From: JamesBritt <james@...>
Date: 2002-08-12T10:32:22+09:00
Subject: RE: Economics of E-books? ( was re: Dr. Dobbs Ruby Article)

>
> Bruce Eckel seems to have struck a winner with Thinking In Java
> (and probably
> others).  People read it online, and then decide its worth
> having.  I didn't
> know it was online before I bought it, but when I found out I was
> still glad I
> bought it.

Had I gone on using Java I likely would have bought Thinking in Java.  I had
browsed through the online version, and decided it was a good book.  I can't
actually *read* a book online; aside from quality of light and resolution,
half my reading occurs places that computers, even laptops, just tend not to
go.  Besides, I like paper. I like ruffling through pages, bending corners,
writing in the margins.

>
> Andy & Dave lost at least one sale (to me) by giving the book
> away, because
> there are other Ruby books to buy, so it seems sensible to have
> (access to) two
> books for the same price as one.  However, reading that book
> online influenced
> me to buy The Pragmatic Programmer, so you could think of it as a
> loss leader.
> Anyway, I keep getting this niggling feeling that I should buy it (not for
> moral satisfaction, but because it's a good book), and if I had
> been inside a
> bookstore these last two weeks I probably would have bought it!

I use the Windows help version of the book all the time, but it would not be
so useful had I not already read the paper version.  I tend to see the
availability of "free" books as simialr to P2P music sharing.  If I find
somehting I truly like, I tend to buy the "official" version, both to
support the creators, and because the product is more durable.  I can no
longer afford to buy books or CDs simply on the basis of a few favorable
comments, so an extended preview period is more likely to get me to buy
something.

James

>
> Cheers,
> Gavin
>