Tolkien e-books finally legal - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Kent2010 · 04-22-2009, 10:39 AM

My Macroeconomics book was only available on-line and I absolutely hated it. Mainly not because of principle, or what have you, but currently all I have for my computer desk is a stool - and trying to read for hours a computer screen on a stool is not the most comfortable thing I can think of. I'd much rather have a book, to lay on my very comfy couch or a beanbag chair - whether I'm trying to read Macro (and stay awake) or a good book.

And besides staring at a computer screen for hours is not good foor your eyes.

davem · 04-24-2009, 03:53 AM

Well, if you go to the HC site now you'll see they're offering them at 20% off (shame for those who've already bought them) - still not tempted meself tho....

Leyrana Silumiel · 04-25-2009, 12:48 AM

I bought them from ereader.com for my BlackBerry. Mainly because I visit this site from my 'Berry because I don't have an actual computer and figured it would be handy to have a version with me to read when I'm bored and forget my book.

I paid $22 total for the entire trilogy, The Hobbit, and the Children of Hurin. Ereader.com has them on sale, half off, with an extra 15% with a coupon code, then another 10% for registering with their site. And you earn back a percentage of the books you buy to put towards other book purchases.

I didn't think $22 was terribly bad for all that.

Lush · 05-05-2009, 04:22 AM

Quote:

E-book Usage Information
Adobe EPUB eBook
Adobe EPUB eBook
Copy: allowed, but limited to 34 selections
Print: allowed, but limited to 34 pages

Ugh. Pure electronic fascism, that.

Alfirin · 05-09-2009, 11:32 AM

On this thread there has been a great deal of talk out against the concept of e-books in thier very principle, and I feel that there is some need for arguments in favor of them. Yes the feel of dead tree (or even better dead linen-cotton) has a certain confort to it and there is an inherent tactile pleasure in a physical book that an electronic one cannot match. But electronic does have its advantages too, one of the main ones of which is that, since it can be made cheaper than a physical book (I know it currently isn't but that's more of a factor of coroprate greed than anything inherent in an e-book), it increses the number of people who can have acess to the work. Some people have complained the don't want the e-books to exist becuse they've already invested so much money in the physical ones. What about a new person to tolkein who would like to read and posess the works but doens have the hundreds of dollars needed to get a complete set? Pubic libraries are nice but they can only get you so far. Ultimately I feel that a knee jerk condemmantion of e-books will lead, not to a resurgance of printed books but a situation in which Tolkein's stories are simply not acessible to most people. The life of the paper book, however lamented the fact is, is likey in it's waning decades, if the cost of priting doesn't destroy it, questions about the environmental inpact will (after environmetal concerns cause everyone to swith over to electroinc sources for their newspapers, magazines bill payments and correspondence, what do you think the next paper thing people are going to start decrying is?). I can sort of sypathize with the anti-tech Luddite desire for things to stay as they are (or go back to a simpler time) but the sad fact is that when a new idea comes along, it's supression doesn't usally result in a re-discovery of the old way (at least not by the general public) but a null state where neither form is available. The fact is that with every new tecnological advancement somthing good and fine is irretrevalbe lost, but that if you shun the change, that fairly quicky you get into a state where the old way become impracticable to preform and eveything is lost.

For example imagine someone decided they were going to produce an ultimate Tolkein volume of the most incredible quality, hand limned in iron-gall ink on finest vellum, fully illuminated with mineral pigments and gilt, bound in finest Morroco leather etc. I'n not saying that such an item would not be intensely beautiful and desirable but it would also be beyond most people budget. Now imagine if that was the only way Tolkien came, or better yet if there were only a few copies made and if you wanted one, you had to hand copy it (as I understand was common practice before cheap mass market printing). For the vast majority this would basically end up workiong out to more effort than they could bear for the story, and they would never read it. utimately If tolkein survived at all it would remain in the hands of a small elite cadre to which few, if any would be admitted over time. I could say more but my wrist tire.

CSteefel · 05-13-2009, 08:34 PM

How do they enforce a 34 cut and paste limit? For me, this would be the reason to own a digital version--sure make participating in this Board easier, since when you wanted a quote, you could copy and paste it directly, instead of typing it mistakes and all...

04-22-2009, 10:39 AM	#1
Kent2010 Wight Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: USA Posts: 240	My Macroeconomics book was only available on-line and I absolutely hated it. Mainly not because of principle, or what have you, but currently all I have for my computer desk is a stool - and trying to read for hours a computer screen on a stool is not the most comfortable thing I can think of. I'd much rather have a book, to lay on my very comfy couch or a beanbag chair - whether I'm trying to read Macro (and stay awake) or a good book. And besides staring at a computer screen for hours is not good foor your eyes. __________________ an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind

04-24-2009, 03:53 AM	#2
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Well, if you go to the HC site now you'll see they're offering them at 20% off (shame for those who've already bought them) - still not tempted meself tho.... __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."

05-09-2009, 11:32 AM	#5
Alfirin Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 435	In defense of the concept of e-books On this thread there has been a great deal of talk out against the concept of e-books in thier very principle, and I feel that there is some need for arguments in favor of them. Yes the feel of dead tree (or even better dead linen-cotton) has a certain confort to it and there is an inherent tactile pleasure in a physical book that an electronic one cannot match. But electronic does have its advantages too, one of the main ones of which is that, since it can be made cheaper than a physical book (I know it currently isn't but that's more of a factor of coroprate greed than anything inherent in an e-book), it increses the number of people who can have acess to the work. Some people have complained the don't want the e-books to exist becuse they've already invested so much money in the physical ones. What about a new person to tolkein who would like to read and posess the works but doens have the hundreds of dollars needed to get a complete set? Pubic libraries are nice but they can only get you so far. Ultimately I feel that a knee jerk condemmantion of e-books will lead, not to a resurgance of printed books but a situation in which Tolkein's stories are simply not acessible to most people. The life of the paper book, however lamented the fact is, is likey in it's waning decades, if the cost of priting doesn't destroy it, questions about the environmental inpact will (after environmetal concerns cause everyone to swith over to electroinc sources for their newspapers, magazines bill payments and correspondence, what do you think the next paper thing people are going to start decrying is?). I can sort of sypathize with the anti-tech Luddite desire for things to stay as they are (or go back to a simpler time) but the sad fact is that when a new idea comes along, it's supression doesn't usally result in a re-discovery of the old way (at least not by the general public) but a null state where neither form is available. The fact is that with every new tecnological advancement somthing good and fine is irretrevalbe lost, but that if you shun the change, that fairly quicky you get into a state where the old way become impracticable to preform and eveything is lost. For example imagine someone decided they were going to produce an ultimate Tolkein volume of the most incredible quality, hand limned in iron-gall ink on finest vellum, fully illuminated with mineral pigments and gilt, bound in finest Morroco leather etc. I'n not saying that such an item would not be intensely beautiful and desirable but it would also be beyond most people budget. Now imagine if that was the only way Tolkien came, or better yet if there were only a few copies made and if you wanted one, you had to hand copy it (as I understand was common practice before cheap mass market printing). For the vast majority this would basically end up workiong out to more effort than they could bear for the story, and they would never read it. utimately If tolkein survived at all it would remain in the hands of a small elite cadre to which few, if any would be admitted over time. I could say more but my wrist tire.

05-13-2009, 08:34 PM	#6
CSteefel Wight Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 204	How do they enforce a 34 cut and paste limit? For me, this would be the reason to own a digital version--sure make participating in this Board easier, since when you wanted a quote, you could copy and paste it directly, instead of typing it mistakes and all... __________________ `These are indeed strange days,' he muttered. `Dreams and legends spring to life out of the grass.'

04-25-2009, 12:48 AM	#3
Leyrana Silumiel Haunting Spirit Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Alabama, USA Posts: 58	I bought them from ereader.com for my BlackBerry. Mainly because I visit this site from my 'Berry because I don't have an actual computer and figured it would be handy to have a version with me to read when I'm bored and forget my book. I paid $22 total for the entire trilogy, The Hobbit, and the Children of Hurin. Ereader.com has them on sale, half off, with an extra 15% with a coupon code, then another 10% for registering with their site. And you earn back a percentage of the books you buy to put towards other book purchases. I didn't think $22 was terribly bad for all that.