A collector's view on Premium Editions
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@alexchaplinskikh The entire site front-end is built on top of the API, and the API is public (in that it's plaintext, partially documented for at least the query syntax, and Sam will answer questions about it), so technically anybody can already go and implement an alternate J-Novel Club website. A bunch of us have already written tools that pull data from JNC using the API.
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@guspaz I was actually thinking of remaking the whole thing with Drupal. I'd probably have to meddle with the databases so that's why I was wondering about the access. I'm just more familiar with Drupal and have no real clue how this website was built. I also just don't like it due to my preference for high level organisation. :D
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@sinnoaria No clue about the legality of it, but what if it's a contest and only one person enters? :D
Jokes aside, I'd still have to talk with Sam first before even beginning to plan anything. Might send him an email soon. Or not. I don't actually have that much time that I can spend on a free project. If I get paid then it's a different matter, but I don't consider my skills to be good enough for paid work. Though maybe I'm underestimating myself, since I sometimes see even beginners trying to take paid work (no clue whether they actually get it).
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@alexchaplinskikh said in A collector's view on Premium Editions:
beginning to plan anything. Might send him an email soon. Or not. I don't actually have that much time that I can spend on a free project. If I get paid then it's a different matter, but I don't consider my skills to be good enough for paid work. Though maybe I'm underestimating myself, since I sometimes see even beginners trying to take paid work (no clue whether they actually get it).
I personally try to refuse payment if I don't think my work is up to my personal standards, but that is just me. Contests though are available for anyone to participate if they choose, even if only one person enters (which is rare).
I mean I could probably do it myself as well (I'm a jack of all trades), but I don't feel like changing my specialization right now. On the other hand, it would be nice if the website gained some improvements so I am rooting for anyone who is willing to convince sam.
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Revamping the web client (eg website) is on the schedule after we get manga backend done. So like 2-3 months.
It’s all programmed in React FYI. I have two outside devs working on things now, hopefully they do good work (so far manga backend is going smoothly).
And I have some ideas for making the app a lot better actually but will require a complete rewrite of the display parsing (hopefully a simplification) but the end effect should be simpler faster and less buggy. React native’s embedded webview is now advanced enough. When I first worked on the app 2 years ago it wasn’t.
I programmed the entire website in only like 2 months from scratch (and learned the frameworks at the same time) so I was just going for something functional.
I get complaints but I’m proud that it does what it needs to do even if it is not as simple or straightforward as it could be in theory.
It was designed somewhat to minimize the amount of code I had to write. -
@alexchaplinskikh
As for the print editions including or not including the bonus stories, like I think people here on the forums don’t understand that the print editions aren’t mainly designed for people who already bought the premium ebooks.
They are mainly targeted to people who don’t buy ebooks at all. I don’t really expect people who own one format to repurchase the other. The people who do are the extreme minority of the audience.
All hope should not be lost however as like I mentioned before I would like to try and work out a way for example, where premium members could get the bonus stories if they buy a copy of the physical, maybe directly from us if we start direct order fulfillment.
That’s not something we can implement immediately but I want to allow that expansion so we won’t be including them in the main book on principle. If that means you won’t repurchase it until you can get them bundled in somehow, fine. Please wait until I make deals or implement that in someway.Honestly including them in the main book just is a little off for print since they aren’t part of the print in japan. they are printed on postcards or copy paper and shrink wrapped in (one per store).
The books are not “incomplete” without the stories in any sense. No more than a bluray of an anime is incomplete if it doesn’t come with the limited pressing booklet or something. -
@sam-pinansky Woohoo! That's great. Looking forward to that. I hope there's gonna be a feature for saving the series you're reading, your progress and a notification when the next part comes out on the website itself at least. It seems pretty essential to me but I've had to use an external tool someone else wrote to help me track the releases easier. Also, please provide a vertical reading mode. The current reader doesn't work well for landscape monitors...
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@alexchaplinskikh yeah pretty much all of those features are planned. We will focus mainly on redesigning the ui flow however. And rearranging the design. New features will come after we make things smoother.
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@sam-pinansky Hm... I'll refrain from being too stubborn, so I'll agree that my view as a collector is in the minority. I just hate the way these things are done as if to make my life harder... The Premium Editions seem to be good collection material. It's just a shame the printed ones aren't.
But you're doing a good job bringing light novels to the English market so I reckon you know what you're doing by now so just keep at it. Thank you for all your hard work.
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@alexchaplinskikh if you ask me, I think you are looking at this the wrong way. It is not the Amazon versions that have been cut down but the JNC version that has been added more. This will not change you mind or anything, I just thought you were looking at it the wrong way is all.
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@drone205 true, but he is thinking in terms of collector's perspective. Even in Japan they release normal LNs and then premium LNs. Also, these premium LNs are available only in selected stores which makes it harder to be get hold of. The point Alex is making is valid though. I mean if someone is paying for premium membership and then they decide to buy a LN (physical copy) from Amazon there should at least be a way for them to access bonus stuff.
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@drone205 You might be right, but it's a matter of perspective. I see that printed version as one without any value as someone who has the Premium Edition already and just wants to but it again to add it to my physical book library. But Sam brought up a fair point, that those printed editions are for people who don't buy ebooks.
I can definitely see that, but still wonder what the Venn diagram is like on people who don't buy ebooks, only buy physical books, know about light novels and actually buy physical light novels. Though I guess it's still better that the Venn diagram I'm part of. :D
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@smiley_101 Thank you for posting practically the same comment as me at the same time. I don't feel so alone in my opinion now. :D
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@alexchaplinskikh I only own a handful of e-books, just some JNC ones for series I want to support, but will definitely buy JNC's physical books and currently buy the Seven Seas prints for Grimgar and Realist Hero.
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I've reached the point where saving space means more to me than having another physical thing. I'll buy ebooks for my Kindle rather than cheaper used paperback editions just because I can fit literally 50,000 of them on one hard drive (and no space at all for Amazon purchases since they store the books).
My disappointment was discovering JNC had bonus content that was exclusive to the Premium Editions after I'd bought a couple of dozen JNC books from Amazon.
I started a thread here wishing for a "catch-up" / collected book of just the bonus content (vs. paying $54 to re-buy Smartphone, $42 for Daughter, etc.) but the consensus was that will never happen :(
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@harmlessdave Indeed. Exactly because real world space is precious, I will only buy physical items that are worthwhile. If the eBook version is superior to the physical one, then there's no point in buying it for collection purposes. That's just how convenient eBooks are that it made buying physical books pointless. But at the same time it means that having a well managed real life library is that much more important. From a collector's viewpoint, anyway.
I think I'd have more fun collecting books before the digital age came. All the marketing bollocks just makes it harder...
