Comments on: Douglas Adams’s 30 year old cult hit outsells the new Dan Brown … on the iPhone http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/douglas-adams%e2%80%99s-30-year-old-cult-hit-outsells-the-new-dan-brown-%e2%80%a6-on-the-iphone/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:23:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tristan Bergh http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/douglas-adams%e2%80%99s-30-year-old-cult-hit-outsells-the-new-dan-brown-%e2%80%a6-on-the-iphone/comment-page-1/#comment-1146607 Tristan Bergh Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:51:29 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30053#comment-1146607 Hooray!!!!! Rubbish writing versus joyous illuminated rewarding words results in the 'right' outcome. All is right with the world. Hooray!!!!! Rubbish writing versus joyous illuminated rewarding words results in the ‘right’ outcome. All is right with the world.

]]> By: Garson O'Toole http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/douglas-adams%e2%80%99s-30-year-old-cult-hit-outsells-the-new-dan-brown-%e2%80%a6-on-the-iphone/comment-page-1/#comment-1146560 Garson O'Toole Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:59:37 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30053#comment-1146560 Thanks to – andy – for the interesting science fiction history. Isaac Asimov described a "telebook" in a poignant 1951 story about automated education titled "The Fun They Had". The character Tommy responds to a conventional paper book and its static content with disdain.<blockquote>"Gee," said Tommy. "What a waste. When you're through with the book, you just throw it away, I guess. Our television screen must have had a million books on it and it's good for plenty more. I wouldn't throw it away. "Same with mine," said Margie. She was eleven and hadn't seen as many telebooks as Tommy had.</blockquote> This citation is from the <a HREF="http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=1802" rel="nofollow">Technovelgy</A> website. Thanks to – andy – for the interesting science fiction history. Isaac Asimov described a “telebook” in a poignant 1951 story about automated education titled “The Fun They Had”. The character Tommy responds to a conventional paper book and its static content with disdain.
“Gee,” said Tommy. “What a waste. When you’re through with the book, you just throw it away, I guess. Our television screen must have had a million books on it and it’s good for plenty more. I wouldn’t throw it away. “Same with mine,” said Margie. She was eleven and hadn’t seen as many telebooks as Tommy had.

This citation is from the Technovelgy website.

]]> By: -andy- http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/douglas-adams%e2%80%99s-30-year-old-cult-hit-outsells-the-new-dan-brown-%e2%80%a6-on-the-iphone/comment-page-1/#comment-1146533 -andy- Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:17:40 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30053#comment-1146533 Not to quibble about a bit of marketing fluff but -- <i>Of course the Hitchhiker’s Guide in itself was the first fictional incarnation of an ‘ebook’! </i> Not exactly. James H' Schmitz's character <b>Telzey Amberdon</b> in his 1962 story "Novice" had a "pocket edition law library" with a view screen and buttons. That fit in a pocket. So... library? Obviously an ebook. (The same character in later stories uses something like e-mail, the internet, and online gaming in stories written over the next decade (aka Before the Internet). Not that it is relevant to this case. All of which are available at the Baen Free Library.) And I'm sure there are other examples that pre-date Hithchikers Guide. Not to quibble about a bit of marketing fluff but –

Of course the Hitchhiker’s Guide in itself was the first fictional incarnation of an ‘ebook’!

Not exactly. James H’ Schmitz’s character Telzey Amberdon in his 1962 story “Novice” had a “pocket edition law library” with a view screen and buttons. That fit in a pocket. So… library? Obviously an ebook.

(The same character in later stories uses something like e-mail, the internet, and online gaming in stories written over the next decade (aka Before the Internet). Not that it is relevant to this case. All of which are available at the Baen Free Library.)

And I’m sure there are other examples that pre-date Hithchikers Guide.

]]> By: karen wester newton http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/douglas-adams%e2%80%99s-30-year-old-cult-hit-outsells-the-new-dan-brown-%e2%80%a6-on-the-iphone/comment-page-1/#comment-1146531 karen wester newton Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:40:09 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30053#comment-1146531 What I would want is an iPhone app that turns the iPhone into the Hitchhiker's Guide-- and I don't mean the novel. I mean the "book" that say "Don't Panic!" on the cover! What I would want is an iPhone app that turns the iPhone into the Hitchhiker’s Guide– and I don’t mean the novel. I mean the “book” that say “Don’t Panic!” on the cover!

]]> By: Aaron Pressman http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/douglas-adams%e2%80%99s-30-year-old-cult-hit-outsells-the-new-dan-brown-%e2%80%a6-on-the-iphone/comment-page-1/#comment-1146523 Aaron Pressman Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:14:40 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=30053#comment-1146523 Is the Dan Brown ebook in the UK iTUnes store priced like the ridiculous rip-off Scrollmotion version in the US store? $25 for the ebook? Is that a joke? As of right now, it's 25th among paid apps in the book category, trailing Binky the Pink Elephant, The Love Dare: 40 Dares and, of course, the 99 cent King James Bible. Meanwhile, the dead tree pulp version of Brown's book is available for $18 at Target.com, $16 from Amazon and $14 at Walmart. Kindle version is $9.99 FWIW. Is the Dan Brown ebook in the UK iTUnes store priced like the ridiculous rip-off Scrollmotion version in the US store? $25 for the ebook? Is that a joke? As of right now, it’s 25th among paid apps in the book category, trailing Binky the Pink Elephant, The Love Dare: 40 Dares and, of course, the 99 cent King James Bible.

Meanwhile, the dead tree pulp version of Brown’s book is available for $18 at Target.com, $16 from Amazon and $14 at Walmart. Kindle version is $9.99 FWIW.

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