OUGD601 // Dissertation // Publishing:Principles & Practice notes

Publishing: Principles & Practice - Richard Gutherie.

"In a few years our leisure will be spent either surfing, shopping or chatting on interactve, web enabled television sets and reading novels, newspapers or magazines on electronic books". Henry Yuen, 2000.

Digitalisation underlies whole process of publishing whatever end product.

For two decades published texts are produced and stored digitally with output of paper, digital, audio books.

Changes to publishing by digitalisation has effected the way editors and publishers develop, produce and sell intellectual property.

Google Books -
17th November 2005 released
started with 5 research libraries and a few publishers

E-books - late 1990's appeared

Personal computers were revolutionising workspaces and home life.

Nicholas Negroponte -
"what weighs less than one millionth of an ounce, consumes less than a millionth of cubic inch, holds 4 million bits and costs less than $2"

- People believe e-books can positively transform information and leisure book provision. Other not convinced.

- Harold Henke - trained since childhood to read books, not chunks of information
" Print books will continue to be used at least while children are encouraged to read books."

Print book has survived rise of personal computer, internet, web and video games.

e-book presents a threat to paper book - ebook now presents a potential source of revenue.

Publishers view:
- print books continuing love story for readers.
- libraries and bookstores still dependant on books
- digital data & info storage not yet safe
- book trade copyright made uncomfortable if not compatible with e-books
- digital piracy still a huge risk

Print book cultural force with mature age brackets.
- books don't inspire young readers as they once did. Now have video games, mobiles & web taking all the attention.
- 40 yrs ago was 'cool' for uni student to carry a book, now its 'cool' to use electronic devices.

Reading is far from dead as cultural activity, but nature of reading is changing fast

No one can see the future, but can see potential for e-books within our society.

"Electronic books have finally arrived. Portable, versatile and easy to use, they represent a challenge to the paper and ink we've relied on for 1500 years". Rick Lockridge, 1998

E-book is currently a digital copy of the original print book. The e-book could be an interpretative medium in the way film is a cinematic interpretation of a book. It could merge graphic novel, animation, music & film into a new format, becoming a creative mix of multimedia rather than a cannibalistic competitor for sales with the original - the print book.

"Heres the thing - people tire of new toys quickly, lets just hope there wont be a terrorist EMP that'll wipe them all out. They are ephemeral. In a very real sense, not books at all, or course, books themselves are hardily indestructible". Stephen King.

Print is not perfect technology
- if paper prices were to rise, book production would wither and die.

Environmental issues with both print and digital
- satisfy different cultural and practical needs.

Future shouldn't be either e-book or print book.
- both platforms can work together - different identities and audiences

E-books show potential for development in near future but no one knows how soon it will happen.