Comments on: Google Book Search: Industry-Friendly, Consumer Not-So-Friendly http://booksquare.com/google-book-search-industry-friendly-consumer-not-so-friendly/ Dissecting the publishing industry with love and skepticism Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:52:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Booksquare http://booksquare.com/google-book-search-industry-friendly-consumer-not-so-friendly/comment-page-1/#comment-118718 Booksquare Mon, 13 Mar 2006 20:46:51 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/03/13/1855/#comment-118718 Implication for writers: increased exposure should lead to increased sales. If you follow the link to the "soul searching" story, you'll see that a small press had a dramatic upswing in sales. Authors only earn money on the first sale, so anytime you increase sales numbers, you help the author. Now, if you also consider the fact that most books are unavailable to consumers (a very small percentage of actual in-copyright material is available for sale), then the mere act of digitizing and making words searchable is a benefit to all involved. See yesterday's rant on this very topic: <a href="http://www.medialoper.com/tags/sources/google/librarians-versus-the-search-giants/" rel="nofollow">Librarians Versus The Search Giants</a> Max -- funny you should bring this issue up. I attended a knock-down session on this very topic earlier today. It was going so fast that my notes are less decipherable than Coptic, but I think I got the gist. If not, I can go back and update once the podcast is available. The focus was mainly motion picture, but we all know that the concepts cut across all entertainment industries. Implication for writers: increased exposure should lead to increased sales. If you follow the link to the “soul searching” story, you’ll see that a small press had a dramatic upswing in sales. Authors only earn money on the first sale, so anytime you increase sales numbers, you help the author.

Now, if you also consider the fact that most books are unavailable to consumers (a very small percentage of actual in-copyright material is available for sale), then the mere act of digitizing and making words searchable is a benefit to all involved. See yesterday’s rant on this very topic:
Librarians Versus The Search Giants

Max — funny you should bring this issue up. I attended a knock-down session on this very topic earlier today. It was going so fast that my notes are less decipherable than Coptic, but I think I got the gist. If not, I can go back and update once the podcast is available. The focus was mainly motion picture, but we all know that the concepts cut across all entertainment industries.

]]> By: Kirsten http://booksquare.com/google-book-search-industry-friendly-consumer-not-so-friendly/comment-page-1/#comment-118716 Kirsten Mon, 13 Mar 2006 19:41:59 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/03/13/1855/#comment-118716 I'm still waiting for someone to explain the implications of all this for writers. It may be a good thing, for all I know, it's just so fricking complicated -- I feel like the straight man in a "who's on google" skit. I’m still waiting for someone to explain the implications of all this for writers. It may be a good thing, for all I know, it’s just so fricking complicated — I feel like the straight man in a “who’s on google” skit.

]]> By: Max http://booksquare.com/google-book-search-industry-friendly-consumer-not-so-friendly/comment-page-1/#comment-118713 Max Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:45:32 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2006/03/13/1855/#comment-118713 Seems like Google is caught between wanting to make things as accessible as possible for readers and not wanting to piss off publishers any further, which allowing printing would probably do. Whoever has the most flexible, user-friendly solution will win. That's how it always works. Seems like Google is caught between wanting to make things as accessible as possible for readers and not wanting to piss off publishers any further, which allowing printing would probably do. Whoever has the most flexible, user-friendly solution will win. That’s how it always works.

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