Comments on: ‘Picard’s Syndrome’ in the Kindle era

By: Al

Al — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:32:12 +0000

If less than 5% of books are e-books, then when an e-book reader suggests a good book to a friend, it is 95% likely that he would obtain it in p-book format. Since many books are sold through word of mouth I will suggest that this is the cause of the free e-book selling more p-books, and not some Picard Syndrome.

ps, don’t let Big Pharma hear about this Syndrome because they will invent a pill for it and make it mandatory for all readers to take.

By: Felix Torres

Felix Torres — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:44:29 +0000

“Books, Mr Kirk, Books!”
I heard that quote at work for months from a friend who looked down at my ebook reading.
Then he got a Kindle.
Don’t hear it anymore.

By: Steve Jordan

Steve Jordan — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:49:40 +0000

[geek_alert] Although I understand North’s point, I’m afraid his choice of naming was mis-informed.

In fact, although Picard–and his predecessor, James T. Kirk–showed an appreciation for bound books, they were neither considered eccentric for reading them, nor did they read nothing but bound volumes… both were seen on numerous occasions reading from computer pads. Those bound books were considered treasured antiques, and no more unusual than you or I wearing an heirloom ring or enjoying a vintage Louis Armstrong recording.

If North wanted to suggest someone rooted in the past regarding books, and considered an eccentric for it, he would have been better off choosing Samuel T. Cogley, an attorney on the original series episode “Court Martial” who kept volumes upon volumes of books, instead of using computers, and was considered “odd” by those who knew him.

But I guess that doesn’t sound as cool as “Picard Syndrome”…[/geek_alert]

By: dan e bloom

dan e bloom — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:47:00 +0000

Nice insightful essay. Thanks

By: Rich Adin

Rich Adin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:59:55 +0000

@Chris – You wrote:

“Using a 1,500 page 3-volume book he self-published as an example, North suggests that ‘Picard’s Syndrome’ sufferers have learned to associate the cost of physical books with editorial quality: i.e. if someone spent the time and money on editing and printing it, it must be good or they would not have gone to all that trouble and expense. (This theory is, of course, somewhat undermined by the new ease of inexpensive self-publishing.)”

Actually, I think this theory is supported by self-publishing. People still assume that the printed book
equates with quality and the ebook with lack of quality precisely because of ebooks being shoddily edited. Few people know when a pbook is self-published, but it is often evident when an ebook is self-published (although with the shoddy work of the big publishers as regards ebooks one begins to wonder). People’s perceptions are tied to the physicality of the product although that will change as ebooks become more mainstream and pbooks rarer.

By: Rob Preece, Publisher

Rob Preece, Publisher — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:18:24 +0000

In business, it’s often necessary to bundle products. While it’s theoretically possible to separate, say, an expert recommendation from the book itself, it’s difficult to compensate that expert. If I had to pay an extra buck for a book I bought through the expert’s recommendation, why not read the recommendation then go directly to the site. It’s hard to copyright “Joe Smith calls this book brilliant” and authors would tend to crow about their recommendations…without the need to pay the recommender (in fact, paying the recommender could be viewed as unethical).

Yes, navigating the sea of sludge is a problem and likely to become an increasingly significant problem. Publishers bundle recommendation, editing (this is important) and distribution, adding considerable value to the content.

Rob Preece
Publisher