Re: >H a very small quantum entertainment

From: virtual-earth@virtual-earth.com
Date: Sun Jul 23 2000 - 15:17:56 MDT


[Non-member submission]

Damien Broderick wrote:
>
> Transhuman Mailing List
>
> The curious might care to glance at
>
> http://www.fictionwise.com/
>
> where the latest issue of the Australian sf/fantasy magazine EIDOLON can
be
> downloaded (at a price). It contains a small entertainment by yours truly
> (`Infinite Monkey'), and a mixed batch of other Aussie fiction. I
certainly
> wouldn't recommend paying $US10.95 just to read my story, but there's
> plenty more to enjoy if you're feeling adventurous. Here's the contents'
> list and a few details:

Sorry, Damien -- I looked, but am disappointed in Eidolon.
The promise of electronic publishing is those things it can do
that print can't do:

1. publish non-linear stories with non-static media
2. give readers the opportunity to buy by the story, the page,
  the sentence, the byte
3. construct a reader-made ratings network which is customizable,
4. keep things in print
5. publish things at a fraction of the cost one could find them in print

Eidolon accomplishes 3 and 4, but not 1 or 2, and falls down
big-time on 5. I could buy a big fat physical book for $11 plus postage.
Electronic publishing doesn't have to deal with returns; that alone
should cut their prices by a third to a half.

Phil Goetz
just another monkey typing from
flick@populus.net



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