What I like about music labels is simply convenience: I know if a band comes out on a specific label (say, Metal Blade (dont’ laugh)), I can be assured that someone, somewhere, thinks it’s good enough to put out and I will go check it via Napster, iTunes, what have you. If I like it, I’ll buy it digitally. If I love it, I may fork out for the physical product. The only thing that’s really changing with digital distribution is that labels are going to have to start actually providing their bands real services as their profit margins are dropping through the floor.

I see something similar with book publishing. The majors of fiction publishing (penguin, etc?) may have to scale their operations back, focus on different types of advertising (online, etc) vs prominent book displays at B&N, etc. The thing is, now with digital distribution, the publishers are (and should be) afraid that established writers can pull a Trent Reznor and go completely independent once they’ve built a name. They will have to provide their authors with real value.

This is a good thing from a creator’s perspective.

EVOLVE!!!

think from a point of courage, and not that of fear.

best

I read a lot, on my laptop, reader, iPod Touch etc.. but there is never a feeling ownership with an e-book. A

This is not about science or technological progress, ebooks are about convenience and in the same way that you get a better feeling of satisfaction from a home cooked meal than you do a frozen dinner nuked in the microwave physical printed books will always feel better and more satisfying.

True you get the exact same content in an e-book, but you loose so much else.

Beyond the sensibilities of reading, books are decorative (people proudly display their book collection), a dating aid – (bit hard to see what that girl or guy you fancy is reading if it’s on an ebook – there goes your conversation starter), a multipurpose tool, doorstop, bug swatter and floor leveler.

But I’m being silly, but I hope you get my point.. books are far more than just the words that make them up. They are an experience.

Young or old, people will always be willing to pay for a good experience and a sense of ownership.

Ok, that’s not entirely true. I think there will be many types of books that will remain in physical form – art books, guides, maps etc. But novels and newspapers? They will be fully electronic in 5 years, other than the paper copies bought by the same grannies that still buy filament lightbulbs.

Kuhn said that shifts in science are not brought about by existing people being convinced of new ways of doing things. Those people die, and are replaced by younger people who are not stuck in the past. The same is true of technology. I know plenty of people with VHS players, but they are all over 60.