Ebooks and Stupidity

[LordRahl]

I was looking for a new sci-fi book to read, and since I didn't feel like waiting for Amazon shipping, I decided to order an eBook online, so that I could start reading right away.

I found a website with a pretty good selection, and to my pleasant surprise a lot of titles included a sample text.

I read one such excerpt, and immediately decided I really like the book. I bought it, downloaded to my reader, and started reading right away.

The moment I read the first paragraph. I realized I made a big mistake by reading that sample. Some genius on that website decided to include the chapter from the middle of the book, if not further. Needless to say a lot of the fun is spoiled, I've went through half the book already, and still didn't reach the point. I know exactly what's going to happen.

Why are people stupid? Am I the only one that thinks including 1st chapter would be the logical choice here (especially since we're talking a work of fiction, and not some technical text)?

 

[Fifty]

Maybe it was in his rational self-interest to do so.

 

[Phlegmak]

Why are people stupid? Am I the only one that thinks including 1st chapter would be the logical choice here (especially since we're talking a work of fiction, and not some technical text)?

People are generally not stupid. Including the 1st chapter as the sample is indeed the logical choice and it is what Amazon does. Sometimes people make mistakes or poorly thought out decisions and include chapters other than the 1st.

To everyone: Regarding stupid people, do not quote that goddamn line from "Men in Black". The Men in Black scriptwriter is wrong.

 

[LightFang]

They put the middle of the book because it's the best part, so that you'd want to buy it and waste money. =] It's in their self-interest to gain money.

You, as an objectivist, should agree with that.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Sales and marketing are often deceptive. You learned that the hard way.

 

[Phlegmak]

They put the middle of the book because it's the best part, so that you'd want to buy it and waste money. =] It's in their self-interest to gain money.

You, as an objectivist, should agree with that.

Ha! Ha, I say! That was a good one.

 

[downtown]

Well, I was going to make some smart-ass objectivist remark, but 4 other people beat me to it!

 

[The Yankee]

Now you know not to buy from this company if they end up ruining the product.

 

[LucyDuke]

I was looking for a new sci-fi book to read, and since I didn't feel like waiting for Amazon shipping, I decided to order an eBook online, so that I could start reading right away.

Library? Bookstore?

 

[downtown]

Duh. LIBRARIES ARE RUN BY THE GOVERNMENT!!

 

[The Yankee]

And even then, they're only open until maybe 6 PM at the latest, depending on where you are and how much they want to fund them.

 

[LordRahl]

They put the middle of the book because it's the best part, so that you'd want to buy it and waste money. =] It's in their self-interest to gain money.

You, as an objectivist, should agree with that.

Quite to the contrary - they just lost my business (it wasn't Amazon). Their rational self-interest would dictate applying logic, and including the first chapter, or at least something from the very beginning, or at the very least including the chapter number to warn me.

 

[downtown]

Quite to the contrary - they just lost my business (it wasn't Amazon). Their rational self-interest would dictate applying logic, and including the first chapter, or at least something from the very beginning, or at the very least including the chapter number to warn me.

No it wouldn't. Their RSI is in you buying the book, so they get paid (by any legal means possible). Thats exactly what they did.

 

[Perfection]

Quite to the contrary - they just lost my business (it wasn't Amazon). Their rational self-interest would dictate applying logic, and including the first chapter, or at least something from the very beginning, or at the very least including the chapter number to warn me.

No it wouldn't their rational self-interest would dictate not worrying about the exceprts of every single one of the books it offers because it would suck up far too much resources.

 

[LordRahl]

Sales and marketing are often deceptive. You learned that the hard way.

It wasn't about making a sale - the book was great as it is. And the first chapter would be much better - it offered way more suspense than the random middle, and was easier to follow on its own.

The person was just plain stupid - that's all. We meet them everyday - and can only hope they are not responsible for anything important (like checking your plane's internal systems)

 

[LordRahl]

No it wouldn't their rational self-interest would dictate not worrying about the exceprts of every single one of the books it offers because it would suck up far too much resources.

Exactly - just post the very first one. Don't make things more complicated than they need to be.

 

[Perfection]

It wasn't about making a sale - the book was great as it is. And the first chapter would be much better - it offered way more suspense than the random middle, and was easier to follow on its own.

The person was just plain stupid - that's all. We meet them everyday - and can only hope they are not responsible for anything important (like checking your plane's internal systems)

Everybody does something stupid sometimes.

 

[Perfection]

Exactly - just post the very first one. Don't make things more complicated than they need to be.

The first one might not always be the best. And maybe it was the author who picked it. Don't rail against the seller unless you're sure they were the ones who picked it.

 

[LordRahl]

No it wouldn't. Their RSI is in you buying the book, so they get paid (by any legal means possible). Thats exactly what they did.

I bought only one cheap $6 book. I would've stuck with them for a long time otherwise - I read one or two books a week on average.
That's about $300 a year they missed out on.

Luckily we live in free market, and I have about a thousand other places to choose from.

 

[JollyRoger]

I got ripped off too. I bought The Odyssey and the seller put the chapters in the wrong order.