The Joss Group

Scott Turow Agrees With Me

Although he does not come right out and say the DOJ should be shaking a finger at Amazon and not Apple and major publishers, he certainly has the same kinds of feelings I do about what Amazon is trying to do to the publishing industry.

Read the full text of the post he wrote for the Authors Guild blog by clicking here.

Who is Your Daddy (Part Two)?

The Wall Street Journal (yes, I read it every day) is reporting rumors to the effect the Department of Justice has told Apple and several big book publishing firms it is not happy with the way it (the DOJ) thinks the companies (Apple et.al) are going about setting the pricing for e-books. What, nobody is talking about involving Amazon?? If the problem is collusion about setting prices, why is Apple more at fault than Amazon?

Read the full WSJ article by clicking here.

RIP Steve Jobs, We Will Miss You

Steve Jobs passed away on October 5 at the age of 56. Everyone at the Joss Group and the Seybold Report feels the loss very deeply. Such a loss, but such a tremendous legacy...

We welcome your comments and remembrances about Steve Jobs. Please tell us about how his work and passion have affected your life as a graphic arts professional. Or, perhaps you remember seeing him speak at a Seybold Seminars event. No story or comment is too long or too short.

To participate, please visit our Seybold Report Web site and look for the post pegged at the top. Click on the comments link to read prior comments or to post your own.

Click here to be taken to the Seybold Report Web site.

Wishing Steve Jobs All the Best

I have mentioned Steve Jobs on this blog before, and, sadly, am doing it again today. Yesterday Apple announced Steve Jobs has resigned his role of CEO and will continue on with Apple as Chairman of the Board. Immediately blather started pouring forth on what was probably millions of online chat venues--speculations about why he made the move, his health, and the future of Apple.

Supposedly, the full text of his resignation letter got out on the Web, and it says, in part, "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."

I doubt the text is authentic--hope not because it sounds like an unwelcome harbinger to me.

I have to admit I got really irate at one post "out there" on the Web--just blasted the person--which is not my normal style. The person had agreed this was probably sad news and said, yes, Jobs had contributed a lot, but then followed that up by saying something along the lines of there are a lot of bright, young 25 year olds out there who could do just the same kind of thing.

Uh, no.

Now, I am not BFF with Steve Jobs. I met him years ago when I worked for the company that then owned the Seybold Report and Seybold Seminars. He faithfully attended and spoke at Seybold shows and conferences for years and was a solid supporter of our efforts (wish Apple would subscribe now that I own the Seybold Report).

He was always exemplary, always enthusiastic and on point, and always brilliant. He, IMHO, used that vision and enthusiasm to single handedly change the graphic arts industry for the better time and again.

So, no. There is not another Steve Jobs waiting in the wings out there somewhere, and we are not ready to say good-bye just yet.

Get better, Steve!

Apple Budges a Bit? Not So Much.

The news is out about Apple  changing its pricing policies for publishing apps. Apple now says content providers (aka publishers) may offer in-App subscriptions at whatever price they wish and are not required to offer an in-app subscription because they sell a subscription outside the App Store as well.

Gee, thanks Apple! But you're still going to take 30%, right? Yep.

Then, Apple, do not be surprised when more and more publishers take the same route as the Financial Times and Playboy and develop Web-based apps that work perfectly well on the iPad.

Financial Times Goes Toe-to-Toe with Apple

Or should we say iPad to iPad? Either way, good for the Financial Times! The publisher wants to sell directly subscriptions directly to readers instead of surrending good money and good information to Apple. This, at least, according to a recent report by Reuters. My question is why does Apple feel it has to suck up all this money and all this information? Yes, yes, we get the company owns the platform, but the companies that make paper do not ask for anything beyond the price they charge for the paper publishing companies use to disseminate their printed content.

Publishing on the iPad Without an App

Hmm, an interesting idea. I came across this blog post today (chuckdude,  and immediately felt Chuck might be on to something. He says the reason Amazon is not commenting publically on Apple's 30% demand for sub revenue on the iPad is that Amazon won't need the Apple channel for the iPad much longer.

Amazon is beta testing a Web-based reader for its Kindle books, probably based on HTML5. With such a reader, people could still read Kindle books on the iPad but not have to get them in an iPad app. Which means Amazon could still sell its Kindle books through its store and not pay the 30% highway robber fee to Apple. Safe passage for all Kindle books on all platforms! Yes! Thank you, standards!

Here's the lesson for all publishers--stick to standards such as HTML5 and EPUB for your multi-channel development work, and your content will be available on as many platforms (Web, tablet, smartphone, etc.) as possible with the least investment.

Send Steve Jobs a Get-Well-Soon Video Message

Apple announced today Steve Jobs is taking a leave of absence from the day-to-day operations in the company to work on some health issues. I am very sorry to hear this news because things are going so well for Apple right now and, I believe, it is due to Jobs' business acumen and technology vision.

So, I was happy to read about a grassroots campaign underwear to send Jobs a bunch of get-well-soon digital videos. The folks at Cult of Mac have started the effort. You can do something fancy or you can do something simple using your Webcam.

Get well soon, Steve!

If Publishing is Dying, Why are Google and Amazon So Interested?

This is not a comment specifically on the WSJ's recent article about Google Digital Newsstand taking aim at Amazon. Apple is in the mix, too. Of course, Google has to do this. Amazon got there first, but now Google has the Android platform and needs content for it. What the story makes me wonder, and will make me ask the next time someone tells me publishing is dead: if it is true publishing is dead, why are these two huge tech companies so interested?

My Blackberry is Not Working!

I am a fan of Monty Python from way, way back. Somebody told me about this over Christmas, and somebody else sent me the link today. It might be going viral, it should be going viral. Brought back very fond memories of Cheese Shops, of parrots pining for the fiords, and the like.

So, here is a laugh to start off the new year (thank goodness the old one is history):

"My blackberry is not working!"