perpetual_motion (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
perpetual_motion) wrote2011-09-16 08:06 pm
perpetual_motion) wrote2011-09-16 08:06 pm
Entry tags:
New digital comic rule:
You 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.