[sdiy] Making eBooks [was: IP, copyright etc]

[Tim Daugard]

> A couple of comments on the subject of eBooks ...


> >=-  The author has to put the book in a format readable - this
> >means PDF. This entails either working with a word proccessor and
> >massaging the work to convince the word processor to create a
> >good PDF file.
.
> It's not necessary to buy Acrobat to make a PDF.  Ghostscipt, a
freely
> available open source software, will make PDFs from a postscript
file.
> A postscript file can be produced using the Print function of any
piece
> of software (e.g. MS Word) providing you have postscript printer
driver
> installed (there are plenty of postscript printer drivers included
with
> Windows).

As I said, massaging the file. I had to turn all the B&W BMPs into
grey scale files for the Word Perfect PDF generator not to choke. I
had to find a font that would produce an acceptable PDF page. Not a
problem, just work.

> The resulting PDF file will look exactly the same as if you had
printed
> to paper.

Almost, fonts are the problem. A good word processor and PDF kern
differently. Letter would run together in a few words as PDF. Again
just more work that no one wants to pay for.

> >=-  The aurthor has to convince a service like Amazon to sell
> >it. - or - Create a publishing company so that he can take
> >Paypal. For me to sell in Florida, Paypal wants my Tax ID.

> I don't know about Florida, but most places in the western world
it's
> very easy to sell things using paypal via your own website.  Now,
more
> than ever before there exist the tools for small businesses to
self
> direct to customers without any involvment from big corporations
(well
> ok, paypal gets their 3.4% cut, but it's still a cheap way to be
able to
> accept credit card payments from anywhere in the world).

Again, no real problem if you want to set up a business. For a one
off to someone, Paypal is not really a wonderful solution. I spent
an hour or so trying to figure it out and then decided time was
better spent elsewhere. I'm of the generation where a check was 99%
of the time no problem.

> >=- Figure out a way to lock the book, if he delivers it

> Personally I wouldn't even bother locking it.  There is no secure
way to
> lock anything in the digital realm - whether it be downloaded
music or

I agree, that's why I'm not real intrigued in setting up a business
that relies on sending digital copies. As I said elsewhere, Stephen
King started by being amazed at how many people would buy off the
internet and then ended up disappointed at how many people would
steal off the internet.

> people can still scan it and distribute it electronically, or
photocopy

I'm not worried about this. Most books should be cheaper to buy than
photo copy. When I bought the DIY core package of Electro Notes -
what was delivered would have cost far more photocopied.

Any one who scans and then delivers to others deserves the
agravation he gets. I have a collection of articles, pulled from
various magazine, in my files. I started to scan them to keep them
on CD and empty the file cabinet. That didn't get far. Just look at
the efforts required for Synaspe v. the content.

> it.  IMO you have to live with a certain amount of piracy and
trust that
> most people are honest enough to want to pay a reasonable price to
> acquire something legally.

I trust most people are honest, most people have to trust me if the
want to do any business. Why I would I not deliver a document if
someone sent a check. Taking checks without sending anything is mail
fraud - easily enforced (another story about someone who used to
work for me.)

> >Total cost: $2,000 to $3,000. Anyone want to buy 2 copies @$1,500
> >each?

> My estimate of costs to make an ebook and distribute and sell it:
> £0 to make it (ok, you need to own a computer and some word
processing
> software!)

. . . and time and effort. Writing time shouldn't be given away for
free.

> £15 / year website hosting

$45 - $60 in the US for the site name, and $25 a month for space on
the server. The book is going
> 3.4% paypal fees on sales

 Cost of doing business. I hadn't seen the send money feature on
paypal. I've done all my online with credit cards instead of paypal.


> This should allow an ebook to be sold for a reasonable price which
in
> turn will encourage people to buy it legally rather than try and
obtain
> a pirate copy.

> Seb

Thanks, you got me looking at paypal again.