In the role-playing game business, a similar discussion is underway. The issue for them is similar to the pay-what-you-want post from yesterday.
To supplement says of printed books, some companies are offering PDFs. Determining the price point seems to be difficult. For example, one book, Septimus RPG costs $39.95 for a 364 pg book. (buying the book includes a CD with the PDF on it) It is available as a downloadable PDF for $20.
There have been some complaints about the price, noting that a PDF costs very little to distribute through drivethrurpg.com. Some commenters have stated that the PDF should be high to help WEG (the publisher) recoup the cost of the book. Others state that the price should be lower to attract more fans.
The odd thing is that almost everyone seems to think that pricing it for $10 or lower is too low. The perceived value of the content is viwed to be between 1/2 to 2/3 the printed book price. It would seem that the RPG buying public views PDFs at a certain price point as 'low quality', 'poor content', or 'not a serious product'.
I know that the numbers are arbitrary and have nothing to do with economics, yet the perception of the buying public appears to push the PDF price up, not down.
Maybe the niche market of RPG publishing is an exception to the rule. What does everyone else think?
It seems that if the pool of perspective buyers have differs ideas to what a CD is worth, then a pay what you want seems to work best.
For a street performer, I may think a CD is worth $5 because I saw him perform and want his music. $5 is fair price because there is no middleman. Someone else may think it is worth $10 because that's how much they pay for a good CD. A CD for $5 is interpreted as a poor quality CD (recording or music-wise)
In other words, because perceived value is variable, price point is variable.
One use for the print paper that is still popular here is coupons for the grocery store. Adding a conveience to print out digital coupons hasn't really caught on here.
I could see a online only newspaper printing a Sunday magazine that includes coupons, longer pieces, even CDs of local bands. It would serve the community as well as make them an arbiter of taste.
I work in a school district that took another option for their spelling books. They realized that buying the rights for the books and printing them ourselves was cheaper.
I hope Flat World Knowledge works. I wonder, though, how they will be able to make Literature textbooks. Project Gutenburg, anyone?
BestNetTech has not posted any stories submitted by John Payne.
e-book prices
In the role-playing game business, a similar discussion is underway. The issue for them is similar to the pay-what-you-want post from yesterday.
To supplement says of printed books, some companies are offering PDFs. Determining the price point seems to be difficult. For example, one book, Septimus RPG costs $39.95 for a 364 pg book. (buying the book includes a CD with the PDF on it) It is available as a downloadable PDF for $20.
There have been some complaints about the price, noting that a PDF costs very little to distribute through drivethrurpg.com. Some commenters have stated that the PDF should be high to help WEG (the publisher) recoup the cost of the book. Others state that the price should be lower to attract more fans.
The odd thing is that almost everyone seems to think that pricing it for $10 or lower is too low. The perceived value of the content is viwed to be between 1/2 to 2/3 the printed book price. It would seem that the RPG buying public views PDFs at a certain price point as 'low quality', 'poor content', or 'not a serious product'.
I know that the numbers are arbitrary and have nothing to do with economics, yet the perception of the buying public appears to push the PDF price up, not down.
Maybe the niche market of RPG publishing is an exception to the rule. What does everyone else think?
Pay what you want
It seems that if the pool of perspective buyers have differs ideas to what a CD is worth, then a pay what you want seems to work best.
For a street performer, I may think a CD is worth $5 because I saw him perform and want his music. $5 is fair price because there is no middleman. Someone else may think it is worth $10 because that's how much they pay for a good CD. A CD for $5 is interpreted as a poor quality CD (recording or music-wise)
In other words, because perceived value is variable, price point is variable.
sacking
Obligatory MP quote:
We apologise again for the fault in judge bias. Those
responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked
have been sacked.
Myth of sensory enhancement
http://www.afb.org/message_board_replies2.asp?TopicID=2163&FolderID=1
For the record, my deaf son doesn't see better than anyone else either.
I agree that the blind are not helpless. Before doing anything, we should ask those that are blind.
Not surprising
The two representatives represent Wake (Raleigh) and Meckenlenburg (Charlotte), TimeWarner's two biggest markets in NC.
Deferring the TW lawyer during a hearing? Fail!
One Idea
One use for the print paper that is still popular here is coupons for the grocery store. Adding a conveience to print out digital coupons hasn't really caught on here.
I could see a online only newspaper printing a Sunday magazine that includes coupons, longer pieces, even CDs of local bands. It would serve the community as well as make them an arbiter of taste.
Another Option
I work in a school district that took another option for their spelling books. They realized that buying the rights for the books and printing them ourselves was cheaper.
I hope Flat World Knowledge works. I wonder, though, how they will be able to make Literature textbooks. Project Gutenburg, anyone?