Although I agree with your general point, the analogy to UFOs is absurd. There is no generally accepted verifiable factual evidence that UFOs exist. There is plenty of evidence that at least some people will steal what they can afford to buy if they can do so with an acceptable (to them) level of vulnerability.
That said, I agree with the objections about the Kindle. I don't buy DRM music, and I won't buy DRM books. If I get an ebook, I want to be able to send it to my wife and kids to read with no extra charge. I want the ebooks to be considerably cheaper than paper versions. I want the reader to be reasonably priced so I can get one for any in my family who want one (at least an extra one for sharing interesting books). I'd also like to be able to annotate my books, as I do with paper versions. Add a slot for a high-capacity card for mp3s and a PIM program for appointments and tasks. Then, you've got something. Until all of the above happens, I won't be getting a Kindle or any other ebook reader. And as an English professor, I think I would be a prime target for the marketers of these devices. Jeff Myers > -----Original Message----- > From: Tom Piwowar [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 6:39 PM > Subject: Re: ebook readers > > >Perhaps because with e-books, you can distribute, share, etc. with > >thousands of people very easily? > > "Can" is not the same as "will." > > The logic proceeding from the easy distribution assertion is > no better than claims about UFOs. It focuses on fictitious > sales that might happen if people had the extra money and > really cared about the content and got around to it. ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
