"online" entries

An Open, Webby, Book-Publishing Platform

This short article outlines some ideas about an open source, online platform for making books, based on WordPress.

Glimmer of Positivity in Media Industry Analysis

Subtle examples of digital innovation and positive perspectives are emerging in media industry reports. These same elements could benefit book publishing.

News Roundup: Online's Share Increases, New York's "Amazon" Tax, Open Source Textbooks, Edits Shown in Pan Macmillan Ebooks, Penguin UK's Simultaneous Print-Ebook Plan

Weekly publishing news roundup – April 18, 2008.

Open Source Textbook Adoption Grows

Inside Higher Ed notes the slowly growing open source textbook movement: Colleges and individual faculty members continue to experiment with putting course information and material online, and "open textbooks" typically are licensed to allow users to download, share and alter the content as they see fit, so long as their purposes aren't commercial and they credit the author for…

New York Eyes Amazon Affiliates in Tax Move

The Amazon affiliates program could yield millions in revenue for New York state, and it won't come from customer referrals. From the New York Times: … people owe taxes on what they buy regardless of whom they buy it from. But the seller only has an obligation to collect those taxes (and thus the only time taxes are ever…

BitTorrent as a Book Publicity Tool

The author and publisher of two new Mac books posted both titles as free downloads on BitTorrent.

"Prince Caspian" Gets Read It Before You See It Campaign

In anticipation of the upcoming Narnia sequel, HarperCollins is using Facebook, widgets and Web marketing for a "read it before you see it" campaign.

Borders Stores Turn Back on Long Tail

Borders is using its limited shelf space to give top selling books the "face-out" treatment. Poor sellers need not apply.