This is not really just one tangent, but really a series of them that spurred on from one single stream of thought. With Amazon and Macmillan recently going at it, there has been a definite feeling that the power is now held by the publishers. Macmillan has been spearheading the charge to return to something akin to the UK's Net Book Agreement (no, not talking about small laptops). From 1900 to 1997, in the UK, book sellers were not allowed to sell books for anything below cover price, and if they attempted to, they would have all books by that publisher removed from their store. It was later thrown out due to being non-competitive. In order to get some of the publishers on the iPad bandwagon, Apple offered them the ability to more or less set their own prices. With the publishers being upset at Amazon offering eBooks at prices cheaper than what they feel the books should be marked, and this reminder of how the UK founded operated for nearly a century, Macmillan made it clear that they wished a similar agreement with Amazon. Now how firmly they made this request is up for debate, but obviously it was firm enough for Amazon to pull every Macmillan book from their site. This only lasted for a few days before Amazon saying that it infamously "capitulated" to it. (By the way, Webster's defines it as "to surrender after negotiation of terms" or "to cease resisting").
With this going on, the amount of power publishers once had and seem to be regaining reminds me of how much they already wield in the educational text arena. As you probably already know, school books are insanely expensive. I was looking at some of the books I need for this semester, and the cheapest of the lot is a collection of mostly public domain writings, for $70. They collected stories for free, printed them, and charge $70 to students who mostly are forced to buy it since they are typically unable to find out the contents of the book until after purchasing it. For my math class, the book is $170, and despite already having the previous edition which contains the same text, I am forced to buy this new one. After reviewing, the only apparently difference is that they changed up the order of the problems, so what was #21 on page 304, is now #28 on page 304. The "meat" of my old book is now useless.
As most of you would know, I am a proponent of the DRM-free movement. While I understand that content owners wish to protect their property, we as the consumers have rights too that must be respected. DRM inherently neglects the rights of the user, by limiting what the user can do, despite what is legal for the user to do. When I was looking at purchasing this semester's books, some offered an eBook option. Upon looking at the available ebooks, I noticed they were all in differing propietary DRM formats. All of these formats required use of a reader produced by the DRM company, and could not be used in any other reader. Worst of all, was that despite the ebooks costing nearly as much as the paper copies, some had time limits. After a certain date following the purchase, these books were no longer readable. Have a few classes use the same book? SOL unless you want to repurchase it each semester. If I am paying them money, why should they tell me how long I can use it? Who is looking out after my rights?
Ok, things have been a bit crazy around here.
All this week I’ve been going through certification for Adtran routers and switches. I’m ASP, ATSA, and getting ready to take the test for ATSP certification. If you want to know about setting up adtran products, I’m your man.
Saturday, was woken up to someone beating on the door, yelling “YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE”. The entire garage was razed. Just rubble now. A few photos are up of the fire, from before the firefighters came, and after it was put out.
Right now, getting some money in. Finally getting the insurance settlement on my arm. Only took 4 and a half years. Also got the check from the kid’s insurance company, from when I was rear ended. Taking that to get a new car. Also, thinking of getting an ebook reader. Sony PRS-505 and the Hanlin V3 (Bebook, Ezreader, etc) are my main two choices. The PRS700’s screen looks like crap due to the touch panel added on, and some of the other choices just suck or are too expensive. I am also kinda considering a Kindle 2 and the Cool-er. Cool-er is linux based, but they’ve not released the GPL’ed portions of code they’ve used, which is very uncool. The Kindle is very linked in with Amazon, which makes me a little nervous (they’ve already gone in and deleted books from people’s machines after they were purchased for various readers), plus I really don’t need the wireless. Any thoughts?
Ok, after I posted the Trooper called me back, and gave me info on the other driver. He said he submitted the report, but it wasn't approved yet, which was why it wasnt in the system. Gotta love bureaucracy. Anyway, after that, I called their insurance company, let them know, and then they called me back and said they'll be sending out someone to look at my car.
Feel much better about that now. It was one of the few things stressing me out, despite having an awesome weekend.
Went up with Anna to Meatstravaganza. While there hooked up with a few friends, and had a great time. Saw the Harry Potter Exhibition too, which was really cool. I should be posting some pictures soon.
Two weeks ago, I was rearended when I stopped at a stop light. The kid, who is 16 or 17, pushed me through the intersection. Immediately, he jumps out to cuss me out. When doing this, he locks himself out of his Jeep. Highway Patrol responds, but since he locked his wallet and everything in his car, they couldn't write down his info, and I didn't get it either. His mom comes, but without keys. I was told to leave, and call and get the info from Troop C. Next day his mom calls, accuses me of trying to defraud them by passing off old damage as what her son caused, and wants me to go to her bodyshop to see if the damage is new or old. I've not been able to go by there, because it isn't near me, and I just have been busy. When I am able to get by there, it is after hours, plus I am just not going to put my self out, taking off work or something, because they don't want to have it go on their insurance (She specifically said that they want to do it that way so it doesn't go on insurance.)
As of now, the report isn't filed, I still do not have their information, and they've harassed me, and the kid drunk dialed me, insulting me and threatening to "smash my cock". My insurance knows about it, so my insurance will be going up, unless I can get their info, and file with their company. On top of it, my car is fucked up, with the unibody equivalent of a bent frame.
School's out for summer!
For the summer, working full time, which will be nice, cause money is good.
Right now I am wearing a labcoat for work, because some big wigs are coming through, but other than that, nothing all that spectacular going on. Just prepping for Meatstravaganza.
