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To: mauser96 who wrote (33063)	10/12/2000 11:17:50 AM
From: gingersreisse	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 54805

Good points on the (intentional?) inefficiency of the distribution channels for books, but it illuminates another aspect of the opportunity for GMST. In the late 1980s, a few colleges mandated all incoming frosh be given a laptop, and this made access to some college services more democratic. Reserved books and articles were laptopped, lecture notes went online, etc. Today, that's taken for granted in many places, but the cost of a computer was a significant item in 1989. Professors may see a profit point in creating specialized textbooks for their own classes, with articles, text chapters drawn from different sources, etc. The e-book technology lets each professor build a learning program and the direct the royalty stream. No more old textbooks being resold or articles being photocopied 100 times. Yesterday's research is included, but every document is tracked for royalty purposes, unlike Adobe. Lab notes, chat sites, etc are all integrated. Bertelsman's a huge player in textbooks (canibalizing your own and your competitor's markets before they do yours?). GSR

To: mauser96 who wrote (33063)	10/12/2000 4:53:59 PM
From: chaz	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 54805

Distribution channels in chain booksellers is of limited value - most of them don't even sell regular books in an efficient manner, and have no expertise in selling anything electronic. Lucius, Strange reaction on my part perhaps, but I don't view this as a problem that can't or won't get fixed. If people can figure out how to load a Palm (I don't have one, but know some who do), this can't be that much of a leap. The $300 entry fee probably isn't going to attract your average joe or jane book reader, but we've all heard of "early adopters"...right? Same thing with little 5" TV's in the late 40's. My feeling is that the college text market could be a major one, and perhaps an early one, and to boot, it's fairly stable throughout the year, not just a Christmas thing. Another avenue I'd expect GMST to pursue would be a target company...a Fortune 100 firm perhaps, with a proposal for training manuals, personnel manuals, etc...all put into e-books that eliminate large print bills once and for all. Only thoughts. Chaz