On e-books. A follow-up to "The Future of Books: Digital Literature & Market". Published in April 2010 but written mainly in the summer of 2009.

1. E-books Are Not theFuture of Books Xavier Badosa http://xavierbadosa.com April 2010

2. E-books Are Not theFuture of Books A sillyname Xavier Badosa book e- http://xavierbadosa.com April 2010

3. It all beganwith mail e-

4. book e- mail e-

5. mail is a thing

6. Dictionary.com mail is a thing

7. Dictionary.com mail Example is a thing

8. Dictionary.com mail is a thing butit’s a servicetoo

9. Dictionary.com mail is a thing butit’s a servicetoo

10. mail e- butit’s a service anelectronic

11. mail e- ? butit’s a service anelectronic

12. mail e- digital butit’s a service anelectronic

13. book

14. book is a thing

15. book “Hardcoverbooks areexpensive.” is a thing, anartifact

16. book “Hardcoverbooks areexpensive.” is a thing, anartifact is not a service

17. book “Hardcoverbooks areexpensive.” is a thing, anartifact Aletteris a thing is not a service Mailcan be a service

18. book “Hardcoverbooks areexpensive.” is a thing, anartifact Aletteris a thing is not a service Mailcan be a service butdelivers a service

19. book Access to content butdelivers a service

20. book Access to verbal(mostly) content butdelivers a service

21. book Access to long(generally) verbal(mostly) content butdelivers a service

22. book Access to long(generally) verbal(mostly) content butdelivers a service (a content thatdelivers a service)

23. Digital book e- Access to long(generally) verbal(mostly) content (a content thatdelivers a service)

24. Digital book e- Access to long(generally) verbal(mostly) Yesterday’s WWW content (a content thatdelivers a service)

25. Unfortunately Digital book e- Access to long(generally) means severalthings verbal(mostly) Yesterday’s WWW content (a content thatdelivers a service)

26. book “Hardcoverbooks areexpensive.” is a thing, anartifact

27. book “Hardcoverbooks areexpensive.” vs. “Thisbook is a page-turner.”

28. book “Hardcoverbooks areexpensive.” as a metonymy vs. “Thisbook is a page-turner.”

29. book as a metonymy “Thisbook is a page-turner.” meansthecontent

30. book as a metonymy “Thisbook is a page-turner.” meansthecontent “Thisnovel, thriller, biography... is a page-turner.”

31. book e- as a metonymy digital meansthecontent

32. book e- as a metonymy Why do weneed a name for the digital meansthecontent ?

33. book e- Why do weneed a name for the digital meansthecontent ? novel, thriller, biography... in digital form

34. book e- Why do weneed a name for the digital meansthecontent ? Save new names for new content hypernovel, enhanced bio...

35. book as a metonymy meansthecontent

36. book as a metonymy Thiscould happen because a book is... meansthecontent

37. book a 2-in-1 product as a metonymy

38. book a 2-in-1 product medium for content storage

39. book a 2-in-1 product medium for content storage content viewer (or “player”)

40. book a 2-in-1 product medium for content storage content viewer (or “player”) The bookgluedtogether thedifferentlayers.

41. content The bookgluedtogether thedifferentlayers.

42. content storage The bookgluedtogether thedifferentlayers.

43. content storage content viewer The bookgluedtogether thedifferentlayers.

44. content storage content viewer (A book: a player for every content!) The bookgluedtogether thedifferentlayers.

45. Publishingindustry content storage content viewer The bookgluedtogether thedifferentlayers.

46. Publishingindustry content storage content viewer A single solutionsinceGutenberg

47. Music industry content storage content viewer

48. Music industry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. content viewer

49. Music industry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. content viewer turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc.

50. Music industry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. content viewer turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc. Manycombinations (All layersclearlyseparated.)

51. Music industry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. content viewer turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc. Manycombinations (All layersclearlyseparated.)

52. Music industry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. content viewer turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc. Manycombinations (All layersclearlyseparated.)

53. Music industry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. content viewer turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc. Manycombinations (All layersclearlyseparated.)

54. Publishingindustry content storage content viewer

55. Publishingindustry book content storage content viewer

56. Publishingindustry book content storage content viewer book

57. Publishingindustry book content storage content viewer book “Bookindustry”

58. “Bookindustry”

59. ( ) (Let’sskiptheweird part.) ( ) “Bookindustry”

60. (Let’sskiptheweird part.) ( ) Compare to International Music Day (1st of October) ( ) “Bookindustry”

61. (Let’sskiptheweird part.) ( ) Compare to International Music Day (1st of October) ( ) There’s no World Vinyl Day World CD Day World MP3 Player Day … “Bookindustry”

62. (Let’sskiptheweird part.) ( ) Compare to International Music Day (1st of October) ( ) There’s no Sound Day (Music applies only to good sound.) “Bookindustry”

63. ( ) Many important cultural valuesare book-related. ( ) “Bookindustry”

64. ( ) Many important cultural valuesare book-related. ( ) BUT Celebratingtheartifact weareforced to celebrate all the contents published in bookform. “Bookindustry”

65. ( ) ( )

66. ( ) ( ) The artifact is sacralized

67. ( ) Someconfusewhy webuybooks ( ) The artifact is sacralized

68. ( ) Someconfusewhy webuybooks To access a content ( ) The artifact is sacralized

69. ( ) Someconfusewhy webuybooks To access a content ( ) thatdelivers a service The artifact is sacralized

70. Someconfusewhy webuybookswith thephysicalfeatures of theartifact To access a content thatdelivers a service The artifact is sacralized

71. Someconfusewhy webuybookswith thephysicalfeatures of theartifact touch smell ... The artifact is sacralized

72. Metonymy touch smell ... The artifact is sacralized

73. Metonymy touch smell ... leads to The artifact is sacralized

74. Metonymy leads to blind Fetishism

75. “E-bookswillfailbecausethey don’tfeel and smelllikebooks.” Fetishism

76. “E-bookswillfailbecausethey don’tfeel and smelllikebooks.”

77. “E-bookswillfailbecausethey don’tfeel and smelllikebooks.” Of course, it’s a joke! http://aprilfoolsdayontheweb.com/joke/7537/

78. Welikethe(current) physicalfeatures of theartifact touch smell ... The artifact is sacralized.

79. Welikethe(current) physicalfeatures of theartifact touch smell ... Butthat’snotwhywebuybooks The artifact is sacralized.

80. In bookstores, Welikethe(current) physicalfeatures of theartifact touch smell ... Butthat’snotwhywebuybooks The artifact is sacralized.

81. In bookstores, ,touch, etc. booksarenotsortedbysmell

82. See any fetishisthere?

83. Thesearethe real fetishists

84. Thesearethe real fetishists Queuingoutside for hours

85. For a symbol

86. Fetishismcangrowanywhere.

87. Fetishismcangrowanywhere. In electronicdevices, too.

88. I’m sure people love their horses, too. Jeff Bezos

89. I’m sure people love their horses, too. Jeff Bezos But you’re not going to keep riding your horse to work just because you love your horse.

90. Jeff Bezos The once and future e-book: on reading in the digital age John Siracusa

91. Did you ride a horse to work today? I didn’t. I’m sure plenty of people swore they would never ride in or operate a “horseless carriage” The once and future e-book: on reading in the digital age John Siracusa

92. Did you ride a horse to work today? I didn’t. I’m sure plenty of people swore they would never ride in or operate a “horseless carriage” —and they never did! And then they died.

93. Peopleloved to takecare of theirhorses.

94. Theystill do.

95. Music industry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. content viewer turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc.

96. Music industry (physical) content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. Distribution content viewer turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc.

97. Music industry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. Distribution content viewer Consumption turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc.

98. A separationunknown in thepublishingindustry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. Distribution content viewer Consumption turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc.

99. A separationunknown in thepublishingindustry content storage content viewer Butnot new for thereadingworld. Microfilm Reading Room of the UN Library, 1968

100. Publishingindustry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. Distribution content viewer Consumption turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc. Therevolution of books

101. 1 Publishingindustry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. Distribution content viewer Consumption turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc. A new reading experience Therevolution of books

102. 2 Publishingindustry content storage vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. Distribution content viewer Consumption turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc. Serial production of a distributable storage Therevolution of books

103. Commodity Business Model Therevolution of books Serial production of a distributable storage

104. Commodity Business Model Thebook as a means of monetization Therevolution of books Serial production of a distributable storage

105. Compare to Thebook as a means of monetization

106. Compare to A non- distributable storage

107. Compare to Possible Business Model? A non- distributable storage

108. Theater (Service) Business Model? Possible Business Model? A non- distributable storage

109. Theater (Service) Business Model? Pay to go in

110. Theater (Service) Business Model? Local monetization Pay to go in

111. Publishingindustry a means of vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. Distribution Books are monetization Consumption turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc.

112. Publishingindustry a means of vinyl, cassette, CD, DAT, DCC, etc. Distribution Books are monetization Consumption turntable, cassetterecorder, CD/DAT/DCC player, etc. And then

113. the Internet changedeverything

114. Music industry (physical) content storage Distribution content viewer MP3 Player digital file the Internet changedeverything

115. Publishingindustry (physical) content storage Distribution content viewer E-reader digital file the Internet changedeverything

116. Publishingindustry broken! content storage Distribution content viewer E-reader digital file The unity of thebook,

117. “e-book” content storage Distribution content viewer E-reader digital file

118. “e-book” (physical) content storage Distribution content viewer E-reader

119. “e-book” (physical) content storage Distribution content viewer E-reader Digital distribution

120. “e-book” Digital distribution Object Stream Digital file as a virtual commodity Content in the “cloud”

121. Service Emulation of “ownership” Service Business Model Commodity Business Model Digital distribution Object Stream DRM-ed Digital file as a virtual commodity Content in the “cloud”

122. Service Emulation of “ownership” Service Business Model Commodity Business Model Sustaininginnovation Disruptiveinnovation Digital distribution Object Stream DRM-ed Digital file as a virtual commodity Content in the “cloud” ClaytonChristensen, The Innovator’sDilemma

123. Emulation of “ownership” A reassuring concept for the book industry Commodity Business Model Sustaininginnovation “e-book” Object DRM-ed Digital file as a virtual commodity

124. Emulation of “ownership” A reassuring concept for the book industry Commodity Business Model Sustaininginnovation “e-book” publisher retailer Object author reader DRM-ed Business as usual but digital Digital file as a virtual commodity

125. “e-book” content storage Distribution content viewer E-reader

126. “e-book” A new readingexperience content Distribution content viewer E-reader

127. reading means many things A new readingexperience content Distribution content viewer E-reader (There are many “reading devices”)

128. reading

129. reading device, medium, structure…

130. compare…

131. compare…

132. compare…

133. compare…

135. Whosaidwewillneverread on screen?

137. It’s paper but it’s not a book

138. It’s paper and it’s a book

139. It’s paper and it’s a book But this is not what we think when we say book reading

140. book reading

141. Immersive Reading book reading

142. Immersive Reading Drown in a sea of words

143. l e t t e r s w a t e r f a l l a Immersive Reading Drown in a sea of words o f

144. book Access to Immersive Reading long(generally) is a thing, anartifact verbal(mostly) is not a service content butdelivers a service (a content thatdelivers a service)

145. www Access to (all kinds of) content butis a service (a content thatdelivers a service)

146. www Access to (all kinds of) content butIs immersion still possible?

147. butIs immersion still possible?

151. Butwait...

152. While most people believe that the attention span of a goldfish is a few seconds this has been proven wrong. A study done by the School of Psychology at the University or Plymouth in 2003 proved that the attention span of a gold fish is three months.

155. Isn’timmersion a matter of interface?

156. Isn’timmersion a matter of interface? Can’tthewww facilitatemanykinds of reading?

157. even this one Can’tthewww facilitatemanykinds of reading?

158. book e- A usefulconcept? Can’tthewww facilitatemanykinds of reading?

159. book e- A wordthatlooks to the past instead of thefuture

160. book e- overloadedwith meaningfromthat past

161. book e- maybe reassuring for the publishing industry

162. book e- but a limiting metaphor

163. book e- but a limiting metaphor Sooner or later, it will be forgotten

164. Thankyou See also The Future of Books: Digital Literature & Market

165. Credits Logos and products and websitesphotoshavebeentakenfromtherespectivecompanies’ websites. “You’vegot mail” logo from youvegotmail.warnerbros.com. 1986 Ford Quadricyclefrom oldcarandtruckpictures.com. “Print Media” image, authorunknown, available in manysites (startupmeme.com, sarahdavies.cc, andywhitman.blogspot.com, blogs.citypages.com…). MeinKampftcover, publishedbyHurst and Blackett (1982). The Postman Always Rings Twice cover, published by Pocket Books (1953). World Book and Copyright Day poster, from UNESCO. Dictionary page photo from PompeuFabra’sDiccionari general de la llenguacatalana(Edhasa, 1977). Xavier Badosa

166. lynxman / Marc Cluet Dan4th / Dan4th Nicholas Fox O'Rian / MattLaskowski (frag.) 13bobby / Bobby thebbp / Giulio Bernardi wili_hybrid / VilleMiettinen rich115 / Richard Giles _RoScO_ / Francisco nep / Travis Nep Smith Jason Pratt Celeste / Celeste RC

167. JoshBancroft Adam Solomon LaughingSquid / Scott Beale digitalink / [raymond] Big Grey Mare / Carol Von Canon swamysk jessohackberry / Josh Kramer splorp / Grant Hutchinson UnitedNations Karen Horton