Japan's Earthquakes Captured on Google Earth
A short film showing how earthquakes occurred sporadically, then cataclysmically, around Japan.
The Expensive e-Book: The Illogical Reasons Why Paper Books Can Sell for Less
When you explore the revenue model of e-books vs. print books, some pricing practices make sense. But when you factor in the expenses, the logic begins to break down.
UniPHY Promotional Video — And Who Said Scholarly Publishers Weren't Creative?
A clever marketing video from the American Institute of Physics and their UniPHY initiative.
Even Crowdsourcing Can Get Too Expensive
Transcribe Bentham loses its grant after six months, and has to wind down.
Thinking of Japan
The earthquake and tsunami may have changed the topography of parts of Japan, but they have also strengthened our connection to our friends there.
Kevin Kelly on Generating Value in a Free Copy World
A fascinating talk from last month’s O’Reilly Tools of Change conference, in which Kevin Kelly talks about how the proliferation of screens, the incorporation of gestures and voice, the abundance of data streams, the notion of “always on,” and so […]
King Philip's Autograph Session — A Restored Painting Provokes a Prank
A 400-year-old monarch comes out of retirement to celebrate his portrait’s restoration. And museum-goers want his autograph.
Why Does Availability Seem to Drive Down the Quality of Information Goods?
While it seems that availability drives down the quality of information goods, some exceptions make it clear this is not an unavoidable fate. Can scientific publishing beat the trend?
Journal of Cosmology and Alien Life — Reputation Precedes Refutation, But Are Brands Enough?
Alien life? Or just the will to publish, and some accomplices? While those in the field know the pecking order, those outside still get fooled.
Authors — Only One Reason Why the Revolution in Book Publishing Continues
The revolution in book publishing shares some aspects with revolutions everywhere. Here’s a short slideshow by the founder of Smashwords examining current motivations for authors.
The Upcoming Must-See Documentary — Bad Writing
How can you make a movie about why some writing is good, some bad? This trailer makes it seem not only possible, but interesting.
The Battle for Control — What People Who Worry About the Internet Are Really Worried About
While sophisticated arguments about how the Internet is changing our brains continue, a look back at the history of communications systems shows we’re really arguing about something more base.
The Scholarly Kitchen Turns Three
We’re now entering our fourth year of publication. Look how we’ve grown!
Margaret Atwood & Cheese Sandwiches — If Authors Starve, Look Who Else Starves, Too
A talk by Margaret Atwood which reminds us that authors are not to be overlooked as we charge ahead with changes in publishing — and that change itself requires thoughtful choices.
Can You Actually "Sell" an E-book? How You Answer Affects Your Revenue Assumptions
Customers have accepted the analogy that they “buy” e-books, but publishers may be faced with accepting the fact that they’re selling licenses. What this could mean to their bottom lines may not be the most painful part of this shift.