Sifting the various input, download difficulties due to the size of the file are posing a formidable challenge to some users on some systems. As a ‘gateway’ problem, this turns people away before we can get them through the door to help them with any other problems, so it concerns me.
I’m going to have to talk to Jane to find out what our options are, but it seems that the omnifile needs to be greatly reduced in size or divvied up. Here are my considerations:
1. We aren’t going to be able to give re-downloads of different formats months later when your device changes: we’re little guys, and our software isn’t capable of storing hundreds, we hope thousands, of records, and we need to be writing, not keeping increasingly complex records. So we have to be sure you get everything you’re going to need in one go, so you can store it and have it, period, forever, all at one price.
2. I’m not sure our system can give you the option to download over half a dozen files, and many users aren’t going to be ‘up’ on exactly which format they’re going to need…they use their download link, are instantly confronted by an alphabet soup of choices relating to a machine they plan to get but haven’t got instructions for yet, or a machine like an iphone that they’ve never used in that application—and they’re baffled. So that’s a problem.
3. One solution would be to offer only 3 formats: non-drm mobi, an e-Pub, and a PDF. Certainly less work for me, but that work is fairly minor to me—one big effort to produce a file, and then I don’t have to do anything more with it. What would you have to do to use those 3 files to produce everything else? You have to go into Calibre on your computer, install the mobi file, and then ask it to produce, one at a time, (erasing the file Calibre now has at each stage, always going back to the original mobi file [prevents errors) all the other formats it can produce. Mobi>FB2. Mobi>LIT. Mobi>RTF, etc, etc.
IF IF IF I can get the software to allow two downloads offered, I could prepare one download with just the 3 files, for those who want the short download and want to do their own conversions; and a second omnifile containing all the versions. I’ve tried to lower the technological barriers to the majority of people by offering all the formats; but that raises a technological barrier in terms of download time. Sigh.
So. Opinions? What do you think? Would you rather do your own conversions? More choices in a big download file, or a smaller download file which you then have to use to create YOUR particular formats—which would you prefer, if you absolutely had to make a choice? I’ll do both if I can—if people actually want the big one. If I have to make a choice, what should it be?
I’m easy CJ, I have enough bandwidth that it won’t really matter to me what format you provide. Have multiple versions offers more ways to carry the book around perhaps.
Size, for me. is irrelevant. The Writing Life downloaded very quickly as have other books (Time Warner broadband in NYC).
I don’t think conversions will be a problem.
So for me at this point, I would advise whatever is easier for you considering whatever limitations the three of you have with your server system (if any).
You’re already prepared to adjust with changing technologies, etc. And my technology is still a 20-inch monitor.
I suspect my first purchases will be short story collections. I don’t suppose that those multi-authored books would be available; copyright must be a nightmare, plus allocating earnings (here’s your quarterly check for $7.68). But maybe I’m just to pessimistic. Certainly it’s the only way a lot of that stuff will stay in print.
Re short stories: you’ll be able to buy them individually as well as in collections. As an e-story, they can have covers and notes and all sorts of things. Jane and I are already thinking in that direction.
Our prices will be in line with what Amazon is charging. We won’t be a subscription site: we’re not large enough. We’ll be charge-by-the-download, priced according to “new short story, old short story, old novel, new novel,” etc.
We’ll start off with a few things: Lynn’s life has been too chaotic to let her have things ready immediately, and she will be adding her books in as we go. Jane will have a few, I’ll have a few, and things will get added month by month until we are quite a respectably large site. Once it’s built and running, we can use some of our copious spare time to produce some stories especially for this site.
But within the next couple of weeks you are going to see this site operational or we’re just going to explode.
The three format solution would work better for me. The PDF would solve future problems while e-pub and mobi cover a lot of ground.
I had no problem with the first download. The current working plan sounds sensible to me.
I’d be particularly interested in rare or unpublished short stories, essays, etc.
All right, here’s definitively what we’re doing. We figure those of you who want mini-files are the computer savvy sort who can find the button to send you to a second, identical Products Page on which ALL the buttons will lead you to mini-files, ie, a mobi-epub-pdf zip file that should download pretty fast.
(You should have heard Jane and me yelling back and forth between my workstation and hers–different rooms) “What are we offering?”
“Huh?”
“What formats?”
“Mobi. Epub.”
“Huh?”
“Mobile Orbiting Bicycles Inside. Egregious Prestigious Ukelele Brothers. Pretty Damn Fast. Luscious Icicle Transports.” Etc.
But that’s it: the megafiles are in the first products page link. The MiniMe files are going to be in the secondary products page.
I don’t mind downloading the large format, but would like to know the size of the archive beforehand. It should be transmitted by the server also, so that the progress bar can work properly.
I was able to view the PRC version on my mobile phone with FBReader 0.8.15, btw. 🙂
It’s a good suggestion to state the size, at least to give an estimate.
Sorry to ask the inconvenient question, but what happens when your power fails, my power fails, either of our internet connections fail, or one of our ISPs fails, and the d/l doesn’t happen as planned?
I also have to endorse Sweetbo’s concerns. A friend is getting his mother onto the Internet at 83. She doesn’t–cannot–understand “click”. When she presses the mouse button, she wants something to happen then, and holds the button down until it does. (This can be done by configuring Windows.) That’s the level of user you want your system to deal with eventually.
It’s also worth asking the really nice question, what if this really works big-time? What if you’re doing a hundred or hundreds of downloads a day? What if half a dozen authors you know and like come to you and say they want in? “Can’t we come in if we pay you a processing fee?”
Well, we have the site up where we hope that won’t happen—stress ‘hope’. I know.
A glitch during download we can handle—in fact, I spent several interesting e-mails today getting that sorted out with one of our faithful folk. We got it done, after about 5 exchanges of e-mails, and it was an interesting learning experience.
Yep, I know that lady. I don’t know quite what I’m going to do on that one, but I fear I’ll learn. How DO you configure Windows so that doesn’t happen?
It would be nice to have our server complain about the load…
But on the half a dozen authors, we have a stock answer: there’s a reason it’s called Closed Circle. What we will cheerfully do is instruct other authors in how to do what we’re doing; the nice thing about rings is they interlock so nicely. They get other friends, link to us, we link to them, and hopefully we save the ‘literature of ideas’ from the stuff that’s going on in NYC right now. I’ll continue to publish paper books because I can—but there are so many really good writers who’ve been dropped, or who can’t survive without income from their backlist—90% of that annual income is flat gone. So there are already people watching what we’re doing, and we will happily tell them how—they’re not competition: they’re support, in a time when the winds of change are starting up a heckuva blow.
I think that is so right, re competition. I don’t read your books and Jane’s instead of others. I read all the books all of my favorite authors write, and if I can find new works via the internet from all of you, and can pay all of you directly, I will, in preference to Amazon or book store purchases. If you all provide info re each other it will feed the frenzy. I just, as I mentioned elsewhere, bought four stories from Barbara Hambly because a friend elsewhere posted to a thread that they were available. Now I am perturbed as to how to find out if and when she has more to offer. I come here several times a day, but I don’t go to her site often. not enough time in the day. And how’s anyone to know who else is out there?
Well, we are thinking of various things, even audiofiles. So stand by.
And we will have a link to Barbara Hambly, for sure.
Hah! You could put out your own monthly e-mag. Analoguettes? Amazingitas? Black CAF Delights? The possibilities are endless.
One reason I mentioned short stories is the state of my tush, and I’ve been sitting here copy/line editing most of the day. Can’t take long reads. On the other hand, short stories may offer too much of a welcome distraction.
downloaded in a few seconds for me (ADSL2+ 14Mbs – in Australia) – took much longer than that to answer all the questions OSX asked (“you are opening Calibre for the first time – are you sure?” “this [the epub] is a unix executable file which might compromise your security- are you mad?”). OTOH there is indeed massive redundancy here, and I’m at risk of repeating everything in every comment above, so I’ll stop now …
I agree with the consensus that only supporting three formats is the way forward and am impressed with the way that the decision was reached.
Having posted earlier that I thought download size would be a problem I am impressed by my vision but upset that I was not in time to influence this thread.
I do not think that the problem of not being able to support visitors wanting to download files again in the future should be considerer a constraint. I do not get a free paperback after several years when I lose my copy! If customers want such a service then they have to pay a higher price for it.
Once again congratulations on how far you have got in a short time.
Ian
The file downloaded in approximately 10 seconds for me. That’s over a Hughes (DirecWay)satellite modem (life in the woods…), which may be the Slowest “broadband” connection currently known to man. Better than dialup at least, and the only other option available out here where cable does not reach. And no 3G phone coverage either.
In any case – the larg(er) file size is not an issue. I do however applaud the option of a Smaller file with fewer formats included – simpler is always better.
I’ve noticed that some of these e-reader’s have modem’s built in, I guess so buyers can download books over the phone lines. I bet that takes longer.
I don’t know if this is the right place to ask a question about e-readers. This process is led me to embark on a search. Does anyone know anything about the eBookwise 1150 and compatible formats? This is an older model (2004 but with 64 meg memory), backlit screen (not that e-ink), 15-20 hrs battery life, and it looks like you can buy it for US$100-110 net delivered (US). My one fear is that most of what I consider usable formats–those listed above– (And I have no intention of converting back and forth to Word for this stuff) may not work with the device. At this instant, $100-130 is my price point for a device. And believe me, I’m not interested in reading e-mail, checking online, texting, etc. with the device. I want something to fit in a packet that I can read comfortably: waiting in car, subway, curled up on the coach, in bed, waiting in line at the bank–anyplace I need an anti-boredom device that I now take a book or magazine to.
My fear is that, like so many other electronic devices, this one is format sabotaged to tie you to the “seller’s” bookstore. Maybe I’m wrong, can anyone verify?
Would be a great option for CC to link to if my fears are groundless.
Amazon has opted for DRM for their books which no-one really likes. But their kindle reads generic formats like MOBI and PDF which means you’re not tied to the site. I’ve got a lot of my reading matter from other places; a lot of it virtually free. But then, I love mysteries written during the 1920’s and 1930’s.
http://www.ebookwise.com/ebookwise/ebookwise1150.htm offering at 89.00. “Personal Content” would probably include closed circle files. “In addition, the eBookwise-1150 can display your own personal content in the following file formats: plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), Microsoft Word documents (.doc), HTML (.htm or .html), and Rocket eBook Editions (.rb). There are several ways to transfer personal content onto the device; for more information click here.” Obviously that click is dead, but go to their site. We offer .rb plus .txt and .rtf. The last two files have some display issues, particularly .txt, which, like Notepad on your computer, loses italics and other finesses. Amazon is also offering used original Kindles at 199.00.
I hadn’t realised the current journal offering was close to Foreigner in book size. But smaller is always better.
What program are you using to zip the onifile? It wasn’t being recognised as a zip file by XP – but Calibre wasn’t expecting subfolders. Ended up cuting and pasting, and I’m sure some users wouldn’t have coped.
I’ll bet that initial one was done with jzip. Every other file I’ve done has been with xp zip. Weird. Let me tell you, the latest ones do not have subfolders (my mistake) and there is a mobi-pdf-epub file separately offered. We should load version 1.8 and see if that’s improved. Jane however is the speaker-to-machines and I’m the speaker-to-files, but where my files hit her machines, she has to do the loading, and after yesterday I’m afraid the words “would you upload this?” would result in total mental meltdown…
Can you believe the fix Norton worked on for 4 hours on the phone with us—that seemed to work—didn’t work?
Re the format wars, Sony just sent me an e-mail that they are about to consolidate their store’s download formats to a single open ePUB within the next week or so and will subsequently upgrade their other software and firmware for the readers.