E-book publishers side with Apple, ask DoJ to scrap new price-fixing rules


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Apparently Apple isn't the only company thinking the US Department of Justice's recently imposed remedies against it were "draconian." US publishers HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin and others have also ganged up on the DOJ with a legal brief opposing the punitive restrictions. In it, they say the watchdog is "attempting to impose a specific business model on the publishing industry," despite assertions it wouldn't play that role. If you'll recall, Apple was recently found guilty of price-fixing following charges filed last year. Now, the Justice Department is trying to force Apple to end its current agreements with the publishers and let rival e-book retailers like Amazon link to their own online stores.
 
Apple earlier condemned the decision, saying it was "wildly out of proportion to any... wrongdoing or potential harm." The publishers added that it effectively punishes them by prohibiting the so-called agency model, which lets them set their own prices for e-books and other media. A similar affair was settled rather more amicably in Europe, meanwhile, when the same band of publishers agreed to allow other retailers to sell e-books cheaper than Apple does, if they so choose. Evidently, they feel the DOJ overstepped its bounds in the US and seem intent to back Apple to the bitter end.

 

 

 
 
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What a waste of money. Come to a judgement that suits practically nobody in the industry.

 

I will bet that, once this whole thing comes to a close, the prices of ebooks will rise anyway.

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What a waste of money. Come to a judgement that suits practically nobody in the industry.

 

I will bet that, once this whole thing comes to a close, the prices of ebooks will rise anyway.

 

Anyone that pays more than 75% of the cost of a print book, for an ebook, is an idiot.  Personally, I wouldn't pay more than 50% of the printed version cost, seeing as there are zero distribution and virtually zero manufacturing costs involved in creating them.

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Anyone that pays more than 75% of the cost of a print book, for an ebook, is an idiot.  Personally, I wouldn't pay more than 50% of the printed version cost, seeing as there are zero distribution and virtually zero manufacturing costs involved in creating them.

 

Agreed. Plus, there's something nice about having a physical paper book that you just don't get with an ebook.

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Agreed. Plus, there's something nice about having a physical paper book that you just don't get with an ebook.

 

Aye.  Personally, I buy print books for things I've never read, and reserve ebooks for re-reading.

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Anyone that pays more than 75% of the cost of a print book, for an ebook, is an idiot.  Personally, I wouldn't pay more than 50% of the printed version cost, seeing as there are zero distribution and virtually zero manufacturing costs involved in creating them.

 

Yes, you just take a physical book and place it on the internet scanner, and then they float there in the inter-space waiting for your download.

 

Honestly, if you want to read a book, and it's not for reference, why not just go get it from the library for free?

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Agreed. Plus, there's something nice about having a physical paper book that you just don't get with an ebook.

I disagree. EBooks are far more convenient imo. Paper copies just take up unnecessary space.

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Yes, you just take a physical book and place it on the internet scanner, and then they float there in the inter-space waiting for your download.

 

Honestly, if you want to read a book, and it's not for reference, why not just go get it from the library for free?

 

When I want to read a book, I generally go to the book store and buy a print copy. I have quite an extensive library at home. 6 bookshelves full of them, as well as a significant collection of ebooks as well.  I have a better fiction section than my local library does. :p

 

The point is, making an ebook version of a book costs -very- little.  All of the work for proofing etc has already been done, and it already exists in digital form at the publishers' anyway for sending to the printing machines.  All they really need to do for ebooks is output it in a suitable format, which takes very little effort on their part.

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i just think its stupid as a whole that an e-book costs more in some cases than a physical book. that just blows my mind when i see it.

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The point is, making an ebook version of a book costs -very- little.  All of the work for proofing etc has already been done, and it already exists in digital form at the publishers' anyway for sending to the printing machines.  All they really need to do for ebooks is output it in a suitable format, which takes very little effort on their part.

 

It costs more than you think. There isn't always a direct path from the original files to an ebook format, and there often is a need to re-proof the content. If you read any older books which are now digital, you'll often find errors that don't exist in the print version.

 

Not to mention, they have to get them all into multiple book distribution networks, and deal with multiple revenue streams. It's a non-issue for say, Penguin, but it's a definite issue for small publishers with a catalog of print books.

 

More to the point, assuming you're paying for the content, which is worth more, a non-degrading electronic copy which occupies no space, or the words on cheaply printed paper? For most formats, they seem about even to me. For something like a graphic novel, or programming books where typesetting is important, or annotated books, sure, get them in print.

 

I get why they shouldn't cost 1:1 print to electronic, as there's no concern from the publisher about printing too many and getting returns, and the distribution cost is obviously less, but I don't know that there's an arbitrary percentage less that electronic versions should be.

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Of course the publishers are going to side with Apple.  That's the problem.

 

i just think its stupid as a whole that an e-book costs more in some cases than a physical book. that just blows my mind when i see it.

 

I know this doesn't apply to you but in the EU books are tax-free but eBooks are taxed.  It's a stupid rule but it makes it easier for eBooks to cost more than physical books.

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