Comments on: E-books at John Wiley & Sons: A coming-of-age story http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/01/31/wiley-sons-a-coming-of-age-story/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:47:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Branko Collin http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/01/31/wiley-sons-a-coming-of-age-story/#comment-210876 Branko Collin Fri, 02 Feb 2007 12:26:10 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=6142#comment-210876 I am afraid the whole idea of getting an authograph is so far removed from me that I don't know what fans would want in lieu of an autographed book. So tell me first, why do people seek autographs? Is it a memento of coming in contact with the actual person who is their hero? Is it a form of collecting? I guess a photo of the author with the hunter would be a substitute. This could be preserved as an annotation to the e-text. Recently I saw a documentary about the football player Ruud van Nistelrooy. He was giving the crew a tour of Old Trafford, the stadium where he used to plie his craft. During that tour, they met several actual groups of tourists, who were of course excited to see him. But instead of asking for his autograph, they took out their camphones, wrapped an arm around him, and took a picture. Van Nistelrooy seemed to take this all in good nature, but you could see it slightly irritated him, and at one point he involved the documentary crew in a game of avoid-the-fans. I think this has to do with control. When you write your signature, you are in control, but when a fan takes a picture, the fan is in control. This may of course also be the reason that all the fans seemed to favour a picture over an autograph. Authors could wrest back some of that control by providing the photographer! I am afraid the whole idea of getting an authograph is so far removed from me that I don’t know what fans would want in lieu of an autographed book. So tell me first, why do people seek autographs? Is it a memento of coming in contact with the actual person who is their hero? Is it a form of collecting?

I guess a photo of the author with the hunter would be a substitute. This could be preserved as an annotation to the e-text.

Recently I saw a documentary about the football player Ruud van Nistelrooy. He was giving the crew a tour of Old Trafford, the stadium where he used to plie his craft. During that tour, they met several actual groups of tourists, who were of course excited to see him. But instead of asking for his autograph, they took out their camphones, wrapped an arm around him, and took a picture.

Van Nistelrooy seemed to take this all in good nature, but you could see it slightly irritated him, and at one point he involved the documentary crew in a game of avoid-the-fans. I think this has to do with control. When you write your signature, you are in control, but when a fan takes a picture, the fan is in control. This may of course also be the reason that all the fans seemed to favour a picture over an autograph.

Authors could wrest back some of that control by providing the photographer!

]]> By: Jane http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/01/31/wiley-sons-a-coming-of-age-story/#comment-210368 Jane Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:18:39 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=6142#comment-210368 Branko! LMAO. But what do the women author's sign? The manboobs? Thanks but no. What about the ol' digital signature. It reminds of some futuristic books in which "paper" books are deemed a rare and expensive pleasure. Perhaps that is what this will come to. Branko! LMAO. But what do the women author’s sign? The manboobs? Thanks but no. What about the ol’ digital signature. It reminds of some futuristic books in which “paper” books are deemed a rare and expensive pleasure. Perhaps that is what this will come to.

]]> By: Branko Collin http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/01/31/wiley-sons-a-coming-of-age-story/#comment-210239 Branko Collin Fri, 02 Feb 2007 00:35:36 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=6142#comment-210239 I say breasts. (Why else would you become an author?) I say breasts.

(Why else would you become an author?)

]]> By: Robert Nagle http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/01/31/wiley-sons-a-coming-of-age-story/#comment-209767 Robert Nagle Thu, 01 Feb 2007 18:02:58 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=6142#comment-209767 "when we have nothing but E-books (as so many enthusiasts prophesize), what will authors sign?" (<a href="http://www.michaelabanks.com/books.htm" rel="nofollow">Comment left on Wickert's post by Michael Banks </a>. A profound question. Maybe napkins? “when we have nothing but E-books (as so many enthusiasts prophesize), what will authors sign?” (Comment left on Wickert’s post by Michael Banks .

A profound question. Maybe napkins?

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