e-books - into the firebox!
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To: "lit.review.bookreview" (912261)
Date: Thursday, May 15, 2003, 4:25:08 PM
Subject: Read with us. Book review.
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Survey results
A few weeks ago, "Voice of Runet" conducted a survey on the topic of electronic
literature. Since the numbers on the voting counters stopped growing,
It's time to take stock.
The survey page is located at:
http://www.voxru.net/arc/internet/etext.html.
In total, about 8 thousand people voted on the questions (the number of respondents
questions range from 7400 to 7900).
Question 1. How often do you read fiction (collections of stories,
stories, novels)? (7757 votes)
Less than one book per month - 2068 (26.7%) One or two books per month - 2748
(35.4%) Three to four books per month - 1383 (17.8%) Five books per month or more - 1299
(16.7%) Difficult to answer - 259 (3.3%)
Almost two-thirds of respondents (62%) read two books a month or less. If you takethe volume of an average book is three hundred pages, we get up to twenty pages a day.
The weighted average results in something like 2.3 books per month, i.e. order
28 books a year. Not bad. I won’t speak for all of Russia, but the population of Runet clearly loves
It's gratifying to read.
Question 2. Do you read fiction in the form of electronic texts?
(7905 votes)
No, never - 1143 (14.5%) Sometimes, but only small texts (stories) -
2975 (37.6%)Sometimes, including medium and large texts (stories and novels) -
1017 (12.9%) From time to time, if there is no opportunity/desire to find paper
publication - 1153 (14.6%) Quite often, but only small texts - 340
(4.3%) Quite often, including medium and large texts - 694 (8.8%) Read
constantly - 583 (7.4%)
More than forty percent, if they read anything from the screen, are only small texts (about
reasons
- below): stories and the like. In this group they find themselves like those for
for whom it is habitual, and those for whom it is not a habit. About
30 percent can read a story or novel, but this is
non-standard situation. This situation may include, for example,
a popular novel, which for some reason (for example, cannot be obtained)
cannot be read on paper. Such situations usually arise spontaneously and not
too influence the general situation with electronic texts.A group of people who read large electronic texts frequently or constantly,
constitutes approximately 16% of the number of respondents and is balanced by the group,
who never reads literary texts from the screen (14.5%).
Question 3. Do you usually read e-books with... (7566 votes)
Desktop CRT monitors - 5344 (70.6%) LCD
Desktop monitor - 735 (9.7%)Laptop - 379 (5.0%)Handheld
computer (PDA, etc.)
- 229 (3.0%)Specialized device (for example Rocket eBook) - 42
(0.6%) Print and read from paper - 2729 (36.1%)
Mostly (more than 70%) e-books are read from a monitor screen on
cathode ray tube. This is most likely the reason
main difficulties. Sitting on an uncomfortable chair at your desk (see
VoxRu polls dedicated to computer furniture) and stare at the flickering screen -
little pleasure and a strain on the eyes. For many this is a complete killer.
pleasure from reading (more on this topic below). Very often (more
thirds of respondents) also print out texts and read them from paper (this is the sin of
even judges of online literary competitions), which is also not the best
solution: expensive and still inconvenient. A more eye-pleasing solution in the form of
LCD monitor is still too expensive (two to three timesmore expensive than a similar diagonally high-quality CRT monitor). Such
monitors today are mainly an attribute of the office, but not so much at work
read it. However, almost ten percent can afford it
(I'm sincerely jealous).
The same applies to laptops, which are still mainly toys for
businessmen and are not very common. Lately there are
relatively cheap machines that are substitutes for desktop computers
at a price well under $1,000. There is also a very wide market for used
laptops (from Pentium-100 to Pentium2-500) in the price category up to $500
(from my own experience I can say that there is a very high probability of running into
hidden defects). There is probably a chance that the situation will change. After all
rabbit... ugh, a laptop is not only a text reader, but also a text reader
editor and even a slot machine (there are toys from the early 90s like Master of
Orion, which will go great with the P-100, and are superior in playability
modern).
In recent years, there has also been a tendency to read texts from handheld devices.
computers. On the one hand, this can be done even on the bus, but on the other hand,
models with more or less suitable (in my myopic opinion) screen quality
cost around 500 dollars (in any case, well over three hundred). For such
money is better to buy a used laptop. Although I know that many people read even oncheap m100 with its tiny screen, and it is for this reason that this model
is still widely sold. There are, however, very few such people
- only three percent.
Finally, the people who stand apart are the happy owners
specialized readers such as Rocket eBook. These devices are expensive and not
can be used for other purposes, although they provide maximum
comfort when reading. Due to the high cost and problems with the Russian language, as well as
These devices are practically not widespread in unlicensed texts. By the way
- perhaps one of the happy owners would like to share
impressions with newsletter readers?
Question 4. What, in your opinion, are the main advantages of electronic texts?
(7790 votes)
I don't see any advantages. Not satisfied with the quality of electronic texts in general - 1017
(13.1%)Compact (they do not take up space at all) - 2720
(34.9%) Greater mobility (the ability to send over a network or transmit to
any medium, even on a floppy disk) - 3997 (51.3%) Metasearch by text (which
impossible when working with a paper book) - 2480 (31.8%) Free or almost
free (at least in Russia and at least for now) - 4072
(52.3%)Ability to customize fonts and colors to suit your needs -
1915 (24.6%)Ability to translate text using electronic translators into
other language - 1192 (15.3%)Ability to view a large numbertitles of books to select the desired text - 2738 (35.1%) Other advantages -
1020 (13.1%)
Thirteen percent see no merit at all in electronic texts.
This result, generally speaking, surprised me. Why read if there are none
advantages? In addition, the same percentage of responses to the last question showed
that there were too few answer options. My fault. Maybe we can fix it in
next time.
Of the noted advantages, the first place (more than 50%) is shared by free and
mobility of electronic text. Indeed, in conditions not too high
living standards in Russia, the price of books is simply not affordable for everyone. Not everyone
can pay 50-70 rubles for a book, no one knows what hides under the beautiful
cover. And mobility is very important: when you go on vacation, take it with you
suitcase of paper books not with hand. But a flash drive or laptop with electronic
texts - easily.
Second place (35%) is shared by such advantages of e-books as compactness
and the ability to evaluate the text in advance and choose it to your liking. For me
Personally, both of these parameters are decisive. Putting books under the bed is clumsy, but
Having come across blatant rubbish in beautiful packaging several times, you start and
I'm afraid to go into the store. For the combination of these two reasons, I stopped
buy paper books in 1995, although before that I regularly went tocollapses with large string bags. It is obvious that in conditions of small-sized
Soviet apartments and not very high incomes, these problems are common,
although for the RuNet, which is slightly richer than in general, the problem is not so acute.
The ability to quickly search through text is very important for many (32%). Logical -
Often you don’t want to read everything in a row, but rather enjoy a selected passage. Yes and
It’s much more convenient to make bookmarks.
A quarter of respondents also appreciated the ability to customize text design
for yourself. Not everyone likes to read standard small print on paper.
books, the same both under the bright sun and on a dim evening bus.
Finally, 15% use electronic translators to translate text into other
languages. Hmm... in my opinion, this way you can only get a very vague
idea of the text. Although if we are talking about translation into Russian from
foreign, then this makes it possible to quickly understand whether it is worth looking for a book in
normal translation. But in the case of technical documentation, the approach
certainly justifies itself.
Question 5. What would you consider to be the main disadvantages of electronic texts?
(7836 votes)
I don't see any shortcomings. I am quite satisfied with the quality of electronic texts in
overall - 379 (4.8%) There is no reading atmosphere (paper pages, smell
paper, the ability to flip through pages) - 2786 (35.6%) Eyes get tired when readingfrom the screen - 6065 (77.4%) High cost of "eco-friendly", portable
computers, special reading devices - 1023 (13.1%)Uncomfortable reading
(it’s uncomfortable to sit at a table in front of a monitor, you can’t lie down on the sofa, etc.)
- 4580 (58.4%) Text from the screen is perceived worse than printed on paper - 3085
(39.4%) Electronic text is of poor quality (poor formatting, bad
proofreading, lack of illustrations...) - 1211 (15.5%) Limited selection already
ready-made e-books - 1617 (20.6%) Other shortcomings - 443 (5.7%)
Approximately 5% of readers are generally quite satisfied with the quality of electronic texts.
There are many more dissatisfied, and, unfortunately, rightfully dissatisfied.
First place (almost 4/5 of respondents) confidently holds a tired eye when reading with
screen. This is predictable - if you add up the number of readers from the traditional
monitor and from a small handheld screen, you get about the same amount.
Although, of course, one cannot ignore the group of people whose eyes get tired from
reading even from the LCD screen. Obviously, flat monitors are still
there is room for improvement.
The second place is also predictably occupied by the inconvenience of reading at the table. Read
It’s much more comfortable in a chair or on a sofa. However, this is difficult even with a laptop. He
heavy and hot, uncomfortable on your knees, overheats on the sofa, and your belly
downwards is not the most beneficial position for the eyes.But these are all physiological problems. Psychological problems worry people
noticeably less. Thus, the lack of a reading atmosphere (rustling pages, smell
printing ink) is of concern to only a third of respondents. Considering that the big
some of the voters began reading from paper significantly earlier than from the screen, with
Over time, fewer and fewer people will care about this. It will be especially
noticeable when the generation of the current 13-15 year olds grows up. To the same
transient problems include poor perception of text on the screen (40%) - with
With regular reading, this quickly goes away on its own. Probably the same
experienced by people during the transition from handwritten texts to printed ones.
Slightly more than 15% had poor text quality. This is clear - formatting
when reading using specialized programs is not significant, but
We are not spoiled with illustrations even on paper. Percentage of errors in scanned
texts is not too high - usually the people doing this are conscientious
read the result of FineReader's work. Odious works with a large number
There are surprisingly few misrecognized characters. And paper literacy
texts have dropped noticeably lately.
Finally, a limited selection of ready-made books received 20% of the votes. Yes, in
There is a noticeable bias on the Internet towards science fiction and action films.
Considering the average age of the Runet, this is understandable. In time it may be
fixed.Considering that CRT monitors are slowly becoming obsolete and will, for the most part,
forced out of the market over the next five to seven years, eye fatigue will soon
will cease to be the main factor inhibiting reading. If we remember that
At the same time, wireless technologies are becoming more widespread, and through
In a few years, monitors will not only be flat, but also freely wearable
(like tablet PCs), then the inconvenience of sitting at a table will also cease
be a significant factor. It is likely that over time, the number of people
screen readers will increase. Add addictiveness to electronic
text and an increase in the range of books as a result of the work of altruists - and from
The only downside is poor formatting, which is only important seventh
part of the respondents.
Question 6. Electronic libraries on the Internet... (7759 votes)
Violate copyright and promote piracy - 736 (9.5%) Illegal and should
be liquidated - 57 (0.7%) Help promote little-known authors - 3599
(46.4%) Provide access to texts that cannot be found on paper -
6461 (83.3%) Logically develop and continue the idea of a paper library - 3575
(46.1%)Over time, traditional bookstores will be replaced - 1230
(15.9%) Should be strictly regulated by copyright laws - 1231 (15.9%)
Since the concepts of copyright and copyright are often confused, the first andThe latter responses must be considered together. Many are considering
electronic libraries as a breeding ground for piracy, but public opinion in
In general, this point of view is not supported. Moreover, even among those who
considers libraries as pirate establishments, there are practically no supporters
their complete elimination (less than 1% of the total number of voters). This is, in general,
understandable if you look at the other answers. Yes, many people use it
libraries in order to find books that are not available offline (83%).
Considering that very few people read the novels obtained in this way in full
(see above), we get a paradoxical conclusion: electronic libraries not only
harm offline publishing houses, but also act as free
advertising agencies without any costs from publishing houses. Add to
this promotion of unknown authors (46%), and we get that electronic
libraries are very useful for all concerned
tools. It’s no wonder, by the way, that few popular Russian authors
objects to the presence of his texts in online libraries.
Almost every second (46%) believes that the electronic library is
logical development of the traditional library. In my opinion, the result is
surprise is low.
Finally, 16% believe that digital libraries will displace bookstores.
More on this topic below.Question 7.Would you buy the book you like in paper form after reading
electronic version? (7763 votes)
Yes, of course. The electronic version is suitable for informational purposes only -1698
(21.9%) Possibly, if you like it very much - 4477 (57.7%) Unlikely - due to technical reasons
reasons (expensive, nowhere to put it, can’t find it on sale, don’t bother with paper)
- 391 (5.0%)No. The book has already been read - why buy it? - 925
(11.9%) Difficult to answer - 272 (3.5%)
More than 20% of those who voted, in principle, will not read the novel from the screen.
Having looked at it diagonally, they will arm themselves with a wallet and go to his store
buy. 58% are not so categorical - they will probably read the novel with
screen, but will only buy if they like the text. Very
interesting result, by the way: on the one hand, publishing houses are losing
the opportunity to sell readers low-quality text under a bright cover, but
on the other hand, the total sales volume may increase as the reader becomes more
It’s easier to navigate the sea of books. If earlier, after leafing through the book in the store
or at the collapse, he might not have appreciated it, but now with this it becomes much
simpler. Moreover: having accidentally bought a book not to one’s taste, the buyer could
to be filled with disgust both for the publishing house that abandoned him and for the author,
even if this book is not characteristic of the author or publisher in
in general.Only 5% of respondents would not buy the book for any technical reasons. Reasons
these are small-sized apartments, the inconvenience of handling a paper book,
high cost, etc. However, given that the average level of income in RuNet
higher than the Russian average, the high cost of books is not so important. But
fundamental refusal - why buy something you’ve already read? (12%) - occurs
more often. But this is already a matter of life views: some people, for example, never
They don’t re-read books they’ve already read. However, 12% is quite small
in my opinion, the value is such that publishers should fight against the appearance of their
new books on the Internet.
Question 8. If we assume that a book in paper form is sold for 50 rubles,
then how much should it cost in electronic version, in your opinion?
(7477 voted) Not more than 10 rubles - 3143 (42.0%) 11-20 rubles. - 797
(10.7%)21-30 rub. - 323 (4.3%) 31-40 rub. - 110 (1.5%) The same as
paper version - 205 (2.7%) It depends on the book - 1668 (22.3%) I’m not sure
answer - 1231 (16.5%)
Finally, an important question directly related to the future of electronic
book publishing. Is the consumer ready to pay for an e-book in principle?
or not? After all, someone must pay for the work of proofreaders, editors,
managers, layout designers? (author's work
- a separate song, and we won’t sing it this time). As the survey shows,a significant portion of respondents are not ready to pay, or are ready, but not enough (up to
20% of the price of a paper book - 42%). 11 percent are willing to pay up to 40, and
four percent - up to 60% of the cost of the book on the counter. Finally, pay 22%
do not refuse, but agree to set the amount only independently - in
depending on the quality of the text. In total, more than a third of respondents are ready
It's not that little money to pay. Finally, pay for electronic
the text costs the same as for paper, Runet is not mentally prepared
- less than 3%.
The results are natural: if the traditional option gives the buyer
a weighty volume, often with a beautiful cover, then the electronic version
lies quietly and peacefully somewhere in the depths of the computer, and the computer with books from
A computer without books is visually no different. In addition, many may ask
a reasonable question: if from the cost of a paper book we subtract the cost of
paper processing, what will be the bottom line?
By the way, it is impossible not to take into account that for a significant part of users
electronic text is far from free: it must be downloaded, and when used
for these purposes, dialup or ethernet connection results in quite
specific money. Therefore, the price of the text is added to the price of its delivery,
which makes the e-book more expensive.
Finally, the percentage of vague answers is high: more than 16%. Obviously this groupwill largely accept policies shaped by others. If they
agree to pay money for electronic text, then in total we will receive no less
half of the readers who agree to financially support electronic book publishing.
Let's summarize.
Despite the non-representativeness of the sample, it can be assumed that Runet in
Overall remains very readable.
The idea of electronic text as an alternative to paper text is perceived in
generally favorable, although the existing technical base (monitors on
electronic tubes and hard chairs) negatively affects the state of affairs.
However, it must be taken into account that flat panel matrices of different types are steadily
are becoming cheaper, and screens based on them are becoming more mobile.
Mass production of tablet PCs will soon begin, allowing you to read while lying down
on the sofa. Of course, a bulky and uncomfortable CRT monitor on a table in
Due to his cheapness, he will not soon leave the stage, but the years of his life are numbered.
Switching to clear and contrasting LCD monitors and turning them into mobile ones, and
also getting used to the text on the screen (and getting used to the text on paper) will remove
almost all inconveniences. This, in turn, can cause a sharp spike
electronic reading. Bookselling companies, even in Russia, should already think about
about how to satisfy new demand, and effective demand. Considering,that this will require practically no additional costs from them, it’s just a matter of
development of new business models.
The paper book is doomed to extinction. Wood is used to make it,
Pulp and paper mills poison the environment. Poisons the environment
environment and transport transporting paper (in the case of electric locomotives -
indirectly, through power plants). These are the arguments for environmentalists. Transportation
paper, and then paper books, their storage in wholesale warehouses and warehouses
shops are expensive and unsafe (paper burns, gets dirty, paper books can be
steal, etc.). These are arguments for businessmen. Distribution of texts in
electronic version theoretically makes it possible to convey it to a much larger
audience than on paper. This is an argument for writers. Finally, electronic
The book is mobile and does not take up space, making it more convenient to work with. This is the argument for
readers.
Already, many electronic libraries are collaborating with bookselling sites
or create their own electronic stores where readers can buy
a book he liked. And from selling a paper book to selling a book
electronic - one step. It seems that this is the main path of development
online bookselling.
A paper book is beautiful, pleasant to the touch, produced in mass editions, but
her hour has already struck. And we can assume that in the not too distant futureshelves in bookstores will replace rows of monitors, and we won’t go there
with a bag, but with a floppy disk or flash drive. If we do, of course, we will buy through
The Internet is much more convenient. And in order to gain a foothold in the new old market,
Efforts need to be made now. Publishers! Who's first? :)
Evgeniy Lotosh aka Zlobny Ykh
May 13-15, 2003