I wonder if these books will be accessible?

kelly



January 7, 2000

Microsoft in E-Publishing Pact With Barnesandnoble.com

By DOREEN CARVAJAL

     In another step to nurture the infant market for electronic books,
     the Microsoft Corporation and the online bookseller
     Barnesandnoble.com said yesterday that they would create a
     bookstore offering thousands of digital titles that can be read on
     new Microsoft software.

     Executives for both companies discussed the venture at a Las Vegas
     consumer electronics trade show, confidently predicting that
     paperless books could eventually revolutionize publishing. But they
     have yet to identify any major American consumer trade publishers
     that have agreed to make titles available in that format.

     Barnesandnoble.com, the electronic retailing arm of the Barnes &
     Noble bookstore chain, signed agreements with Microsoft to develop
     an electronic bookstore on its existing Web site by the spring. The
     outlet is to offer a mix of classics and new works -- fewer than
     10,000 titles in all -- that could be read on electronic devices or
     personal computers.

     For the market to develop, "a lot of pieces have to fall into
     place," said Dick Brass, Microsoft's vice president for technology
     development. "Obviously the authors and the publishers have to make
     titles available. There has to be good software and good screen
     resolution. And there also needs to be a store. And Barnes & Noble
     is becoming the first major bookstore in the world to do this. This
     completes the circle."

     Mr. Brass said that in the coming year the companies would make
     further announcements about titles to be offered. But he declined
     to identify any new titles or major publishers that have decided to
     participate.

     A senior publishing executive in New York said that Microsoft had
     reached agreements with some second-tier publishers, but still had
     to address several concerns of top publishers. Among these are the
     royalty structure, pricing and discounts, and the establishment of
     a system that allows publishers to obtain e-mail addresses of
     customers.

     The Simon & Schuster unit of Viacom, for example, has yet to commit
     itself, though it continues to talk with Microsoft about security
     protections for intellectual property, said Jonathan Newcomb, Simon
     & Schuster's chief executive. "I think electronic books are going
     to be a significant factor," he said. "In the short term, it's not
     going to change the nature of how we publish, but a lot of
     publishers are going to be interested in trying to work with this."


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