Archives: November 2003
Scientific Publishing
This article on scientific publishing of research holds some tremendous potential for disruptive change in that market.
I love it when upstarts challeng the status quo. That's what is going on there.
The long-time and tightly controlled scientific publishers do NOT want this new move to come to life. Why?
For the exact same reasons that book publishers don't want eBooks to come to life.
It's disruptive and MAY displace the existing, predictable revenue streams. It invites new competition and makes gray haired executives work harder, deal with their inner fears and have to learn new tricks.
It's work to them!
Nope. They would rather see us all just continue nicely along with the current models and methods. No need for change there. Everything's fine, ma!
Meanwhile, the tornado is tearing down the house from around them.
Witness the music and now video industries.
Why would any publisher (controller) of any info or content want to follow in those footsteps?
Search issues
The world has come crashing down.
Goolge has dramatically changed their algorithm it appears.
You can view online forums related to it:
I Help You Services
There is a lot of upheaval in the SEO world over the changes. Most of that upheaval is from webmasters and search engine optimization consultants.
However, now regular users are starting to throw fits. In chatting with many of my friends and colleagues the last three days, they have stopped using Google and instead, turned to All The Web, Alta Vista or MSN to find what they are looking for.
The reason? Lack of relevant results. I've had mixed results in my research. However I'm using All The Web, AV and MSN more today than ever in the last two years.
In fact, the results are so much more relevant on these other three search engines that it may be time to finally switch back. After all, when using a search engine, we are trying to find the most pertinent websites back to us.
We'll see whether Google fixes their problems or not. Meanwhile, if you don't like the results you see in Google (assuming you use it), don't forget there are other very good and viable search engines who do serve up relevant results.
Story unfolding.....
Smartphone eBook
The notion of buying an eBook to view and use from my smartphone is so odd to me. I suppose that is because living in the USA, and having broadband internet access, I take it for granted that if and when I buy and eBook, that I would read it from my PC.
However, this article describes a dilemma that I am familiar with, but forget about: EU countries pay per minute internet access.
While I don't have any idea of how much that costs, I'm reminded of my first dial up internet connection back in 1995, which also was per minute fee based.
No longer.
The citizens of EU countries must therefore get creative.
As the article describes, there is now offering a Wiki Encyclopedia as a Microsoft Smartphone eBook in the Mobipocket Reader format. It's only available in German right now, but I imagine other languages will be available including English.
Since the article doesn't credit a company, I'm guessing the Wiki German constituents prepared it. At the bottom of the article are free downloads.
I think the important thing to focus on here is the continued growth of unique methods of creating and distributing eBooks and content.
An author has so many digital methods for sales and distribution of their content. And for those USA authors, this piece suggests primary market drivers that are often overlooked due to our self-centered nature here in the USA. Open your minds, research and evaluate other international markets and don't simply limit yourself to the USA.
More progressive eBook use
This press release tells a fascinating story of use of eBooks by more mainstream media.
Aside from proprietary eBook Reader devices (i.e. Rocket) only internet marketers and their followers have been the hard core ebook promoters.
Windows & .Net Magazine Releases Free eBooks include articles and case studies on using the .Net programming language.
Here you have a mainstream publication deploying and daring to even use the cursed word "eBook" as part of their marketing strategy.
The eBook is free.
"Readers will find in-depth technical content and including the latest available market information."
What is most interesting to me is the use of "in eBook" advertising. They are taking a page from the Internet marketers (the so-called gurus), who have embedded affiliate links for several years in their eBooks.
Except Windows & .Net Magazine is not using affiliate links, but outright selling ad space.
Brilliant!
In fact, the PR is not about the eBook so much as it is the advertising opportunity.
Well, if you have $18,000 and want 3,000 guaranteed leads of .Net programmers, then go for it! I'd say if you are a software tools vendor, you're likely to get some decent value.
What I do like is this: mainstream media publications now embracing and daring to use the word "eBook".
Hooray!
Maybe we're on the way to seeing more of this. For those of us legitimate writers and publishers of non-fiction content, getting the word "eBook" up into top of mind awareness of the public would be a huge win in and of itself.
And you thought eBooks....
were mostly heavy sales pressure, how-to's about Internet Marketing!
Ha!
If you don't yet follow some of my news, you'll get some insights into the enterprise eBook market from this blog.
In this article there is news of what has become the domaint eBook software and services vendor, Overdrive Systems (my former employer, once upon a time!) closing a deal with Mobipocket.
Mobipocket makes a software system and format that allows users to download and read eBooks on smartphones, PDA systems, and personal computers.
Excuse me: PDA and smartphones to read an eBook?
Apparently the French (where Mobipocket has HQ) enjoy reading eBooks on these devices.
Errr...hmmm...I digress.
The real story there is Overdrive. Steve Potash has managed to remake Overdrive once again but this time has hit some paydirt.
Overdrive provides software, conversion services and marketing support primarily to libraries and publishing houses. They are not a company you or I would use.
Overdrive's focus is in trying to help get those two markets' massive content into electronic formats and then help them distribute and sell them.
Now THAT is a viable business!
As more and more news is reported here, we'll continue to monitor all the vendors, strategies and options for the rest of us.
Meanwhile, if you are an author who is thinking of creating an ebook or other info product, such as audio, video ot teleseminar recordings, stay tuned. You will find lots of info, sites and tips to help you trudge your road to happy destiny!
Here we go again....
In spite of my predictions (read the entry below of Nov. 14) and the USA market vendor and publisher experience, this this article informs the world that Sony Corp. and a small consortium of Japanese companies are moving forward with proprietary ebook formats based on Sony Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology.
*sigh*
Undoubtedly they are throwing a lot of money at this venture.
But this one is different in some respects. Don't get me wrong: it's doomed due to the proprietary nature of their "rental" offerings.
The difference in this news is that Sony has invested perhaps hundreds of millions in DRM technology for their movie and audio business. They are simply trying to leverage already sunk costs into a new market.
That's reasonable in concept.
However, reading an ebook is a vastly different experience for a reader than is viewing a DVD movie or listening to audio in whatever method you listen in.
Stay tuned!
eBook Gloom & Doom?
This Cnet eBook article has some mixed news, according to the author, and some good news for one eBook company.
As I mentioned in a previous blog note, and in an article almost 2 years ago, proprietary eBook readers and formats are doomed.
When these news sources proclaim "gloom and doom" in the ebook space, they are referring generally to the enterprise print publishers who are trying to go electronic, AND the proprietary software and hardware companies who sell and support them.
All of them are trying to become "defacto" industry standard formats, thus gaining a market advantage.
In that light, my prediction 2 years ago was, and remains, that proprietary ebook formats and readers, such as Rocket and others, are bound to fail.
The market has spoken and the answer is: Acrobat.
The ebook market is thriving folks!
Especially the non-fiction, "how-to" arena. Yea, there is a lot of junk out there. But there is a lot of good stuff from experienced people. The only difference is there is not a publisher acting as a gatekeeper any more in the Acrobat published ebook market.
Hmmm....sounds like an opportunity....
:-)
Web site linking
We routinely exchange links with related websites.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to let those of you who are webmasters know that we have a reciprocol link program where we review and approve linking partnerships.
Call for Writers
Knowledge Download is now open to receiving articles on any and all topics related to the theme of ebooks. Those topics would include the categories:
Writing
Editing
Motivation
Publishing
Producing
Marketing & Selling
Distribution
If you have articles you would like to see published and distributed on our web site, please go to our eBook Contact Page and choose any of the emails to send it to for review.
Specifically, we're looking for good "how-to" information; tips, suggestions, techniques and strategies.
Your writing will help our readers learn and gain you exposure to new visitors.
New articles
We have published two new articles on the main website.
Create A Marketing Plan (For Your Writing) gives you writers some solid suggestions on how and why you need to create a marketing plan for your writing.
The second article, License Your Information Products for Extra Cash Flow gives you plenty of ideas on the how and why you need to add licensing to your product list.
It is amazing to me how many authors have solid "how-to" info products, but never explore the potential of licensing their works. If that is you, just know that you are leaving potentially a lot of money on the table!
Japanese ebooks
The Daily Yomiuri reports that Japanese giant Sumitomo Corp. will release comics via ebooks.
yomiuri.co.jp
In addition, Sumitomo's ebook comics will be translated into Korean language and distributed into Korea.
This is certainly not earth shattering news. However it does point to the growth of major companies to utilize the internet to distribute their content via ebook formats.
It also proves that ebooks are not an English language phenomena.
Welcome to the eBook Self-Publishing blog
Now that all the torture hours are over to create our ebook self-publishing blog, I'll be able to focus on finding info, writing tips and suggestions to help our readers with their ebook goals.
You will notice some navigation on the left side.
The first set of navigation links are for categories of the blogs we write.
That is not going to be a perfect system and it may change as time rolls along.
However, it will help provide some quick lookup capability.
Next down the left side, you'll see a search feature. This search feature ONLY searches this blog. If you want to search articles and info on the main website, there is a separate search feature in the upper right hand corner.
Then, as you proceed down the left side, you have Archive and Archive summaries. These are designed to get you to quick "past" issues of the blog info we produce.
While that space is fairly empty now, it should grow in size as time rolls along.
Lastly, you will see links to the main Knowedge Download eBook Self Publishing site. The main KD site is packed with over 100 articles (and growing) helping authors at every major phase of their ebook self publishing efforts.
Of course, our main offering is a site builder software tool and "in domain" hosting specifically for ebook authors to be able to quickly and easily build ebook selling websites. For only $14/month, coupled with all the support we give you, it cannot be beat!
Please enjoy our blog and let us know how we can help you!