Comments on: Wowio sorrows (continued): Site has taken away the free PDFs of ‘Alice’ and done a Gradgrind act http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:06:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Gerry Manacsa http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-947657 Gerry Manacsa Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:58:00 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-947657 For those who use an iPhone or iPod Touch, I'd encourage you to come visit WOWIO to try out the new iPhone-specific webapp. We're trying out an all-new interface and a different ad model which may address some of the issues raised here. Go to <a href="http://www.wowio.com" rel="nofollow">wowio.com</a> on your iPhone/Touch and you'll automatically be sent to the iPhone edition of WOWIO. I'd love to hear your feedback (here or you can follow <a href="http://twitter.com/WOWIO" rel="nofollow">WOWIO on Twitter</a> and send comments there). For those who use an iPhone or iPod Touch, I’d encourage you to come visit WOWIO to try out the new iPhone-specific webapp. We’re trying out an all-new interface and a different ad model which may address some of the issues raised here.

Go to wowio.com on your iPhone/Touch and you’ll automatically be sent to the iPhone edition of WOWIO.

I’d love to hear your feedback (here or you can follow WOWIO on Twitter and send comments there).

]]> By: Garthe Kindler http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-869039 Garthe Kindler Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:28:34 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-869039 I've also removed Wowio from my bookmarks. I really appreciated the previous availability of books from the site though sponsorship and didn't mind the ads. Now, the site is a joke. Why would I pay them for books in the public domain and available elsewhere for free? They've taken a huge step backwards. I’ve also removed Wowio from my bookmarks. I really appreciated the previous availability of books from the site though sponsorship and didn’t mind the ads. Now, the site is a joke. Why would I pay them for books in the public domain and available elsewhere for free? They’ve taken a huge step backwards.

]]> By: Todd Jonz http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-868917 Todd Jonz Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:08:07 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-868917 David writes: > isn’t there a way to distinguish American > visitors from others—geographically, at least? Not really. A proxy server or onion router can easily be used to mask the actual origin of an HTTP request. > Looking on Wowio for a PDF freebie of Alice’s > Adventure Under Ground, the Lewis Carroll > classic? Forget it. Why bother with Wowio for titles like this in the first place? I go to Feedbooks, which deserves our support for a wide variety of reasons. No, <i>Alice’s Adventure Under Ground</i> isn't currently available from Feedbooks, but you'll note on Carroll's author page a user request from last January that <i>Sylvie and Bruno</i> be added to the collection, and it's now available. Ask and perhaps ye shall receive. > I was a bit sarcastic in suggesting that Wowio’s > loud ads in online editions were a way to torture > you into buying PDF files. Sarcasm aside, there can be little doubt that this is at least part of the sales strategy. > Blinking ads are the enemy of immersive reading Not to mention mouse-over ads that mask the content you're trying to read when you inadvertently move the mouse pointer across them -- argh! That's why I've installed the Adblock Plus plug-in on my browser; I just did a test drive at Wowio and was able to view a randomly chosen title online without seeing any ads. > According to Will, I shouldn’t bemoan the barrage > of ads because such similar distractions are in > the face of visitors to "mainstream news and > information" sites. Or, to put it another way, "We're no more obnoxious than most other sites." Not a particularly strong endorsement IMHO. > if garish ads are so such life-enhancers, shouldn’t > the rich put up billboards on their country estates? Visit Vermont sometime. Billboards are prohibited by law. When we moved to Vermont from California we hadn't been in the state for more than a couple of hours before we remarked on the conspicuous absence of billboards. Curiously, we don't feel any less free as a result of Vermont's prohibition of outdoor advertising. In fact, the beauty of the Green Mountains is all the more apparent for lack of billboards calling one's attention to the nearest fast food restaurant. David writes:

> isn’t there a way to distinguish American
> visitors from others—geographically, at least?

Not really. A proxy server or onion router can easily be used to mask the actual origin of an HTTP request.

> Looking on Wowio for a PDF freebie of Alice’s
> Adventure Under Ground, the Lewis Carroll
> classic? Forget it.

Why bother with Wowio for titles like this in the first place? I go to Feedbooks, which deserves our support for a wide variety of reasons. No, Alice’s Adventure Under Ground isn’t currently available from Feedbooks, but you’ll note on Carroll’s author page a user request from last January that Sylvie and Bruno be added to the collection, and it’s now available. Ask and perhaps ye shall receive.

> I was a bit sarcastic in suggesting that Wowio’s
> loud ads in online editions were a way to torture
> you into buying PDF files.

Sarcasm aside, there can be little doubt that this is at least part of the sales strategy.

> Blinking ads are the enemy of immersive reading

Not to mention mouse-over ads that mask the content you’re trying to read when you inadvertently move the mouse pointer across them — argh! That’s why I’ve installed the Adblock Plus plug-in on my browser; I just did a test drive at Wowio and was able to view a randomly chosen title online without seeing any ads.

> According to Will, I shouldn’t bemoan the barrage
> of ads because such similar distractions are in
> the face of visitors to “mainstream news and
> information” sites.

Or, to put it another way, “We’re no more obnoxious than most other sites.” Not a particularly strong endorsement IMHO.

> if garish ads are so such life-enhancers, shouldn’t
> the rich put up billboards on their country estates?

Visit Vermont sometime. Billboards are prohibited by law. When we moved to Vermont from California we hadn’t been in the state for more than a couple of hours before we remarked on the conspicuous absence of billboards. Curiously, we don’t feel any less free as a result of Vermont’s prohibition of outdoor advertising. In fact, the beauty of the Green Mountains is all the more apparent for lack of billboards calling one’s attention to the nearest fast food restaurant.

]]> By: Roger Roger http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-868771 Roger Roger Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:04:28 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-868771 Wowio had promise, but selling to a shitty company like Platinum Studios is a BAD sign of things to come. This change in formats is the first proof of that. Wowio had promise, but selling to a shitty company like Platinum Studios is a BAD sign of things to come. This change in formats is the first proof of that.

]]> By: bwaldron http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-868728 bwaldron Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:43:29 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/08/05/wowio-sorrows-continued-site-has-taken-away-the-free-pdfs-of-alice-and-done-a-gradgrind-act/#comment-868728 >> There will be positive publicity here >> if/when Wowio deserves it. Thanks...because I have removed Wowio from my bookmarks and won't be visiting again. The re-launched site is a major disappointment, and simply not worth my time. >> There will be positive publicity here
>> if/when Wowio deserves it.

Thanks…because I have removed Wowio from my bookmarks and won’t be visiting again. The re-launched site is a major disappointment, and simply not worth my time.

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