Comments on: Kindle doesn’t light my fire http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/ K.G. Schneider's blog on librarianship, writing, and everything else Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:16:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Todd Kelley http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-437543 Todd Kelley Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:17:10 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-437543 There are 3 reasons why Kindle2 is contrary to the values of librarians: Access, access, and access. 1) Access is limited by the cost of the reader. 2) Access is limited by the proprietary nature of the format. 3) Access is limited by the limitations on use (one reader per work). Having said that, the Kindle2 seems to be VERY popular. I have one and many of my colleagues and contemporaries have one. Why? It is convenient, easy to use, expertly designed, and has some other advantages over the other brick shaped object. I am working with staff at our library to consider how to take advantage of the Kindle2 and the interest in it. In my opinion, doing anything else would be sticking our head in the sand a little bit further. There are 3 reasons why Kindle2 is contrary to the values of librarians: Access, access, and access. 1) Access is limited by the cost of the reader. 2) Access is limited by the proprietary nature of the format. 3) Access is limited by the limitations on use (one reader per work). Having said that, the Kindle2 seems to be VERY popular. I have one and many of my colleagues and contemporaries have one. Why? It is convenient, easy to use, expertly designed, and has some other advantages over the other brick shaped object. I am working with staff at our library to consider how to take advantage of the Kindle2 and the interest in it. In my opinion, doing anything else would be sticking our head in the sand a little bit further.

]]> By: JRoDDz http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-323001 JRoDDz Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:55:09 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-323001 You're buying into the "I have to BUY my books from Amazon theory" which of course is what Amazon wants you to think. They want you to think that they are the only place you can load up your Kindle with stuff. Not so. You can get free ebooks from a number of sites and put them on the kindle. You can also transfer PDF documents (books) into the kindle using mobicreator, then put them on a SD card and into the kindle. You can read blogs wirelessly through the kindle browser instead of paying the .99 a month. Theoretically you can just pay for the hardware and never pay Amazon 1 red cent again if you are smart about it. You’re buying into the “I have to BUY my books from Amazon theory” which of course is what Amazon wants you to think. They want you to think that they are the only place you can load up your Kindle with stuff. Not so. You can get free ebooks from a number of sites and put them on the kindle. You can also transfer PDF documents (books) into the kindle using mobicreator, then put them on a SD card and into the kindle. You can read blogs wirelessly through the kindle browser instead of paying the .99 a month. Theoretically you can just pay for the hardware and never pay Amazon 1 red cent again if you are smart about it.

]]> By: eBook Readers and Libraries « Anne Gambles’ Blog http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-187034 eBook Readers and Libraries « Anne Gambles’ Blog Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:22:01 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-187034 [...] http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/ [...] [...] http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/ [...]

]]> By: Daniel http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-144309 Daniel Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:28:48 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-144309 Then there was Plucker... http://www.plkr.org I run a free Linux based eReader on my "ancient" Archos PMA430 called JustReader. ( JustReader can read a number of file formats, Plucker is one example) The Plucker site has similar software for just about any O.S. Plucker is also a standard/file format, also free. It's just a matter of time before many more "free e-books" become available. Kindle and fee based systems are desperate attempts at fading pure profit. Then there was Plucker…
http://www.plkr.org

I run a free Linux based eReader on my “ancient” Archos PMA430 called JustReader.
( JustReader can read a number of file formats,
Plucker is one example)
The Plucker site has similar software for just about any O.S. Plucker is also a standard/file format, also free.
It’s just a matter of time before many more “free e-books” become available. Kindle and fee based systems are desperate attempts at fading pure profit.

]]> By: A few quick thoughts « Just Another Digerati Wannabe http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-122573 A few quick thoughts « Just Another Digerati Wannabe Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:04:39 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-122573 [...] at work here. Any thoughts? But anyhoo. Enough about what I think. Check these posts out from the Free Range Librarian and Pattern Recognition [...] [...] at work here. Any thoughts? But anyhoo. Enough about what I think. Check these posts out from the Free Range Librarian and Pattern Recognition [...]

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-122256 K.G. Schneider Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:06:46 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-122256 But anyone who buys a Kindle already has "free access." It's not like this is the One Laptop Per Yuppie program; you tack on the cost onto everything else you're paying for. But yes, most of us have figured out that this is how Amazon is making sure it doesn't lose its pants for providing free cellular. But anyone who buys a Kindle already has “free access.” It’s not like this is the One Laptop Per Yuppie program; you tack on the cost onto everything else you’re paying for.

But yes, most of us have figured out that this is how Amazon is making sure it doesn’t lose its pants for providing free cellular.

]]> By: Michael http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-121978 Michael Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:02:27 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-121978 The point that a lot of people seem to be missing about paying for otherwise free content (i.e. blogs) is that with the Kindle, you are not paying a monthly or annual data charge like you do with your phone, or your computer's connection to the Internet. Instead, Amazon has opted a pay-per-use model. With books and magazines, the cost of the data delivery is built into the price of the book, magazine or newspaper. But with 'free' content (i.e. your own documents or blogs), the small charges are paying for the wireless connection costs. Name a device where you can get onto the internet completely free of any service charge? The point that a lot of people seem to be missing about paying for otherwise free content (i.e. blogs) is that with the Kindle, you are not paying a monthly or annual data charge like you do with your phone, or your computer’s connection to the Internet. Instead, Amazon has opted a pay-per-use model. With books and magazines, the cost of the data delivery is built into the price of the book, magazine or newspaper. But with ‘free’ content (i.e. your own documents or blogs), the small charges are paying for the wireless connection costs.

Name a device where you can get onto the internet completely free of any service charge?

]]> By: Amazon Debuts New eBook Reader « Detroit Area Library Network http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-121521 Amazon Debuts New eBook Reader « Detroit Area Library Network Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:15:47 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-121521 [...] in the library world are also discussing the Kindle here, here, and here.   Search LisZen, a library and information science search engine, if you’d [...] [...] in the library world are also discussing the Kindle here, here, and here.   Search LisZen, a library and information science search engine, if you’d [...]

]]> By: Mark Perkins http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-114733 Mark Perkins Sat, 01 Dec 2007 19:03:58 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-114733 Have not tried it yet (price) but I like the look of iLiad wifi rather than cellular but seems more 'open' than the Kindle (GPL) Have not tried it yet (price) but I like the look of iLiad

wifi rather than cellular but seems more ‘open’ than the Kindle (GPL)

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-108416 K.G. Schneider Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:51:27 +0000 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2007/11/19/kindle-doesnt-light-my-fire/#comment-108416 Jodi, I hadn't. That's wonderful! Jodi, I hadn’t. That’s wonderful!

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