Earlier quoted context omitted.
> . I think that a crisis like this is exactly the time to try new and experimental ways of making things available. Yeah a crisis when the stress level of anyone is already much higher is the best time to crank the stress of authors even higher by experimenting with their livelihood without consulting them!
There is a huge difference between a book and code that I write. A book can be read once and the reader benefits. Useful software is usually useful for far more than one use. Free trials and demos are how we sell more software. A book? It's hard to have a free trial. That said, I really have a hard time assailing libraries. Ebooks are sold to libraries at 2-5x the price I can buy the same ebook for as a consumer. Pri…
Publish one chapter of the book in an anthology, on the web, etc. I've purchased several books after reading one chapter in this manner.