Digitizing Your Own Books Becoming Popular In Japan
from the expect-a-backlash dept
Tim O'Reilly points us to a new report out of Japan, noting that it's becoming increasingly popular for people to digitize their own books (a practice called "jisui"). Yes, they're taking books they legally own and scanning them, so that they can store them as ebooks, and read them on various devices such as the iPad. I would have thought this wasn't a popular practice, but at least one study found that 20% of iPad owners in Japan had done so, and another 30% were interested in doing so.What's interesting is how this is boosting ancillary businesses: specifically there's a strong demand for scanners that make it easier to scan and backup your books. In Japan, digitizing your own books for personal use is apparently legal under that country's copyright law, but some publishers are getting worried about this practice and are considering what to do about it. And, of course, some copyright "experts" are already saying that Japanese copyright law needs to be updated to deal with this.
Or, perhaps, just this once, we shouldn't change copyright law to limit what new technology allows, and recognize that maybe, just maybe, this action is showing what people want, which book publishers haven't been fulfilling.
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Filed Under: books, digitizing, ebooks, japan
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They were publishing books specifically readable on a cellphone, and even gave out prizes to the writers of such "books", as it seemed the practice became popular both in writers and readers.
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Remember also that "digital shoplifting" with camera phones (people snapping photos of magazine pages to read on their phones later) has been a problem in Japan since at least as far back as 2003.
Seems like personal scanning is a big part of Japanese culture already.
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http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/genius-scan/id377672876
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There is absolutely nothing wrong with scanning books you own. Ebook sellers might complain "but it's a different product, so you are infringing copyrights and you are evil", but isn't selling people the SAME product twice more evil than personal copying?
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They copy everything, and share everything, it is even customary to group of friends to dress alike in public when they go out to show friendship.
Now how is that supposed to stop?
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Re:
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Digitizing your own personal property
Personally, I think they should get out of the faces of their customers and concentrate on learning how to switch on a computer and what it is capable of and embrace it or they risk making themselves look and behave like the recording industry.
M
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None of their business?
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Re: None of their business?
Oh, wait...
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What people want?
Seriously...a lot of the books I am interested in sell for 11.99 to as high as 19.99 for the electronic version, while I can get them in store for almost half the price!
I'd actually pay a little extra (emphasis on LITTLE) to buy a physical book (even a hard cover) with a code that allows for an ebook download.
When will companies realize enough's enough?
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Re: What people want?
Until people show them, that if they can't get it one way they will do it the other way.
Until then expect only procrastination and cryonism from their part.
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Re: What people want?
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Amazing how they just can't think outside the box.
I guess all the people that can 'think outside the box' are in IT and obviously NOT the publishing, movie, or recording industries...
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But seriously - how would this at all be different from say... just going to the library?
It's not. It's simply 'time shifted' booked reading. Heck, even if you go to the library and scan the whole book - what have you gained? I can check the book out over and over and over again. It would simply allow the book to be put back on the shelf for someone else to read. There's been many times I have had to wait on books that are checked out and sometimes - heck - usually, unless it's for a class or something like that, I may end up not checking it out at all.
The library has been - in my life, one of the BIGGEST 'advertisements' for publishers. I read a book by 'Edwin Black' - and now, we have 5 of his books at home, including the one we checked out.
Books have and always will have a place on my bookshelf. That won't change, the publishing industry should try doing the EXACT opposite of other industries. MOST of my book purchases, like CD's - IF NOT ALL have been the DIRECT result of me hearing or reading something by the 'artist' or 'writer' for FREE first - how many people just go out and randomly buy CD's or books? Come on now!!!
Regardless of your feelings on the matter - the action the recording industry and movie industry has taken has not solved their issues and it won't. Pandora's box has been open now for a while with digital media.
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Re:
I'm pretty sure this isn't the library's idea, but seriously who came up with that brilliant idea? Trying to force an infinite digital good into the same box as a scarce physical one. Great plan guys, great plan.
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It sounds like TC and Overcast want books that are actually care packages. WHEN WILL THE PUBLISHERS GET THIS? Give me concert tickets and online content and a turkey dinner, and make it cheaper than a hard cover!!! When will you book publishers shake off your HUBRIS? It is YOUR responsibility to replace our lost and damaged property and feed us thoughtful content for free all the time and thank us when we call you idiots. FOOLS!
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Re:
So I'm guessing that what you are trying to say is that by scanning a copy of a physical book you already own you are STEALING the electronic copy? I can't really make heads or tails of your comment, this is my best guess.
I didn't see anyone asking for free books. They were asking for the publisher to include some extras to help entice more people to pay for what they are selling, not exactly the same thing...
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The publishers haven't figured this out yet?
This saves the buyer all of the scan time and is actually providing significantly more value because you have saved each reader this time. Judging by the survey - half of the readers have at least some serious interest in doing this anyway!
Digital copies are ridiculously cheap to make and should be a great marketing point!
I already know there are those of you who are just waiting to say "But everyone will make copies for free and the book won't sell as well!" I have three replies to that:
1. Prove it!
2. Quit thinking everyone's a thief - they aren't
3. If it were true, then they are already are doing it!
However, the idea here is to try give the customer what they want upfront (remember Business 101?) so they won't need to do this themselves AND the book actually sells thus providing income for the author and all the middlemen!
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Why I want a Kindle
Now that Kindle prices have dropped to under $200, I plan on buying one and scanning the books I currently own but don't want the physical book to carry around.
There are some books that simply work better in the dead-tree format but other books would work just as well in electronic form.
That way, I can have all my books but only move the ones I want to.
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sell ebooks
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