New digital comic rule:
Sep. 16th, 2011 08:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
perpetual_motionYou do not get to say you won't buy the digital version of the comic if it costs the same as the print version of the comic. Either you want the comic and are willing to pay the set price for it, or you're a dick.
I know the argument here, and it goes like this: "But they don't have to print it!" You're right, they don't, and while I understand you immediately think, "So that cuts costs!" it really doesn't. What you buy from an app for your computer or tablet isn't just some .cbr file anyone can make by stringing together a stack of .jpgs into a .pdf and changing the file name. There's actual coding that goes into those comics, same as with any digital book, and that means having someone specialized in that coding doing work they should get paid for.
There's a reason even digital copies of books can still run $15.00: Because the people who help create those books need to get paid. Sure, coders aren't the same as printers, but there's still a specialized skill set and a paycheck involved in the process.
And the price shouldn't matter if it's the same price. No one's gouging you by charging you the damned cover price of a comic. And saying you won't buy it digitally if it costs X amount puts cracks in the digital comics market. Why won't you buy it digitally for X amount? You think it's too much? Would you pay that same amount for the paper book? If you won't pay X amount for any comic fine. But if you only refuse to pay X amount if it's digital? You're a condescending dick.
I know the argument here, and it goes like this: "But they don't have to print it!" You're right, they don't, and while I understand you immediately think, "So that cuts costs!" it really doesn't. What you buy from an app for your computer or tablet isn't just some .cbr file anyone can make by stringing together a stack of .jpgs into a .pdf and changing the file name. There's actual coding that goes into those comics, same as with any digital book, and that means having someone specialized in that coding doing work they should get paid for.
There's a reason even digital copies of books can still run $15.00: Because the people who help create those books need to get paid. Sure, coders aren't the same as printers, but there's still a specialized skill set and a paycheck involved in the process.
And the price shouldn't matter if it's the same price. No one's gouging you by charging you the damned cover price of a comic. And saying you won't buy it digitally if it costs X amount puts cracks in the digital comics market. Why won't you buy it digitally for X amount? You think it's too much? Would you pay that same amount for the paper book? If you won't pay X amount for any comic fine. But if you only refuse to pay X amount if it's digital? You're a condescending dick.
no subject
on 2012-01-12 07:48 am (UTC)But... I don't agree with this. Well, actually, I do, as part of my income comes from creating (in this context, "coding") eBooks (including, once, a digital comic). So I agree that it is annoying when people say "But you don't have to X, so it should cost less."
BUT, I don't think the suggestion that anyone who wants to pay less for digital than for print is a "condescending dick". I have a whole host of reasons why I prefer print to digital. These reasons make me want to pay less for a product where I feel I'm getting less.
I don't think I'm being condescending for feeling I should pay less for an inferior product. Now, my end result is that I do just go out and buy the print version; those who work on creating the digital copies should be paid for their work, but not by me.
Consider this analogy: the people who write Green Lantern should be paid for their work. But I prefer Captain America to Green Lantern, so I buy Captain America.
SOME print comics are worth X price. Because of digital's lack of certain things I like, those same comics in digital are NOT worth X price.
So... am I a condescending dick? (Seriously; I want to understand this better!)
no subject
on 2012-01-12 08:07 am (UTC)There's another run of comments on this post (or over on lj, I can't remember), where I had a really similar conversation with someone like what we're having now, and I really like seeing this conversation come up. It should be noted, I tend to run hot then mellow, so when you see posts like this, odds are I am aiming at a particular person or group of people and then I'm over it
What it comes down to for me is this: I have never been a collector. I'm a reader. I get the same amount of story in digital as I do print, and it's easier for me to reread. On the other hand, some people really like the whole feel of print and having a physical thing and have any number of other reasons for preferring print. As long as everyone comes to the table being polite (the "condescending dick" in question was not), I'm pretty chill. You know, once my rage-boner goes down.
(Also, in case you're deeply curious, it's madam. :) )