Comments on: ‘Formatted to fail’: Ellen’s Adobe-related hassles at the New York Public Library—and some possible fixes http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:23:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Mike Cane http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-771714 Mike Cane Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:13:30 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-771714 It's been soooo long since I tried ADE and NYPL ebooks that I don't recall all the frikkin steps. I don't recall it being hugely bad, but then again that might be a part of my memory Simvastatin devoured. Anyway, I still do paper books via NYPL. Uhhhh... about 20 waiting to be read. It’s been soooo long since I tried ADE and NYPL ebooks that I don’t recall all the frikkin steps. I don’t recall it being hugely bad, but then again that might be a part of my memory Simvastatin devoured.

Anyway, I still do paper books via NYPL. Uhhhh… about 20 waiting to be read.

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765350 David Rothman Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:03:28 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765350 Thanks, Ficbot. No prob. I know you're not knocking Ellen. I'm delighted that <em>both</em> of you wrote on the hassles that library DRM is causing. Everyone, vendors included, will win if there are better solutions. Meanwhile I've added a link to your post. Thanks again. David Thanks, Ficbot. No prob. I know you’re not knocking Ellen. I’m delighted that both of you wrote on the hassles that library DRM is causing. Everyone, vendors included, will win if there are better solutions. Meanwhile I’ve added a link to your post. Thanks again. David

]]> By: ficbot http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765291 ficbot Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:43:31 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765291 Also, wanted to clarify, I am not knocking Ellen's article or the post about it. On the contrary, I think it is really important---if more than one blogger is posting about the exact same objections after following the exact same thought process ("I want to read books from the public library on my mobile device, how hard can it be? Answer: too hard") than that should be a wake-up call to the publishers. Treat your product like any other product and sell it in a sensible fashion, please, without adding needless layers of complication. I really don't thinkt he ebook market is big enough right now that piracy is really such a huge money-loser compared tot he money-loser of 'nobody can figure out how to do it without being so annoyed that they vow never to buy one again.' Also, wanted to clarify, I am not knocking Ellen’s article or the post about it. On the contrary, I think it is really important—if more than one blogger is posting about the exact same objections after following the exact same thought process (”I want to read books from the public library on my mobile device, how hard can it be? Answer: too hard”) than that should be a wake-up call to the publishers. Treat your product like any other product and sell it in a sensible fashion, please, without adding needless layers of complication. I really don’t thinkt he ebook market is big enough right now that piracy is really such a huge money-loser compared tot he money-loser of ‘nobody can figure out how to do it without being so annoyed that they vow never to buy one again.’

]]> By: ficbot http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765287 ficbot Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:35:54 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765287 Yup, that's it! Yup, that’s it!

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765188 David Rothman Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:13:00 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765188 Ficbot, you're absolutely right. Can you track down the URL and post it in the comment area? I'll also provide a link to it from the present piece. If it's too much trouble, I'll track down your older post myself. Nice to have company in New York, eh? And lots of other places! Thanks a lot. David Addendum: Is this the one? http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/17/my-first-foray-into-the-drm-filled-world-of-ebabel/ Thanks, Ficbot! Ficbot, you’re absolutely right. Can you track down the URL and post it in the comment area? I’ll also provide a link to it from the present piece. If it’s too much trouble, I’ll track down your older post myself. Nice to have company in New York, eh? And lots of other places! Thanks a lot. David

Addendum: Is this the one? http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/17/my-first-foray-into-the-drm-filled-world-of-ebabel/
Thanks, Ficbot!

]]> By: ficbot http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765147 ficbot Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:07:52 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/15/formatted-to-fail-ellens-adobe-related-hassles-at-the-new-york-public-library-and-some-possible-fixes/#comment-765147 David, I recall writing an artivle for you way back where I detailed these exact same objections e.g. multiple user names, superfluous software and an end result of several junky programs on my hard drive but no actual books. I really think the digital publishing industry is makign some huge mis-steps here. If they want to sell ebooks like a product, they need to think of them like any other product where the goal is to get as many items as possible into as many customers hands as speedily and efficiently as possible. Creating barriers to usage when your problem is already lack of usage is just stupid. Can you imagine going to the grocery store and being stopped at the entrance to 'register'? And then trying to buy a product within the grocery store and being told that you have to 'register' again (but with different people) in order to be allowed to buy it? How quickly after such an experience would you be giving up on that grocery store? David, I recall writing an artivle for you way back where I detailed these exact same objections e.g. multiple user names, superfluous software and an end result of several junky programs on my hard drive but no actual books. I really think the digital publishing industry is makign some huge mis-steps here. If they want to sell ebooks like a product, they need to think of them like any other product where the goal is to get as many items as possible into as many customers hands as speedily and efficiently as possible. Creating barriers to usage when your problem is already lack of usage is just stupid. Can you imagine going to the grocery store and being stopped at the entrance to ‘register’? And then trying to buy a product within the grocery store and being told that you have to ‘register’ again (but with different people) in order to be allowed to buy it? How quickly after such an experience would you be giving up on that grocery store?

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