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Beware the dreaded bandersnatch

Yes, but not as much as you are expecting - limited budget here and information is far more readily available than you discussed.

I read EB and AKH's stuff when I want to play with my Windows PC. If it wasn't there I would go to one of the other shortcuts I have set up in IE under /Computing/Installation Support Tuning. Just counted them - nearly 100. Same for News, same for Chess, same for Adult Content, ...

The general problem with many traditional industries these days is that they have not truly understood the danger and opportunity afforded by the combination of digitisation and the Internet. The prime example is the music business. I used to go and buy CD's. Now I want to download BluRay DVD's. It's not that I am unwilling to pay for anything ... I want to pay far less ONCE YOUR COMPANY HAS REALISED IT SHOULDN'T MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS IT USED TO AND INDEED MAY GO OUT OF BUSINESS. I used to stop by a newsagent to buy a PC mag. No more. Your business model must work on at least an order of magnitude smaller budget.

Also you have a vast number of competitors now who deliver direct to my doorstep (PC). Inevitably several people who have a keen interest in a particular (even niche) topic publish their work for free. They are skilled as well ... two of your bloggers recently rejoiced in the ecosystem which solves their problems when they get stuck.

I agree there needs to be a new model ... but it is not subscriptions to individual publications, nor 99c per track. I think a "$50 pcm gets you all video, music, books, news, ... , you can consume" with revenue shared by popularity would work. The best publications would get the biggest cut.

Indeed I would say the answer to piracy and the answer to the newspapers' dilemma will be one and the same. [Individual subscriptions will produce the same outcome as the music business 'enjoys'.]

Posted by: johnfenjackson@...   Posted on: 02/11/09  (Edited: 02/11/2009 @ 02:40) You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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