Comments for Bill Nienhuis http://billn.com/blog ...my thoughts on digital publishing Thu, 27 May 2010 16:44:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Should Text Book Publishers Fear Kindle DX? by Katy http://billn.com/blog/should-text-book-publishers-fear-kindle/#comment-16 Katy Thu, 27 May 2010 16:44:08 +0000 http://billn.com/blog/should-text-book-publishers-fear-kindle/#comment-16 Several textbook publishers are already offering their textbooks as ebooks at a discounted price. Cengage offers e-chapters--pay $1.99 per chapter of their textbook, and their e-book price is 50% off of the printed book price (the site where that publisher sells e-books is http://www.cengagebrain.com/market/index.html). I've told my students about it if they're interested in having an e-book version, but the vast majority have opted for the hard copy. Using e-book readers more widely might actually convert more students (they want to be able to take their book with them & not have to read at their computer) but I think the Kindle DX would have to be free (as suggested in the quote above) or very, very cheap for students to embrace it. I'm probably speaking from a specific demographic of students too--community college students who can barely afford to pay their tuition there won't be able to purchase e-book readers for their e-textbooks. Several textbook publishers are already offering their textbooks as ebooks at a discounted price. Cengage offers e-chapters–pay $1.99 per chapter of their textbook, and their e-book price is 50% off of the printed book price (the site where that publisher sells e-books is http://www.cengagebrain.com/market/index.html). I’ve told my students about it if they’re interested in having an e-book version, but the vast majority have opted for the hard copy. Using e-book readers more widely might actually convert more students (they want to be able to take their book with them & not have to read at their computer) but I think the Kindle DX would have to be free (as suggested in the quote above) or very, very cheap for students to embrace it. I’m probably speaking from a specific demographic of students too–community college students who can barely afford to pay their tuition there won’t be able to purchase e-book readers for their e-textbooks.

]]> Comment on Easy Way to Add Twitter Followers by AutoTweet4free http://billn.com/blog/easy-way-to-add-twitter-followers/#comment-9 AutoTweet4free Sun, 12 Apr 2009 04:08:46 +0000 http://billn.com/blog/?p=3349#comment-9 I like the looks of WeFollow much better than that basic search available on twitter. I started to add all the celeb for my movie oriented twitter page. Excellent for targeting interests. I like the looks of WeFollow much better than that basic search available on twitter. I started to add all the celeb for my movie oriented twitter page. Excellent for targeting interests.

]]> Comment on Cambridge University Press: Too Old to Fail by MAS1916 http://billn.com/blog/cambridge-university-press-too-old-to-fail/#comment-15 MAS1916 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:48:59 +0000 http://billn.com/blog/?p=3459#comment-15 Team Obama may truly be considering a bail out of all things print-related. With failures of the Sun Times, Post Intelligencer and soon to be Sacramento Bee, Obama sees his base of propaganda support eroding. Be prepared to be taken over and having a new CEO with significantly Liberal viewpoints installed. Team Obama may truly be considering a bail out of all things print-related. With failures of the Sun Times, Post Intelligencer and soon to be Sacramento Bee, Obama sees his base of propaganda support eroding.

Be prepared to be taken over and having a new CEO with significantly Liberal viewpoints installed.

]]> Comment on Book Publishers Want To Keep DRM Alive by The Absurdity of DRM « Publishing Renaissance http://billn.com/blog/long-live-drm/#comment-11 The Absurdity of DRM « Publishing Renaissance Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:19:19 +0000 http://billn.com/blog/?p=3398#comment-11 [...] fighting piracy, would learn the lesson that the music industry learned and decide not to use DRM. Alas, many publishers have chosen instead to embrace DRM. Ironically, Amazon, which doesn’t add DRM to the music it sells, does use a DRM scheme with [...] [...] fighting piracy, would learn the lesson that the music industry learned and decide not to use DRM. Alas, many publishers have chosen instead to embrace DRM. Ironically, Amazon, which doesn’t add DRM to the music it sells, does use a DRM scheme with [...]

]]> Comment on An Author’s Perspective on the Book Publishing Industry by Wickedsunny http://billn.com/blog/an-authors-perspective-on-the-book-publishing-industry/#comment-13 Wickedsunny Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:55:05 +0000 http://billn.com/blog/?p=3413#comment-13 Gary Excellent Article Bottom Line : The more famous you are the more you will sell your book. It is very simple :) Gary Excellent Article

Bottom Line : The more famous you are the more you will sell your book. It is very simple :)

]]> Comment on Obsessed With Book Smell? by Brad Brickley http://billn.com/blog/obsessed-with-book-smell/#comment-14 Brad Brickley Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:08:43 +0000 http://billn.com/blog/?p=3441#comment-14 I've had my Kindle 2 since it came out in Feb. 2009, and I really like it. It's great for the books that I mainly read which are History, Biography and assorted novels. As for feel, I like it. It's light, and great for reading in bed and for travel. It has a great cover and night light that I bought along with it. I can bring many books with me when I head off to work or travel. It's not great for books that have a lot of graphics. I also wouldn't want to use them for researching, i.e. if you are flipping back and forth a lot looking for something. The down loading of books is very easy and the prices are pretty good. I buy a lot of books from Costco at about $15-$25 range, I figure I'll save some money buy the digital copies in the $10 range it. There is a lot of free content out there for public domain books also. Over all pretty good product. I’ve had my Kindle 2 since it came out in Feb. 2009, and I really like it. It’s great for the books that I mainly read which are History, Biography and assorted novels.
As for feel, I like it. It’s light, and great for reading in bed and for travel. It has a great cover and night light that I bought along with it. I can bring many books with me when I head off to work or travel.
It’s not great for books that have a lot of graphics. I also wouldn’t want to use them for researching, i.e. if you are flipping back and forth a lot looking for something.
The down loading of books is very easy and the prices are pretty good. I buy a lot of books from Costco at about $15-$25 range, I figure I’ll save some money buy the digital copies in the $10 range it. There is a lot of free content out there for public domain books also.
Over all pretty good product.

]]> Comment on An Author’s Perspective on the Book Publishing Industry by Seven Lions » Blog Archive » The Creation of Media as Work - writing, research, art and digital media http://billn.com/blog/an-authors-perspective-on-the-book-publishing-industry/#comment-12 Seven Lions » Blog Archive » The Creation of Media as Work - writing, research, art and digital media Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:47:02 +0000 http://billn.com/blog/?p=3413#comment-12 [...] I’ll flatter myself and claim that Son of the Great River is literature) and the continuing tribulations of the publishing industry.  Ricour makes the point that writing, and here I’d assume also any other form of knowledge [...] [...] I’ll flatter myself and claim that Son of the Great River is literature) and the continuing tribulations of the publishing industry.  Ricour makes the point that writing, and here I’d assume also any other form of knowledge [...]

]]> Comment on Book Publishers Want To Keep DRM Alive by Keith Thompson http://billn.com/blog/long-live-drm/#comment-10 Keith Thompson Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:34:23 +0000 http://billn.com/blog/?p=3398#comment-10 Hello Bill, Very nice post! I agree with most of your comments. I actually work for a company that offers a DRM solution. Many of our clients are, indeed, publishers (as you mentioned). However, unlike other DRM providers, we offer a more subtle approach i.e. the reader experience comes first. If you have time, you might want to take a few moments to explore our offering @ www.protectedpdf.com. Kind regards, Keith Thompson Vitrium Systems Hello Bill,

Very nice post! I agree with most of your comments. I actually work for a company that offers a DRM solution. Many of our clients are, indeed, publishers (as you mentioned). However, unlike other DRM providers, we offer a more subtle approach i.e. the reader experience comes first. If you have time, you might want to take a few moments to explore our offering @ http://www.protectedpdf.com.

Kind regards,

Keith Thompson
Vitrium Systems

]]> Comment on Books Read (and Written) on Cell Phones by Kaira http://billn.com/blog/books-read-and-written-on-cell-phones/#comment-2 Kaira Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:14:08 +0000 http://originalexpression.com/?p=26#comment-2 Hmm, very cognitive post. Is this theme good unough for the Digg? Hmm, very cognitive post.
Is this theme good unough for the Digg?

]]> Comment on Is Blogging Dead (To You)? by K http://billn.com/blog/is-blogging-dead-to-you-2/#comment-8 K Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:14:17 +0000 http://www.originalexpression.com/?p=55#comment-8 What a sad thought. I just got on the blog bandwagon so I hope it is still going strong. I like the whole experience more than I expected. I made a facebook account last year and I enjoy that, but I think it's a different experience than blogging. Facebook is more a way to stay connected to people I know in "real" life. It helps me keep tabs on the big news going on with old co-workers, college friends, etc. Blogging is more about actually expressing myself and maybe connecting with the world at large. For example, I don't know you and I would never have met you on Facebook, but here I am writing you a comment... What a sad thought.

I just got on the blog bandwagon so I hope it is still going strong. I like the whole experience more than I expected.

I made a facebook account last year and I enjoy that, but I think it’s a different experience than blogging.

Facebook is more a way to stay connected to people I know in “real” life. It helps me keep tabs on the big news going on with old co-workers, college friends, etc.

Blogging is more about actually expressing myself and maybe connecting with the world at large.

For example, I don’t know you and I would never have met you on Facebook, but here I am writing you a comment…

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