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- Lulu introduces DRM
Lulu, the self-publishing platform through which I'm distributing some of my work, recently announced that now they're doing "eBooks." Interesting piece of "news," since they've offered electronic distribution right from the start of their operation, and I've been using it myself for years already. What's new? It turns out the actually new part is that instead of just allowing people to buy and sell downloadable PDFs, now they're going further to support commercial "eBook" devices... and they're claiming an additional $1.49 out of every download sold on top of their previous claim of 20% of the retail price (it's going to be interesting if they try to take $1.49 out of my Japanese syllabary flash cards, which are currently priced at $1.00)... and (for another $0.99) they'll let you apply DRM to your "eBook."
I'm inclined to think that at the very least, I shouldn't publish with Lulu again; and, probably, I should also withdraw my existing publications from their system and find some other print-on-demand outfit. Is that an overreaction?
ETA: They've posted a response, see below.
(17 November 2009)- CreateSpace
Because of Lulu's introduction of DRM, I'm looking around for viable alternatives. Amazon's "CreateSpace" seems to be worth consideration. It can't replace everything Lulu did. Here's a quick comparison of their advertised features. I haven't worked with CreateSpace myself and so can't describe personal experience on how well it really lives up to its stated way of doing things; if I do use it in the future I'll update this page with my experiences.
(12 November 2009)- Books I've written
- Book-length works available online (18 August 2009)
- Kaago progress
It is my plan to work full-time in the calendar months September to December 2009 writing a book. This page tracks my progress, both for the interest of Web site visitors and because having a public visible progress indicator will help me stay motivated. If you want even closer to real-time reports on my status, you should follow my twitter updates.
(13 August 2009)- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter I
- A pushy dame attempts to hire Flank. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter II
- A trip to the laundromat ends in violence. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter III
- Flank tries to get some sleep. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter IV
- A visit to the mall; trouble with the cash card. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter V
- Seeking professional help. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter VI
- The Happy Hacker goes to work. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter VII
- The pushy dame pushes further. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter VIII
- Catgirls and wizards and nuns, oh, my! (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter IX
- Flank starts investigations at the hentai studio. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter X
- Questioning the Junior Squid Wrangler. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XI
- Questioning the Senior Squid Wrangler. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XII
- Paying the pro. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XIII
- Flanks thinks hard about the investigation. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XIV
- Questioning another witness. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XV
- More witness-questioning. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XVI
- A visit to the police station. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XVII
- Drinking with the yakuza. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XVIII
- Start of the tarot reading. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XIX
- Conclusion of the tarot reading. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XX
- An encounter with the wildlife. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXI
- Flank narrowly escapes a one-way trip into orbit. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXII
- Flank goes back to the studio and is mistaken for a pervert. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXIII
- Flank breaks into the wrong dressing room and gets in trouble again. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXIV
- A clue is found. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXV
- It's a PPK, but not like James Bond's. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXVI
- A visit to Nerd City. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXVII
- "If I had to breathe that would sure get in the way of my career." (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXVIII
- Kitsuko attempts to defend the moral value of the pornography industry. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXIX
- Flank is beaten and marooned, and help arrives from an unexpected source. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXX
- Flank finds a door to match his key. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXXI
- Processing the surveillance evidence. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXXII
- Flank prepares to reveal the solution. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXXIII
- The solution to the mystery. (1 December 2002)
- The Fickle Finger of Fate: Chapter XXXIV
- Tying up a few loose ends. (1 December 2002)
- Cross Product, chapter 1: Freedom and intelligence
- A dream about witchcraft and radio astronomy. (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 2: Distance and heritage
- Some fairy tales. (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 3: Tired light
- I've got a Twinkie with your name on it, boy. (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 4: Green and yellow
- You're likely to be found a week later face-down in a vat of liquid helium or something. (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 5: Line coverage
- You did used to be a geographer, right? (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 6: The lead badge
- No shackles or restraints of any kind... (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 7: No place for you
- Get out of my menbane patch! (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 8: Tetrachromat women
- We'd never get funding if it's a no boys allowed club, especially not when there will probably be two or three color-blind men born per tetrachromat woman. (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 9: Jugging for cats
- 'What is in these?' 'Miracle Whip and ketchup.' 'Oh.' (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 10: Yes means no
- I'd like to live in your world, I really would. It sounds like a nice place. But over there is something more like reality. Or less, I can't tell anymore. (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 11: Whiteshade simple
- I will make for you a poultice of wolf dock and covet my neighbour. (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 12: Crimson and pearl
- She had chipped black toenail polish. (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 13: Every possible Universe
- Some fairy tales. (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 14: In a midnight choir
- What part of the entire Universe dost thou not understand? (21 December 2000)
- Cross Product, chapter 15: The eleutherophobe
- Remember that time - with the girl - Cepheid variable - I knew - and how I kept my mouth shut? Well, what about that? (21 December 2000)