narramissic writes "Having already abandoned ebooks once, Barnes & Noble is jumping back into ebooks with the purchase this week of ebook seller Fictionwise. Why is the format suddenly hot? Look no further than the top 10 Fictionwise bestsellers, says blogger Peter Smith. Once again it seems like 'porn is blazing a path to a new media format. Of the top 10 bestsellers under the 'Multiformat' category, nine are tagged 'erotica' and the last is 'dark fantasy.' Need more proof that folks (let's take a leap and call them women) who read 'bodice rippers' like the privacy of ebooks? Author Samantha Lucas (who writes for publishers like Cobblestone Press and Siren Publishing) tells Smith that she sells almost all of her novels in ebook format."
I used to read alt.stories.erotica way back in the 9600 baud days. The only thing new here is that people are paying for it.
I read erotic stories augmented with 16-color ANSI art from a BBS over a 2400 baud modem./waits for someone to come in and talk about how they used to write their mainframe code so that it made dirty pictures on the punch cards, or how if they squinted their eyes at ENIAC the vacuum tubes looked kinda like boobs.
My father taught FORTRAN in the 80's, and one of his assignments was to write a program that printed a (text) calender for any given year, bonus points for extra features. One student turned in a program that printed an ASCII graphic for each month -- they were to be looked at sideways on the old 132 character wide fanfold paper -- and the pictures were high-quality center-fold style girls. The student got his bonus points.
You got modded flame-bait because... well, you WERE flame-bait. The only time that women take off more than men is when they give birth. Other than that, they work at least the exact same hours. I say at least, because there's a lot of perception that women just aren't as good as men.... and to disprove that convincingly requires overtime.
Here's what I would suggest: talk to top-flight women. Women who are Director level and above. See what they say about their working hours, and how much time they take off
Except that what it is implying is that the 'glass ceiling' is imaginary, that gender-based discrimination does not exist. Even in our 'enlightened' society, where the role of women has been significantly balanced, it remains ignorant to say that women only get worse pay because they do not work such long hours. In addition, the number of women who do work long hours and do not spend excessive time on childcare is certainly not insignificant, nor (as parent^4 seems to think) worth dismissing.
"No one thinks women should be discriminated against but I do think that as a group that working women take more hours off than working men. Period."
If you don't count time off die to child birth, that discrepancy almost completely vanishes. If you also take into account that men generally make more money for the same work, the notion that women take more time off starts looking like a self fulfilling prophecy (ie. given the choice between a family losing $x when a woman takes the day off or losing $1.5x whena man takes the day off, the most rational choice is clearly for the woman to take the day off), not to mention that there is a cultural norm that mothers are expected to take time off to deal with children (meaning that schools are more likely to call mothers in an emergency than fathers, and that employers are far more likely to permit time off to deal with children for mothers than fathers). Even assuming that your statement of "fact" really is, there are some very clear factors making it far more likely than the alternative which, frankly, have almost nothing to do with the quality or quantity of work done by women and everything to do with social norms and economic conditions.
"So that means they work less hours. Less on the production side. Also as a group women make more of the buying decisions in a family than the men do. More on the consuming side."
I doubt this very much. I work in retail, and while I certainly see women buying more items, I also men buying more expensive items... VASTLY more expensive.
"Sounds like the post is just factually true."
No, it sounds like the post is stating a common and highly controversial assumption that is factually ambiguous but reinforces what many people already believe subconsciously and is possibly a major factor in making or keeping it true. It is rationalization for sexism, not a valid explanation in its own right.
My wife doesn't read bodice-rippers, but most of the sci-fi/fantasy books she reads has a strong romantic or relationship component. IE Vorkosigan Saga, Wizard's Rule series, etc.
It might just be because she just got hers, but she has been spending a lot more time reading lately. Bought a fair chunk, then raided a hundred or two books from my e-library.
My wife doesn't read bodice-rippers, but most of the sci-fi/fantasy books she reads has a strong romantic or relationship component. IE Vorkosigan Saga, Wizard's Rule series, etc.
If she likes the Wizard's Rule series by Goodkind, I think she'll really enjoy the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. If she likes dark fiction with a strong tragic-hero element, I think she'll also enjoy the Eternal Champion series by Michael Moorcock, particularly the Elric books.
Pornography has always been at the forefront of technology. VHS, DVD, they were the first to really start using DRM on video content, too. A quick search on Google for 'porn technology' will give you lots of articles on the subject.
Pornography has always been at the forefront of technology. VHS, DVD, they were the first to really start using DRM on video content, too. A quick search on Google for 'porn technology' will give you lots of articles on the subject.
Shoot, go back to the dawn of the printing press, sculpture, painting etc. All modern times has done is change the delivery format.
I'd bet that Ogg and Thagg, after drawing the latest hunt on the cave walls then did a little drawing about Oggette and her friends. And then started the flame war over obsidian vs flint for spear points.
Listen you stupid jackass, Obsidian is the latest flash-in-the-pan buzzword-heavy gimmick that lets newbies chip one edge and pretend they know what they're doing, which is fine if you live right next to a FREAKIN' VOLCANO.
For those of us who prefer not to tempt the wrath of the LavaGod, and oh yeah -- maybe make FIRE, HAVE YA HEARD OF THAT YET, YOU WHEEL-LESS SLED-DRAGGING DORK -- we'll remain with a proven technology with Spark(TM)!
That's because porn doesn't have to be good in order to sell. It will sell on novelty alone, at least for a little while. So it is an ideal early adopter for new media.
Rationally considered, you are correct. However, human social instincts are not rational consideration. A big faceless corporation knowing that you purchased a porno is, viscerally, way less intimidating than having a clerk who won't remember you tomorrow raise an eyebrow slightly.
And the New York Times intentionally leaves genres off its best-seller list, otherwise LOTR, the Bible, and various sci-fi novels would routinely top the list.
Hell, they created a children's best-seller list specifically because of Harry Potter.
Not the "porn is what drives adoption of all new formats and technologies" explanation again... has everyone already forgotten that HD DVD was supposed to win over Blu-Ray because of its early adoption by the porn industry? There were only, oh, a few thousand posts to that effect right here on Slashdot - right up until HD DVD died.
I'm not sure that Blu-ray has won against, well nothing at this point. HD-DVD has been dead for a year and Blu-ray is still not taking off as a format.
I'm not sure that Blu-ray has won against, well nothing at this point. HD-DVD has been dead for a year and Blu-ray is still not taking off as a format.
Thats because porn is the one thing you don't want to see in hi-def.
You laugh, but it actually kind of has. The porn industry is hurting because of do-it-yourself porn sites like youporn.com. While some of the content is "professionally produced," most of it is homegrown stuff. People these days seem to be really getting off on releasing their homemade porn tapes on the interwebs.
So, yes, porn is open source, too. However, I would avoid open source porn that features open sores. That's just nasty.
People have evolved to be interested in sex. Those that aren't die out. So of course if the web provides a means to look at boobies, it's going to get more popular...and if an ebook reader allows you to read about people having sex, those who are interested might turn to it. It's a hell of a lot more discrete to use an ebook reader than have a sexually explicit book open. You don't have to hide it behind something else to avoid attracting attention or getting into trouble.
... this is clearly a privacy issue, not a pornography issue. If it were common for me to read in public places, like at work on my lunch break, a e-book would be far better than a typical paperback. Why, because then no one could learn what I am reading unless I tell them.
I don't read anything to be embarrassed about, but I can imagine it is awkward for women into those trash romance novels to hold a lewd covered book when sitting across the aisle from their boss.
Or what about people reading the Bible, Koran, or other religious manuscript. I have seen the way people look at folks reading such material on subways.
E-Books are great for everyone concerned about others judging them by what they read. Hell, in some cities you can be judged by which news paper you read... god forbid your conservative boss sees you reading the New York Times. I know I would hate to have a perfectly good working relationship ruined because I think homosexuals should be allowed to marry and raise children.
I am all for personal privacy in all things personal. I am not a conspiracy theorist that thinks the government or big business is spying and gonna use information against me... but I don't want my reading material, music tastes, or social/political beliefs to be an issue with those I wouldn't readily discuss such things with. A good ebook reader and some head phones allow me to consume media privately, if for no other reason than that.
While I agree with this in principal I can't help but feel there may be a deeper cultural issue at work regarding "privacy". This may be slightly off topic, but since we are talking about porn, which is fairly cultural, here goes:
I know that I have picked up a book or two because some stranger was reading it on the train or in a cafe. Sometimes I have conversations with strangers on the street due to something that happens or a weird coincidence. These instances are one way that culture can spread, move people, and create a community.
We seem to be heading into an era where people are very cut off from others. Ear buds in our ears, reading our Kindle, oblivious to anything in the outside world. Just our little bubble. One could even go so far as to say "it helps block out meaningful thought by keeping many of us entertained 24/7.
While I think your privacy concern is valid (I had a situation arise years ago where I am fairly certain i was fired due to the fact that I am a Buddhist, while my employer was very Christian) I sometimes wonder if the very things which we profess to keep us safe are in fact making our own worlds smaller and even conceited. While we see mountains of data and electronic communication that profess to enhance and enlarge our experience, is it at the cost of true involvement in day to day life? Maybe it's just the shifting of culture to a digitally defined reality. Either way it oftens feels cold and detached. This comes across more and more in personal interaction (IMHO) which seems like cause for concern.
To be a bit dramatic: Is it really privacy we desire, or is technology slowly giving us what some want: Emotional and social laziness?
Also, is there a time and place for porn? Should we be reading it while our boss is sitting across from us? If it's ok to do that, it seems like it could usher in a different day-to-day mindset if people are less obliged to pay attention to their business meeting than their hootie-hoo (or whatever you call it).
Ages ago I was reading one of the hitchhikers books, just released, in the train. Was completly lost in the book to the point that the conductor apparently had to call me several times and eventually touch my shoulder to get my attention. Much to the amusement of my fellow travelers.
After showing my ticket, the passenger across from me asked what I had been reading, I told him and turns out he had read the previous books as well but had not heard about the new one yet. We talked a little about the series (
"Once again it seems like 'porn is blazing a path to a new media format"
Again the myth that porn has decided the formatwars is called upon again.
"Many theories regarding why Sony's Betamax failed have arisen over the years. One of the more amusing (and false) is that Sony refused to allow pornographic material on their system. A quick perusal of the Betamax library reveals that adult entertainment was readily available. For example, Playboy Industries released their videos in a dual format, both Betamax and VHS, for most of the 1970s and 80s (and can be confirmed with a quick search through Ebay's adult section, or other used video markets). Second, the adult industry is too small to have any lasting impact on standards selection. According to Forbes.com, adult video income is approximately $1 billion. "The industry is tiny next to broadcast television ($32.3 billion in 1999), cable television ($45.5 billion), the newspaper business ($27.5 billion), Hollywood ($31 billion), even to professional and educational publishing ($14.8 billion). When one really examines the numbers, the porn industry--while a subject of fascination--is every bit as marginal as it seems at first glance." (Link - http://www.forbes.com/2001/05/25/0524porn.html [forbes.com] )"
Once again it seems like 'porn is blazing a path to a new media format. Of the top 10 bestsellers under the 'Multiformat' category, nine are tagged 'erotica' and the last is 'dark fantasy.'
Why are you aware your daughter reads male on male porn? Like, why are you not totally rejecting this and not talking to her about her porn habits? This seems to be the sane way to handle things.
Why is an open discussion about pornography a bad thing? They're both adults, they should be able to handle it maturely. Someone so seemingly paranoid about merely discussing pornography shouldn't lecture people on the "sane" way to handle things.
Like, why are you not totally rejecting this and not talking to her about her porn habits?
Maybe... because she's twenty years old? As in, old enough (by a couple of years) to vote, get married, buy a house, or get pieces of herself blown off in Iraq -- but apparently not old enough to read about guys getting it on, at least in your book.
Or maybe he feels that his daughter is an independent, thinking human being and he doesn't get to tell her what to read.
Of course, maybe it's that she's twenty years old.
Possibly it's because he doesn't have the same visceral reaction to guy-guy porn that you do. Something tells me that if OP had mentioned that he had a son (particularly a grown son) who's into girl-girl porn, you wouldn't have a problem with it.
Also, did I mention that she's twenty years old?
Someone needs some serious help here, and you know, it's not OP or his daughter.
I'm wondering why the people who responded to you assumed that the Anonymous Coward was male. Wanna bet she was talking about her daughter? Mothers and daughters discuss subjects that males, especially males related to each other, practically never discuss, unless roaring drunk.
But aside from that, I think all of your respondents deserve a big *woooosh*. That sounded like sarcasm to me.
I think there might be some misconception about what sort of book it's assumed women are reading. "Bodice rippers" as a genre are written to appeal to 'romantic' fantasies: Strong but possibly oppressed heroine, tall dark stranger, forbidden love affair, etc. Always sexual, rarely graphic.
Credentials:I worked in a bookstore, and we sold the hell out of garbage like danielle steele, always to women, mainly to older women. I'd guess the younger generation just get porn on the internet.
pr0n (Score:2, Funny)
alt.stories.erotica (Score:5, Interesting)
I used to read alt.stories.erotica way back in the 9600 baud days. The only thing new here is that people are paying for it.
Re:alt.stories.erotica (Score:5, Funny)
I used to read alt.stories.erotica way back in the 9600 baud days. The only thing new here is that people are paying for it.
I read erotic stories augmented with 16-color ANSI art from a BBS over a 2400 baud modem. /waits for someone to come in and talk about how they used to write their mainframe code so that it made dirty pictures on the punch cards, or how if they squinted their eyes at ENIAC the vacuum tubes looked kinda like boobs.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Back in my day, we had to IMAGINE our porn.
And we liked it.
Dang kids with your fancy electricity and your indoor plumbing.
Re:alt.stories.erotica (Score:5, Interesting)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
At high school on an Apple II I once wrote a mathematical expression which looked a bit like boobs.
Re:alt.stories.erotica (Score:4, Insightful)
Honestly, now that I have the technology to get all the pictures and video I want, I don't much care for text anymore.
Parent
Hey, not just women (Score:2, Interesting)
Of course, it's Ghost in the Shell meets X-Files fanfic, but still, erotic.
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Men read erotica, too! Of course, it's Ghost in the Shell meets X-Files fanfic, but still, erotic.
"Legolas & Elrond Soil the Shire" doesn't count!
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
You got modded flame-bait because... well, you WERE flame-bait. The only time that women take off more than men is when they give birth. Other than that, they work at least the exact same hours. I say at least, because there's a lot of perception that women just aren't as good as men.... and to disprove that convincingly requires overtime.
Here's what I would suggest: talk to top-flight women. Women who are Director level and above. See what they say about their working hours, and how much time they take off
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Sounds like the post is just factually true.
Except that what it is implying is that the 'glass ceiling' is imaginary, that gender-based discrimination does not exist. Even in our 'enlightened' society, where the role of women has been significantly balanced, it remains ignorant to say that women only get worse pay because they do not work such long hours. In addition, the number of women who do work long hours and do not spend excessive time on childcare is certainly not insignificant, nor (as parent^4 seems to think) worth dismissing.
Also, it seems
Re:Dear Moderators (Score:5, Insightful)
"No one thinks women should be discriminated against but I do think that as a group that working women take more hours off than working men. Period."
If you don't count time off die to child birth, that discrepancy almost completely vanishes. If you also take into account that men generally make more money for the same work, the notion that women take more time off starts looking like a self fulfilling prophecy (ie. given the choice between a family losing $x when a woman takes the day off or losing $1.5x whena man takes the day off, the most rational choice is clearly for the woman to take the day off), not to mention that there is a cultural norm that mothers are expected to take time off to deal with children (meaning that schools are more likely to call mothers in an emergency than fathers, and that employers are far more likely to permit time off to deal with children for mothers than fathers). Even assuming that your statement of "fact" really is, there are some very clear factors making it far more likely than the alternative which, frankly, have almost nothing to do with the quality or quantity of work done by women and everything to do with social norms and economic conditions.
"So that means they work less hours. Less on the production side. Also as a group women make more of the buying decisions in a family than the men do. More on the consuming side."
I doubt this very much. I work in retail, and while I certainly see women buying more items, I also men buying more expensive items... VASTLY more expensive.
"Sounds like the post is just factually true."
No, it sounds like the post is stating a common and highly controversial assumption that is factually ambiguous but reinforces what many people already believe subconsciously and is possibly a major factor in making or keeping it true. It is rationalization for sexism, not a valid explanation in its own right.
Parent
One-handed reading with the Kindle (Score:5, Funny)
The ability to turn pages one-handed is touted as one of the big improvements of the Kindle 2.
Draw your own conclusions.
Re:One-handed reading with the Kindle (Score:5, Funny)
Cowboy Neal has a Kindle.
Go ahead and erase THAT mental image.
Parent
Porn Buyer's Capital (Score:2)
Sort of (Score:2)
My wife doesn't read bodice-rippers, but most of the sci-fi/fantasy books she reads has a strong romantic or relationship component. IE Vorkosigan Saga, Wizard's Rule series, etc.
It might just be because she just got hers, but she has been spending a lot more time reading lately. Bought a fair chunk, then raided a hundred or two books from my e-library.
Somewhat off-topic (Score:4, Informative)
If she likes the Wizard's Rule series by Goodkind, I think she'll really enjoy the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. If she likes dark fiction with a strong tragic-hero element, I think she'll also enjoy the Eternal Champion series by Michael Moorcock, particularly the Elric books.
Parent
The internet is for porn... (Score:2)
Nothing New (Score:4, Interesting)
Pornography has always been at the forefront of technology. VHS, DVD, they were the first to really start using DRM on video content, too. A quick search on Google for 'porn technology' will give you lots of articles on the subject.
Re:Nothing New (Score:5, Funny)
Pornography has always been at the forefront of technology. VHS, DVD, they were the first to really start using DRM on video content, too. A quick search on Google for 'porn technology' will give you lots of articles on the subject.
Shoot, go back to the dawn of the printing press, sculpture, painting etc. All modern times has done is change the delivery format.
I'd bet that Ogg and Thagg, after drawing the latest hunt on the cave walls then did a little drawing about Oggette and her friends. And then started the flame war over obsidian vs flint for spear points.
Some things never change...
Parent
Re:Nothing New (Score:5, Funny)
Obsidian is better. Anyone using flint is an idiot.
Parent
Flint -- proven technology with SPARK! (Score:5, Funny)
Listen you stupid jackass, Obsidian is the latest flash-in-the-pan buzzword-heavy gimmick that lets newbies chip one edge and pretend they know what they're doing, which is fine if you live right next to a FREAKIN' VOLCANO.
For those of us who prefer not to tempt the wrath of the LavaGod, and oh yeah -- maybe make FIRE, HAVE YA HEARD OF THAT YET, YOU WHEEL-LESS SLED-DRAGGING DORK -- we'll remain with a proven technology with Spark(TM)!
Parent
Re:Nothing New (Score:4, Funny)
And then started the flame war over obsidian vs flint for spear points.
Some things never change...
Well, except that modern flame wars don't often end with one side stabbing the other in order to prove their point.
Parent
Re:Nothing New (Score:5, Funny)
You mean these little arrows keys don't..... aw shucks :(
Parent
Re:Nothing New (Score:5, Insightful)
That's because porn doesn't have to be good in order to sell. It will sell on novelty alone, at least for a little while. So it is an ideal early adopter for new media.
Parent
Erotica? Dark Fantasy? (Score:2)
Why don't they just say "vampire"?
[badum-ching]
privacy of ebooks? (Score:3, Insightful)
I supposed it depends on how big a town you live in.
Re:privacy of ebooks? (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Amazon does not bear this out (Score:2)
Sales for the Kindle do not seem to bear this out: Kindle bestsellers [amazon.com]. I see no porn in the top 25.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
And the New York Times intentionally leaves genres off its best-seller list, otherwise LOTR, the Bible, and various sci-fi novels would routinely top the list.
Hell, they created a children's best-seller list specifically because of Harry Potter.
Selective memory (Score:5, Interesting)
Not the "porn is what drives adoption of all new formats and technologies" explanation again... has everyone already forgotten that HD DVD was supposed to win over Blu-Ray because of its early adoption by the porn industry? There were only, oh, a few thousand posts to that effect right here on Slashdot - right up until HD DVD died.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Selective memory (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm not sure that Blu-ray has won against, well nothing at this point. HD-DVD has been dead for a year and Blu-ray is still not taking off as a format.
Thats because porn is the one thing you don't want to see in hi-def.
Parent
Re:Selective memory (Score:5, Funny)
Very true. ASCII art is good enough for me.
Parent
Re:Selective memory (Score:5, Funny)
Does this mean that porn will eventually adapt to open source as innovation? That's open source I can't wait to contribute to!
Parent
Re:Selective memory (Score:4, Interesting)
You laugh, but it actually kind of has. The porn industry is hurting because of do-it-yourself porn sites like youporn.com. While some of the content is "professionally produced," most of it is homegrown stuff. People these days seem to be really getting off on releasing their homemade porn tapes on the interwebs.
So, yes, porn is open source, too. However, I would avoid open source porn that features open sores. That's just nasty.
Parent
Does it drive kindle sells? (Score:4, Interesting)
That would be interesting if the chance to read naughty lit in public drives the sales of a $350 e-book reader.
Is porn driving uptake of the web? (Score:5, Insightful)
People have evolved to be interested in sex. Those that aren't die out. So of course if the web provides a means to look at boobies, it's going to get more popular...and if an ebook reader allows you to read about people having sex, those who are interested might turn to it. It's a hell of a lot more discrete to use an ebook reader than have a sexually explicit book open. You don't have to hide it behind something else to avoid attracting attention or getting into trouble.
Why is everyone so excited about porn... (Score:5, Insightful)
... this is clearly a privacy issue, not a pornography issue. If it were common for me to read in public places, like at work on my lunch break, a e-book would be far better than a typical paperback. Why, because then no one could learn what I am reading unless I tell them.
I don't read anything to be embarrassed about, but I can imagine it is awkward for women into those trash romance novels to hold a lewd covered book when sitting across the aisle from their boss.
Or what about people reading the Bible, Koran, or other religious manuscript. I have seen the way people look at folks reading such material on subways.
E-Books are great for everyone concerned about others judging them by what they read. Hell, in some cities you can be judged by which news paper you read... god forbid your conservative boss sees you reading the New York Times. I know I would hate to have a perfectly good working relationship ruined because I think homosexuals should be allowed to marry and raise children.
I am all for personal privacy in all things personal. I am not a conspiracy theorist that thinks the government or big business is spying and gonna use information against me... but I don't want my reading material, music tastes, or social/political beliefs to be an issue with those I wouldn't readily discuss such things with. A good ebook reader and some head phones allow me to consume media privately, if for no other reason than that.
Re:Why is everyone so excited about porn... (Score:5, Insightful)
While I agree with this in principal I can't help but feel there may be a deeper cultural issue at work regarding "privacy".
This may be slightly off topic, but since we are talking about porn, which is fairly cultural, here goes:
I know that I have picked up a book or two because some stranger was reading it on the train or in a cafe. Sometimes I have conversations with strangers on the street due to something that happens or a weird coincidence. These instances are one way that culture can spread, move people, and create a community.
We seem to be heading into an era where people are very cut off from others. Ear buds in our ears, reading our Kindle, oblivious to anything in the outside world. Just our little bubble. One could even go so far as to say "it helps block out meaningful thought by keeping many of us entertained 24/7.
While I think your privacy concern is valid (I had a situation arise years ago where I am fairly certain i was fired due to the fact that I am a Buddhist, while my employer was very Christian) I sometimes wonder if the very things which we profess to keep us safe are in fact making our own worlds smaller and even conceited. While we see mountains of data and electronic communication that profess to enhance and enlarge our experience, is it at the cost of true involvement in day to day life? Maybe it's just the shifting of culture to a digitally defined reality. Either way it oftens feels cold and detached. This comes across more and more in personal interaction (IMHO) which seems like cause for concern.
To be a bit dramatic: Is it really privacy we desire, or is technology slowly giving us what some want: Emotional and social laziness?
Also, is there a time and place for porn? Should we be reading it while our boss is sitting across from us? If it's ok to do that, it seems like it could usher in a different day-to-day mindset if people are less obliged to pay attention to their business meeting than their hootie-hoo (or whatever you call it).
Parent
Poppycock (Score:3, Insightful)
Ages ago I was reading one of the hitchhikers books, just released, in the train. Was completly lost in the book to the point that the conductor apparently had to call me several times and eventually touch my shoulder to get my attention. Much to the amusement of my fellow travelers.
After showing my ticket, the passenger across from me asked what I had been reading, I told him and turns out he had read the previous books as well but had not heard about the new one yet. We talked a little about the series (
porn myth (Score:5, Informative)
"Once again it seems like 'porn is blazing a path to a new media format"
Again the myth that porn has decided the formatwars is called upon again.
"Many theories regarding why Sony's Betamax failed have arisen over the years. One of the more amusing (and false) is that Sony refused to allow pornographic material on their system. A quick perusal of the Betamax library reveals that adult entertainment was readily available. For example, Playboy Industries released their videos in a dual format, both Betamax and VHS, for most of the 1970s and 80s (and can be confirmed with a quick search through Ebay's adult section, or other used video markets). Second, the adult industry is too small to have any lasting impact on standards selection. According to Forbes.com, adult video income is approximately $1 billion. "The industry is tiny next to broadcast television ($32.3 billion in 1999), cable television ($45.5 billion), the newspaper business ($27.5 billion), Hollywood ($31 billion), even to professional and educational publishing ($14.8 billion). When one really examines the numbers, the porn industry--while a subject of fascination--is every bit as marginal as it seems at first glance." (Link - http://www.forbes.com/2001/05/25/0524porn.html [forbes.com] )"
There, it should be over now.
Barnes and Noble bought Fictionwise?!? (Score:3, Insightful)
Oh, damn, I hope they don't kill the DRM-free side of the store.
Slashdot - News-Porn For Geeks (Score:4, Informative)
Fictionwise's own lists of Best Sellers/HIghest Rated [fictionwise.com] titles tells a different story.
Entries in Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series rank 1st, 2nd, 3d, and 4th as best sellers the past six month.
Joe Halderman's "The Accidental Time Machine," came in fifth.
No erotica title made it into the top 25.
You will find YA "Twilight" on the Fictionwise "Dark Fantasy" shelf.
Which means were looking at more blogger BS on the front page of Slashdot.
Re:Of course the main reason is (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Why is an open discussion about pornography a bad thing? They're both adults, they should be able to handle it maturely. Someone so seemingly paranoid about merely discussing pornography shouldn't lecture people on the "sane" way to handle things.
Re:I just ask my daughter (Score:5, Insightful)
Like, why are you not totally rejecting this and not talking to her about her porn habits?
Maybe ... because she's twenty years old? As in, old enough (by a couple of years) to vote, get married, buy a house, or get pieces of herself blown off in Iraq -- but apparently not old enough to read about guys getting it on, at least in your book.
Or maybe he feels that his daughter is an independent, thinking human being and he doesn't get to tell her what to read.
Of course, maybe it's that she's twenty years old.
Possibly it's because he doesn't have the same visceral reaction to guy-guy porn that you do. Something tells me that if OP had mentioned that he had a son (particularly a grown son) who's into girl-girl porn, you wouldn't have a problem with it.
Also, did I mention that she's twenty years old?
Someone needs some serious help here, and you know, it's not OP or his daughter.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm wondering why the people who responded to you assumed that the Anonymous Coward was male. Wanna bet she was talking about her daughter? Mothers and daughters discuss subjects that males, especially males related to each other, practically never discuss, unless roaring drunk.
But aside from that, I think all of your respondents deserve a big *woooosh*. That sounded like sarcasm to me.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
I think there might be some misconception about what sort of book it's assumed women are reading. "Bodice rippers" as a genre are written to appeal to 'romantic' fantasies: Strong but possibly oppressed heroine, tall dark stranger, forbidden love affair, etc. Always sexual, rarely graphic.
Credentials:I worked in a bookstore, and we sold the hell out of garbage like danielle steele, always to women, mainly to older women. I'd guess the younger generation just get porn on the internet.