these out-of-print works.  I appreciate that very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Richard II Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Ha, my response got cut off. i don't think  either will replace the other. And though I am a hardcore fan of physical books, that's just my pteference. I have nothing against ebooks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedEyedGhost Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 1 hour ago, DaveSumm said: because it's pretty weird; I have an eye floater the exact shape of a screen cursor that's been bugging the crap out of me for months. When I read, it sits about three words to the left of the one I'm reading and is incredibly distracting. I tried reading with shades which helped a little (feels pretty daft though) but the only true solution is reading on an iPad in night mode (white on black). Doctor says the only thing to do is a surgical operation which flushes the whole layer of fluid out, but that's usually for cases where there's loads of floaters and it's basically like being partially sighted. So I guess I'll just hope it goes away eventually. High contrast makes them more noticeable that's why shades and night mode help. The brain will typically begin filtering them, and the amount you see it should decrease dramatically in the first 6-9 months. They also don't have to flush the whole layer of fluid (how old is your doctor??), they can do a partial vitrectomy by inserting three very small needles (a light/camera, one for fluid balance, and one that's like a lawnmower to chew the floater and suck it out). The newer instruments are so much safer that retinal surgeons are doing that surgery a lot more often, but it is still major surgery (general anesthesia) so they don't like to do it unless it is interfering with your daily life, and they'll likely make you wait at least a year to give your brain the opportunity to adapt.  29 minutes ago, Darth Richard II said: No, Yes.  Were you going to complete your thought after that comma? We will likely not live to see it, but only a fool would say that eBooks will not supplant paper.  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 REG, Okay, explain to this fool the flat sales of eBooks and the growth in paper book sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Richard II Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Oh jeez, eye floaters are the worst. I had laser eye surgery in both eyes that caused massive floaters to the point where I had to have the fluids in both my eyes replaced. I feel ya man. Â And yeah, if they are going to supplant paper books..uh....why haven't they and why are sales down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedEyedGhost Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 26 minutes ago, Darth Richard II said:  And yeah, if they are going to supplant paper books..uh....why haven't they and why are sales down? Because old people act like old people. The first kindle was released only nine years ago, and paper to ebooks will take generations. "I don't get why people are using this newfangled paper when cuneiform is perfectly good. Hurumpf..." heard 2000 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 19 minutes ago, RedEyedGhost said: Because old people act like old people. The first kindle was released only nine years ago, and paper to ebooks will take generations. "I don't get why people are using this newfangled paper when cuneiform is perfectly good. Hurumpf..." heard 2000 years ago. So, ignore the actual evidence.  It'll happen because it will happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Richard II Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Yeah uh, actual numbers and math are showing that neither is going to supplant the other. I don't get the anger each camp has towards each other either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 As I understand it eBooks have largely supplanted mass market paperbacks. Â Trade paperbacks and hardbacks still sell quite well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I think ebook sales will pick up again when a decent phone solution emerges. We've seen the same thing happen with dedicated music players. The market went crazy and then it started going downhill because people didn't want to lug both a phone and an MP player around, so they used the phone for that as well (although I still use a dedicated MP3 player because storing and playing music absolutely kills both my phone's battery and storage). And the same with cameras. The problem is that most phone screens are still not really comfortable enough for e-reading, either size, light or battery-wise, and the really popular tablets (iPads and Galaxy Tabs) are too big. I think once the technical issues are overcome and you can get a really decent integrated phone and e-reader, you'll see the format improving in popularity again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unJon Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016  The by far most important driver in whether ebooks eventually supplant paper books is which natural resource runs out first: trees or oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 3 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said: REG, Okay, explain to this fool the flat sales of eBooks and the growth in paper book sales. For me it's cost. I get 99% of my ebooks from Amazon. Though I don't buy nearly as many these days, simply because I'm seeing fewer and fewer bargains. Pretty sure there's been some changes to Amazon's pricing strategy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gertrude Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I think ebooks in some form will eventually prevail, but not in our lifetimes because there will always be people like Scot :p. Also Wert and unJon make the points I would have made. Right now it's still newish and the best solutions to integrating the technology and pricing etc have not settled. It also goes to resources and what will be more cost-efficient in the future. Mainly I use my e-reader as Scot has noted - it's replaced my paper-back collection. I was never one for buying hard-covers except when I really couldn't wait to read the latest (Martin, for example). I still buy books that don't make sense as ebooks - those that rely heavily on illustration or photography, reference books with diagrams, etc. Basically if a book offers something above just being a good story/source of info, I will buy the physical copy. I love both, but man is digital convenient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Richard II Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Consumers make no sense. Vinyl is back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durckad Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 1 minute ago, Darth Richard II said: Consumers make no sense. Vinyl is back. But it totally sounds better, man! I buy both. I like having hardcover copies for my favorite authors and I like e-books for their convenience and portability. I do not mind seeing mass market paperbacks going the way of the dodo. Mass market paperbacks are the worst. Worse than Britta even. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altherion Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Eventually, yes, but not in the near term. We're still at the point where there are multiple e-book formats and multiple e-readers not all of which are trivially compatible (yes, it is generally possible to make things work, but it's not instantaneous). And yes, the price fixing by the major publishers is certainly not helping matters. We need a few more consolidations and/or better technology before the e-books make their next push. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all swedes are racist Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 1 hour ago, Darth Richard II said: Consumers make no sense. Vinyl is back. Shit, if a real book came with a coupon for a few download of the e-book, I can tell you id probably buy an e-reader and helluva lot more new books but I would be interested in seeing who is buying paper books (and what books they are buying) and how those people stack up to vinyl constomers in terms of drivers etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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