Despite all of technology's wonderful powers, its strange how we cling to the past. I discovered that my library has a large number of eBooks you can 'borrow'. I say 'borrow' because rather than just letting anyone who wants one download it and read it they have a fixed number of virtual copies and a new person can't check one out until someone returns theirs. Considering this is all free I find that insane. Here are some other potential examples of old business models limiting the possibilities of technology:
-Sites having two "proceed to checkout" links where one is only for people with less than 15 things in their cart
-Travel sights showing you a video of someone typing at a keyboard for five minutes while you just sit there watching for no discernable reason
-Shopping sites streaming you crappy music while you shop
-MP3 sites forcing you to buy nine crappy songs for every two good ones
-Porn sights showing pictures of less attractive people/animals/things during off-peak hours
In Bloom
22 hours ago
2 comments:
Isn't it lucky that you have a librarian-to-be around to inform you irritatingly about questions you did not really need to be answered?
Those ebooks are sold with licenses that won't allow the library to check more than X number out at a time. In other words, they are sold like real actual books rather than electronic books. So yes, you should not blame your friendly neighborhood library and instead take it up with the big bad for-profit companies that sell ebooks.
What kind of device do you have? I don't know many ebook adoptees, and inquiring pre-librarian minds want to know.
I understand the library isn't responsible. My gripe is that the publishing companies insist on forcing their existing business model on a new technology frontier that could be so much more.
For example: I almost NEVER buy books, but I would probably be willing pay $5/month to a company that would give me unlimited online access to ALL eBooks whenever I wanted - a system that has been embraced by a lot of digital music providers.
I don't have a specific device for eBooks - I currently just use my laptop. I'd love to get one on my phone, but I haven't found one that will actually work yet.
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