From: "W. Kent Starr" <elderburn@...>
Date: 2001-02-22T22:50:45+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:11311] Re: Programming Ruby is now online

On Thursday 22 February 2001 08:10, Andrew Hunt wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Feb 2001 09:48:01 +0900, Jim Freeze <jim@freeze.org> wrote:
> > On Thu, 22 Feb 2001, Dave Thomas wrote:
> > > > > The book is released under an Open Publication license, so you're
> > > > > free to make copies--see the file COPYING in the download for
> > > > > details.
> >
> > This is a great resource. I have the printed book, but it is nice to have
> > a searchable version online when I forget 'the book'.
> >
> > I'm curious though, no party's had an objection to releasing the
> > book online in fear that it would decrease sales of the book?
>
> Quite the opposite, I think.  I've been lured by a number of openly
> available texts (or MP3's) and then gone on to buy the real article.
> It's very handy to have a clickable, searchable version of a reference
> manual, but there are times (especially when you aren't sure what you're
> looking for) that you want the paper version.  I need and use both, so
> I think in the long term this will both help sales of the book and
> further promote Ruby to those with casual interest.
>
> /\ndy
>

At the risk of using incitive language, Jupiter Research, pretty much 
respected for its methods and provable results, concluded that CD sales in 
music stores actually *increased* as a side effect of Napster (the incitive 
word). Hardcopy is a different vehicle, serves different needs. Many like 
having both.

(Think of mp3 in terms of 'radio' and you'll get a feel for the dynamics 
involved in this.)

While there are certainly those who for philosophical or practical reasons 
will/can not buy the book (and I suspect a some at the other end of the 
spectrum who will/can not use the online version) I suspect the bulk of 
people will acquire and use both at different times and in different contexts.

One teet that transcends economic 'waves': markets are made, not born! Even 
some members of the RIAA are catching on to this. :-)

Regards,

Kent Starr
elderburn@mindspring.com