POD at TOC
O'Reilly's Tools of Change conference was a smashing success (and mercifully the next one will be in New York - thank you!). Peter Brantley, whose blog we quote often here, has posted some notes and exchanges here.
Some highlights:
A POD machine can print 1 book in 5 minutes. A sales rate of 12 books per hour isn't going to keep a store in business strictly with POD - the store has to sell other inventory as well.
POD manufacturers can develop new efficiencies, products, etc. much better than a shop with a POD machine can. In other words, the idea of having your own POD machine might not be cost-efficient in the long run, when you can order the same book from Lightning Source, who next month might have features that make their print copy better than yours.
However, a POD machine like the Espresso will eventually cost about as much as a copy machine, and in fact can be hosted in office supply stores - people can order books and go pick them up at Kinko's or Staples. A proliferation of POD machines contributes to a proliferation of books - or at least, that's the thinking of some.
Some highlights:
A POD machine can print 1 book in 5 minutes. A sales rate of 12 books per hour isn't going to keep a store in business strictly with POD - the store has to sell other inventory as well.
POD manufacturers can develop new efficiencies, products, etc. much better than a shop with a POD machine can. In other words, the idea of having your own POD machine might not be cost-efficient in the long run, when you can order the same book from Lightning Source, who next month might have features that make their print copy better than yours.
However, a POD machine like the Espresso will eventually cost about as much as a copy machine, and in fact can be hosted in office supply stores - people can order books and go pick them up at Kinko's or Staples. A proliferation of POD machines contributes to a proliferation of books - or at least, that's the thinking of some.
What I offer:
