I would like to offer a couple of comments on the web vs book thread.  I
have made known my views on "web only" publications in the past (started
with S, ended in K with two letters in between) so there is no need to
reiterate those here (check the archives).  I do agree with Marlo (see
below) the the "hard core" people will always buy the hard copy and forgo
the web version except as a curio.  I speak from experience on this issue
as I have a book available on the web and in paper form.  As far as we can
tell the web version has done nothing to cut into sales of the book.  In
fact it probably has increased sales.  So I disagree with Steve Long's
statements below that "Once the material is on the Web, only a small
percentage of people will continue to pay for the printed material even IF
it is still available in paper form."  Having said that it should go
without saying that one should always credit the source of the data/photo
posted and used.  To do otherwise just makes you look like an plagurist
(sp?) and idiot.
 
One lesson to remember when dealing with this web thang (and the stock
market) is to never post/bet anything that you can't afford to lose.
 
Kevin
------------------------
>From:    Steve Long <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: The web and shell publications
>
>Once the material is on the Web, only a small percentage of people will
>continue to pay for the printed material even IF it is still available in
>paper form.  At the same time, printing and postage costs escalate.  Web
>site production and maintenance is also expensive.
>
>If the American Conchologist was available on the Web; how many of YOU would
>continue to subscribe?  How many new paper subscriptions would come in to
>support the expense.  It is hopeless to expect that this trend toward misuse
>of intellectual property will reverse itself.
 
>From:    Marlo Krisberg <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: The web and shell books
>
>I also find it hard to believe that enough of the small and focused
>audience for the books of the
>nature over which Paul has expressed his concern would have both the
>capability and preference for a
>computer downloaded publication rather than the actual document.  I
>suspect that when you get down
>to the real "hard core" affectionados like those on Conch-L who are the
>real market willing to spend
>the bucks for original publications, availability on the net is not a
>factor.  It may be for those
>of a marginal or dilettante interest who would not otherwise buy such
>books.  But the authors would
>not benefit than, anyway.  There's always the argument that once someone
>sees something on the net
>of which she may not otherwise have been aware or would not have been able
>to previewed, the
>exposure would result in a sale not otherwise possible.  After all,
>exposure on the net is a form of
>advertising.
 
 
Kevin S. Cummings
Illinois Natural History Survey
607 E. Peabody Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
[log in to unmask]
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/collections/mollusk.html