5 ms·

Without discounting the point made by smogcutter about Penguin's edition not actually being public domain: for a classic work, I'd expect to be able to get a pa

by cxr 3y ago

Without discounting the point made by smogcutter about Penguin's edition not actually being public domain: for a classic work, I'd expect to be able to get a paperback for less than $10.* And that involves a real-life physical artifact which (a) necessarily has lower margins than an ebook, and (b) doesn't come with the omnipresent threat that it will evaporate from your device (or your managed online locker or whatever), nor that you'll have to stop reading if your battery dies, nor that you're unable to easily hand it to someone else to let them thumb through or borrow it. For an ebook, $3 or $4 sounds about right. Maybe $5 for a relatively modern translation, as in the case here. Recall that Netflix in comparison is $X per month (fill this is in; I don't actually know, but I know the number is not high) and libraries are free-ish. Price points at or around $10 per work or more feel like a shameless ploy to trigger the sensation of "economy" in "false economy" and push people into rent-seeking platforms where they consistently hand over a continual stream of monthly payments in perpetuity for "unlimited" access—to select items within the very limited one month term that the payment gets you. * NB: whether this is actually the case or not is a separate matter

dimmke 3y ago
Yes basically. I understand if a publisher commissioned a translation and put in work but $10 for a DRM digital copy is too steep. Maybe $3-$4 would be reasonable? Crime and Punishment was written in the 1800s, the author is long dead. And it's considered a historic and important piece of literature. Regardless, it's great that these works are available in high quality for free.
- paulcole 3y ago
  If it was $3 would you buy it today?
  - dimmke 3y ago
    Because there are high quality alternatives that are free and have no DRM there's no price point I would buy it. The only scenario I would is if I wanted to read a specific translation. A physical copy if I wanted one I'd be willing to pay ~$6 for, less if used.
    - paulcole 3y ago
      If there’s no price point at which you’d buy it why weigh in with what you believe a reasonable price to be?
paulcole 3y ago
Eh, I disagree. $10 to be able to have it this second on my Kindle vs. waiting to get the physical copy feels like a good value.
- cxr 3y ago
  > I disagree That doesn't make sense. You disagree with what? My expectation that it shouldn't cost much more than $5 for an ebook of something with a 150-year-old plot? > $10 to be able to have it this second on my Kindle vs. waiting to get the physical copy feels like a good value That's nice, I guess—for you. But we weren't talking about you, and we weren't talking about instant gratification. If I'm buying for reasons where instant gratification isn't a factor—and I'd argue that for books, prioritizing instant gratification is even sillier than with e.g. food and drink or streaming TV shows—should I still pay the premium to be able to get something "this second" if my flight isn't for another three weeks and I'd have been perfectly willing to deal with a delay?
  - paulcole 3y ago
    Yes, I disagree with what you said – that an ebook should be priced lower than the print version. If you want the cheaper one buy the cheaper one. If you aren't in a rush to get it, buy the one that gets delivered in a week instead of in 10 seconds. If you want the ebook, buy the ebook. If you want the printed book, buy the printed book.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
    - cxr 3y ago
      It really reads here like you're willfully missing the point. > it shouldn't cost much more than $5 for an ebook of something with a 150-year-old plot > for a classic work [...] $3 or $4 sounds about right That is a direct response to your question to the other commenter about why Penguin's Crime and Punishment for Kindle is a ripoff.
Qwertious 3y ago
Physical media tends to be ~30-40% of the costs, so I think it's more like $6 or $7.
- cxr 3y ago
  You think what's more like $6 or $7?

by cxr 3y ago

dimmke 3y ago

Yes basically. I understand if a publisher commissioned a translation and put in work but $10 for a DRM digital copy is too steep. Maybe $3-$4 would be reasonable? Crime and Punishment was written in the 1800s, the author is long dead. And it's considered a historic and important piece of literature. Regardless, it's great that these works are available in high quality for free.

paulcole 3y ago
If it was $3 would you buy it today?
- dimmke 3y ago
  Because there are high quality alternatives that are free and have no DRM there's no price point I would buy it. The only scenario I would is if I wanted to read a specific translation. A physical copy if I wanted one I'd be willing to pay ~$6 for, less if used.
  - paulcole 3y ago
    If there’s no price point at which you’d buy it why weigh in with what you believe a reasonable price to be?

paulcole 3y ago

Eh, I disagree. $10 to be able to have it this second on my Kindle vs. waiting to get the physical copy feels like a good value.

cxr 3y ago
> I disagree That doesn't make sense. You disagree with what? My expectation that it shouldn't cost much more than $5 for an ebook of something with a 150-year-old plot? > $10 to be able to have it this second on my Kindle vs. waiting to get the physical copy feels like a good value That's nice, I guess—for you. But we weren't talking about you, and we weren't talking about instant gratification. If I'm buying for reasons where instant gratification isn't a factor—and I'd argue that for books, prioritizing instant gratification is even sillier than with e.g. food and drink or streaming TV shows—should I still pay the premium to be able to get something "this second" if my flight isn't for another three weeks and I'd have been perfectly willing to deal with a delay?
- paulcole 3y ago
  Yes, I disagree with what you said – that an ebook should be priced lower than the print version. If you want the cheaper one buy the cheaper one. If you aren't in a rush to get it, buy the one that gets delivered in a week instead of in 10 seconds. If you want the ebook, buy the ebook. If you want the printed book, buy the printed book.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - cxr 3y ago
    It really reads here like you're willfully missing the point. > it shouldn't cost much more than $5 for an ebook of something with a 150-year-old plot > for a classic work [...] $3 or $4 sounds about right That is a direct response to your question to the other commenter about why Penguin's Crime and Punishment for Kindle is a ripoff.

Qwertious 3y ago

Physical media tends to be ~30-40% of the costs, so I think it's more like $6 or $7.

cxr 3y ago
You think what's more like $6 or $7?