Ebook Gold
by Marti Talbott (c) 2001
Carson Books - book publishing news
www.carsonbooks.com

Imagine an ordinary trip to the market and finding a book vending machine
that allows you to select the hottest new paperback from an online catalogue.
In as little as 12 minuets, while you're off getting milk and bread, the
machine downloads the ebook version and turns it into a paperback ready for
checkout.

Ebook authors and publishers, faced with daily negative reports concerning
the future of ebooks, can now rejoice -- the vending machine is here. The
creation and successful testing of "Books in Minutes," by Marsh Technologies
and VolumeOne was publicly announced in July, 2001. For print publishers,
"Books in Minutes" offers an escape from the cost of printing, distribution,
warehousing, and expensive returns. For Writers, the water is still a little
murky. Jeff Marsh, of Marsh Technologies helps us sort out the details.

Q -- Out of dozens, perhaps hundreds of Ebook publishers, how will you choose
which publisher's and titles to include in the catalogue?

A -- "I will not be the company which generates catalogs. My focus is to
produce all the tools (hardware and software) to enable individual publishers
or
groups of publishers as well as corporations to establish full e-commerce
systems for their intellectual properties. In some instances, the hardware
will be used internally for short run production.

The VolumeOne.net system is quite capable of "cataloging" properties that
can reside at many different locations. It can function as a "router" to
move book requests to known locations of our system."

Q. -- Will writers need to set up their ebooks in a specific format
compatible to your machines? If so, will the format be readily available
to the public?

A. -- "I think that for Internet and satellite transmission the Adobe .pdf
format is going to win. It seems to be a very transmissible file size and
there are adequate tools out there to handle the file to the end intent. In
our
case, our current desired format is a .PDF file for the cover with the image
centered both vertically and horizontally on an 11 X17 sheet. For the book
block, a PDF file with the text again centered horizontally and vertically
on a known sheet size. From there, we have the software and hardware that
can take the file, reimpose the book block for the binding margin and print
the PDFS, assemble the books, bind them and trim them -- all automatically
with no set up."

Q. -- Since most POD publishers have gone from free to pay services, do you
foresee independent authors being charged again to make their ebooks
compatible?

A -- "Somewhere there is going to have to arise a standard 'neutral' book
format. I am hoping what I described above might become that format. Yes,
owners of
the content are going to have to be prepared to get their content into
whatever the 'standard' evolves."

Q. -- What advice would you give to new authors concerned with being prepared
for this exciting new future?

A. -- "You have to realize that I am one of those that remains convinced that
for the near future (as long as I am alive), printed books will be in demand.
I
first would say to new authors, take the time to first make it into a book
(cover and body). If it does sell in e-publishing, you can be assured it
will also sell as a tangible book. I receive an increasing number of e-text
only publisher inquiries as to how to get their content into hard copy.

I think that within the year, we -- and others perhaps -- will have enough
systems out in operation, and some standards will have been set that the
Author and small publisher will be freed from the creation of physical
product, the distribution of same and the need to find places where they can
"show their wares." Their jobs will then simply be to get the word out and
drive prospective interested parties to online sites that would logically
carry their offerings."


With this new invention, is it possible Ebooks will become more coveted than
their paperback cousins? Is this why publishers and authors are battling
over who owns the ebook rights to titles published before ebooks were
invented? And will there be room in the catalogue for all Ebook publishers,
big and small?

We impatiently await the answer.