Comments on: ‘In praise of shyness’: The e-book angle http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:06:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-700546 David Rothman Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:44:00 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-700546 Hi Rdas. As noted, the link is credit, and I went out of my way to add Rob's name at the end; and beyond that, it's a time thing---I originate the overwhelming majority of the posts for the TeleBlog and am doing my best to serve my readers. Both WordPress and Microsoft Live Writer, which I use for composing, don't exactly make instant work of captions. I'd love for that capability to be there--let me see if I can pass the suggestion to the WordPress side. I'd even like a "CC-licensed" to be able to appear automatically with a link. Ideally this could be built into WordPress rather than simply be a plug-in. Thanks. David Hi Rdas. As noted, the link is credit, and I went out of my way to add Rob’s name at the end; and beyond that, it’s a time thing—I originate the overwhelming majority of the posts for the TeleBlog and am doing my best to serve my readers. Both WordPress and Microsoft Live Writer, which I use for composing, don’t exactly make instant work of captions. I’d love for that capability to be there–let me see if I can pass the suggestion to the WordPress side. I’d even like a “CC-licensed” to be able to appear automatically with a link. Ideally this could be built into WordPress rather than simply be a plug-in. Thanks. David

]]> By: rdas7 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-700535 rdas7 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:08:09 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-700535 David, I don't quite understand what you mean when you say "linking is another form of credit" as the reason you posted the photo without mention of who took it. Surely credit is the point? Otherwise your visitors might think that you took the photo yourself? I would have thought that a picture caption would be a more appropriate place to put such a mention, as there are several methods to do this in Wordpress. Honestly, I'm not trying to be argumentative here (it's just a little photo!), but I believe that this taps into a larger topic, related to the interactivity and books you discuss. As you yourself also use a Creative Commons license on your work, for required accreditation, use of Rob's photo is no different than someone reposting your article verbatim and omitting your name as author? David,

I don’t quite understand what you mean when you say “linking is another form of credit” as the reason you posted the photo without mention of who took it. Surely credit is the point? Otherwise your visitors might think that you took the photo yourself?

I would have thought that a picture caption would be a more appropriate place to put such a mention, as there are several methods to do this in Wordpress.

Honestly, I’m not trying to be argumentative here (it’s just a little photo!), but I believe that this taps into a larger topic, related to the interactivity and books you discuss. As you yourself also use a Creative Commons license on your work, for required accreditation, use of Rob’s photo is no different than someone reposting your article verbatim and omitting your name as author?

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-698385 David Rothman Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:17:59 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-698385 Hi, Rdas7. I agree with your concerns. The reason I didn't mention the talented Rob by name is that the linking is another form of credit and a rather meaningful one on the Web (people do blind links to the TeleBlog constantly). It's for time reason that I omitted the name. You know what would be cool and address these issues? Some kind of WordPress/Flickr plug in. Meanwhile, however, I'll stick in an addendum with both Rob's name and a link. Thanks for writing in. David Hi, Rdas7. I agree with your concerns. The reason I didn’t mention the talented Rob by name is that the linking is another form of credit and a rather meaningful one on the Web (people do blind links to the TeleBlog constantly). It’s for time reason that I omitted the name. You know what would be cool and address these issues? Some kind of WordPress/Flickr plug in. Meanwhile, however, I’ll stick in an addendum with both Rob’s name and a link. Thanks for writing in. David

]]> By: rdas7 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-698104 rdas7 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:55:32 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-698104 Um, a friend of mine took the pic that you are using at the top of your post, the one of the girl reading in the field... I'm sure he'd appreciate a mention, rather than just linking the pic off Flickr with no credit. His name is Rob McGlynn and is an excellent photographer! Credit where credit is due! :) Um, a friend of mine took the pic that you are using at the top of your post, the one of the girl reading in the field…

I’m sure he’d appreciate a mention, rather than just linking the pic off Flickr with no credit. His name is Rob McGlynn and is an excellent photographer! Credit where credit is due! :)

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-697405 David Rothman Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:32:07 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-697405 Peter: <em>Thanks</em> for expressing one of my concerns. I know people like to be social and let their hair down. But sometimes this slows down the discussion of the actual substance of a book. I want relevant specifics; I want people to discuss characters and motives and plots and the rest. I suspect guidelines for participants can help. So can the presence of a good moderator. Trouble is, it's hard enough to moderate even with regular BBS-style forums. Can a moderator really be online, for all of the real-time chat sessions, 24 hours a day? Just to be clear: I love the idea of BookGlutton---I just want people to be aware of the limitations o the chat medium. - David Peter: Thanks for expressing one of my concerns. I know people like to be social and let their hair down. But sometimes this slows down the discussion of the actual substance of a book. I want relevant specifics; I want people to discuss characters and motives and plots and the rest. I suspect guidelines for participants can help. So can the presence of a good moderator. Trouble is, it’s hard enough to moderate even with regular BBS-style forums. Can a moderator really be online, for all of the real-time chat sessions, 24 hours a day? Just to be clear: I love the idea of BookGlutton—I just want people to be aware of the limitations o the chat medium. - David

]]> By: Peter Kerry Powers http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-695235 Peter Kerry Powers Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:25:09 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-695235 Thanks for nice things said about my blog, David. And I like what Aaron says about the different potential uses for BookGlutton. Although it seems to me that the selling point of the new technology is really the reading together--and I really do see this as comporting with a general preference for "connectivity" in contemporary culture that should probably be questioned--I could still see some uses for this format in an English class so that students could see that people are actually reading the same text differently and reflect on why those differences exist. On the other hand, I've had students participate in online book clubs, and they universally complain that the clubs are dominated by people leaving comments like "Melville is the coolest" or else talking about how difficult it was to finish the book because they have a crappy job. I wonder what controls, if any, will be in place at BookGlutton to keep it from being clogged with ephemera. I'm not sure marginalia such as "The coolest!!!" and "Barforama!" are really very useful for the reading experience. But can the democratization of the web do anything to control them. Thanks for nice things said about my blog, David. And I like what Aaron says about the different potential uses for BookGlutton. Although it seems to me that the selling point of the new technology is really the reading together–and I really do see this as comporting with a general preference for “connectivity” in contemporary culture that should probably be questioned–I could still see some uses for this format in an English class so that students could see that people are actually reading the same text differently and reflect on why those differences exist.

On the other hand, I’ve had students participate in online book clubs, and they universally complain that the clubs are dominated by people leaving comments like “Melville is the coolest” or else talking about how difficult it was to finish the book because they have a crappy job. I wonder what controls, if any, will be in place at BookGlutton to keep it from being clogged with ephemera. I’m not sure marginalia such as “The coolest!!!” and “Barforama!” are really very useful for the reading experience. But can the democratization of the web do anything to control them.

]]> By: Aaron Miller http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-694720 Aaron Miller Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:31:53 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-694720 Gerry, I'm with you on wanting to read alone and discuss later. That's why it's important that people can close the Talk and Mark panels and not think about them, like turning off a cell phone in a library or movie theater. Then, after everyone in a book group has read the book, they can jump back in together and do a close reading and discussion, the way they would in a small English seminar or book club meeting. In those contexts, reading is a social activity for everyone. It can be difficult to find people willing to discuss a book at the paragraph level in your own neighborhood. BookGlutton simply hopes to make it easier. Our intention is not to cater to short attention spans, it's to use technology to overcome distance and bridge cultures by bringing people with a common interest together. Aaron Miller, BookGlutton co-founder Gerry, I’m with you on wanting to read alone and discuss later. That’s why it’s important that people can close the Talk and Mark panels and not think about them, like turning off a cell phone in a library or movie theater. Then, after everyone in a book group has read the book, they can jump back in together and do a close reading and discussion, the way they would in a small English seminar or book club meeting. In those contexts, reading is a social activity for everyone.

It can be difficult to find people willing to discuss a book at the paragraph level in your own neighborhood. BookGlutton simply hopes to make it easier. Our intention is not to cater to short attention spans, it’s to use technology to overcome distance and bridge cultures by bringing people with a common interest together.

Aaron Miller,
BookGlutton co-founder

]]> By: ‘In praise of shyness’: The e-book angle | Library Stuff http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-694307 ‘In praise of shyness’: The e-book angle | Library Stuff Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:18:46 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-694307 [...] Great piece by David Rothman. Posted in E-Books | Trackback | del.icio.us | Top Of Page [...] [...] Great piece by David Rothman. Posted in E-Books | Trackback | del.icio.us | Top Of Page [...]

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-694305 David Rothman Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:11:42 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-694305 Depends on the book, Gerry. How would you feel about reading a how-to on Web design and being able to exchange tips with other readers from within the book? Wouldn't that make sense if the interface were right? But for novels? My own personal preference would mostly jibe with yours. I want to lose myself in the book and compare notes only afterwards, assuming I even feel like it. On the other hand, I would be interested in analysis by scholars and other experts---including interactive discussion within the book. Or what about discussions by those familiar with the subject matter covered by the fiction? For example, friends of the novelist? Still, that's not quite the many-to-many approach BookGlutton is using. Of course, plenty of people will disagree with us---and as I've said, I love the idea of BookGlutton as a way to get IM-oriented folks interested in reading. Perhaps from there they can be gently guided AWAY from the idea of constant interactivity. Here's to books as ways to inspire reflection! Thanks, David Depends on the book, Gerry. How would you feel about reading a how-to on Web design and being able to exchange tips with other readers from within the book? Wouldn’t that make sense if the interface were right?

But for novels? My own personal preference would mostly jibe with yours. I want to lose myself in the book and compare notes only afterwards, assuming I even feel like it.

On the other hand, I would be interested in analysis by scholars and other experts—including interactive discussion within the book. Or what about discussions by those familiar with the subject matter covered by the fiction? For example, friends of the novelist? Still, that’s not quite the many-to-many approach BookGlutton is using.

Of course, plenty of people will disagree with us—and as I’ve said, I love the idea of BookGlutton as a way to get IM-oriented folks interested in reading. Perhaps from there they can be gently guided AWAY from the idea of constant interactivity. Here’s to books as ways to inspire reflection!

Thanks,
David

]]> By: Gerry Manacsa http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-694289 Gerry Manacsa Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:31:02 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/01/20/in-praise-of-shyness-the-e-book-angle/#comment-694289 Reading is not a social activity for me — not during the actual reading phase, at least. I enjoy discussing books between reads, but I strive hard to achieve the solitude that comes with a truly immersive reading session. BookGlutton is apparently not intended for me... Reading is not a social activity for me — not during the actual reading phase, at least. I enjoy discussing books between reads, but I strive hard to achieve the solitude that comes with a truly immersive reading session. BookGlutton is apparently not intended for me…

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