Comments on: Stanza 1.4 now available for downloading http://www.teleread.org/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:03:27 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John http://www.teleread.org/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/comment-page-1/#comment-911326 John Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:12:06 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/#comment-911326 It infuriates me that ebooks are often sold at hardback price points. I fully understand the process by which authors must be compensated but there is no way the bandwidth and storage for an ebook comes close to the production cost of a hardback book from publisher to point of sale. It's sheer greed on behalf of publishing houses. If Stanza ceases to be free, but still offers a better experience than free rivals-to-be, then people will still pay. The Mac version is a little clunky, but the iPhone version is slick and actively improving. It infuriates me that ebooks are often sold at hardback price points. I fully understand the process by which authors must be compensated but there is no way the bandwidth and storage for an ebook comes close to the production cost of a hardback book from publisher to point of sale.

It’s sheer greed on behalf of publishing houses.

If Stanza ceases to be free, but still offers a better experience than free rivals-to-be, then people will still pay. The Mac version is a little clunky, but the iPhone version is slick and actively improving.

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/comment-page-1/#comment-910984 David Rothman Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:45:22 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/#comment-910984 Yep, Mike, it's pretty evident that publishers are unnecessarily making life MUCH tougher for them and their customers. A no-hassle format, no DRM, and a free or low-cost reader--what an unbeatable combination that would be, compared to the present mess. Please note that Lexycle plans to charge for Stanza, but I doubt we're talking a big amount here. More importantly, with a standard format, it's easier for all kinds of free rivals to pop up. DRM inherently increases costs at all ends, alas. - David Yep, Mike, it’s pretty evident that publishers are unnecessarily making life MUCH tougher for them and their customers. A no-hassle format, no DRM, and a free or low-cost reader–what an unbeatable combination that would be, compared to the present mess. Please note that Lexycle plans to charge for Stanza, but I doubt we’re talking a big amount here. More importantly, with a standard format, it’s easier for all kinds of free rivals to pop up. DRM inherently increases costs at all ends, alas. – David

]]> By: Mike Cane http://www.teleread.org/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/comment-page-1/#comment-910585 Mike Cane Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:24:16 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/#comment-910585 Oh this is funny. I just got to teleread for the evening just now, after I earlier did a post right along the lines of points you raise here -- including mentioning Stanza! How Print Publishers Are Killing Writers http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/how-print-publishers-are-killing-writers/ One of us was channeling the other! Oh this is funny. I just got to teleread for the evening just now, after I earlier did a post right along the lines of points you raise here — including mentioning Stanza!

How Print Publishers Are Killing Writers
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/how-print-publishers-are-killing-writers/

One of us was channeling the other!

]]> By: Hadrien http://www.teleread.org/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/comment-page-1/#comment-910337 Hadrien Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:02:11 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/#comment-910337 I've added the support for a description on Feedbooks' API. All the new books should have a description in a few days. For the back catalog we'll see, I'll probably add a feature to allow visitors on Feedbooks to suggest a description. All the original books submitted by their authors already have such a description on Feedbooks. I’ve added the support for a description on Feedbooks’ API. All the new books should have a description in a few days. For the back catalog we’ll see, I’ll probably add a feature to allow visitors on Feedbooks to suggest a description.

All the original books submitted by their authors already have such a description on Feedbooks.

]]> By: John http://www.teleread.org/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/comment-page-1/#comment-910154 John Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:29:37 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/09/19/stanza-14-now-available-for-downloading/#comment-910154 Stanza 1.4 is awesome and I can't wait to see it getting plugged in to major online bookstores as long as they work out a way of paying for content easily (ie not having to put in your credit card details each time) from right inside the app. A slight annoyance was that to get the nice cover images for books already in my library before upgrading, I had to delete and re-download them. Also, I do wish the online catalogues provided back-cover summaries. Otherwise, between Stanza and eReader things are looking really good for ebooks on the iPhone and Mac. Stanza 1.4 is awesome and I can’t wait to see it getting plugged in to major online bookstores as long as they work out a way of paying for content easily (ie not having to put in your credit card details each time) from right inside the app.

A slight annoyance was that to get the nice cover images for books already in my library before upgrading, I had to delete and re-download them.

Also, I do wish the online catalogues provided back-cover summaries.

Otherwise, between Stanza and eReader things are looking really good for ebooks on the iPhone and Mac.

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