Book People Archive

Re: Re: Possible conference for on-line book publishing?

ISBN numbers are not random. There is a pattern. The first number indicates the country. Then there is a number for the publisher. And then a number for the 
book assigned by the publisher. The final number is a check number based on the previous numbers. Each of these numbers is separated by a hyphen.

In Canada there is no charge. Simply apply to the National Library for a 
publishers number.

Rod Hay


Quoting richard seltzer <seltzer@[redacted]

> "Joseph Esposito" <espositoj@[redacted]> wrote:
> >>Other topics to consider --
> >> *alternatives to ISBN for e-book publishers;
> >Why would anyone want to do away with ISBNs?  What is the perceived
> problem
> > with this system?
>
> 1) They don't were designed for print books and make no sense for ebooks.
> ISBN assigns random (meaningless) numbers -- one for each and every
> variation. A different format, a change in text -- any difference at all
> means that you need a new ISBN. A single ebook might easily require dozens
> of separate ISBNs -- which have no relationship to one another -- all are
> random numbers.
>
> 2) Bowker charges a fortune for this rather trivial service. For "regular"
> (10 days to delivery) service they charge $225 for 10 numbers. For
> "priority" processing, they charge $300. (That's probably due to the
> complex
> manufacturing processes involved in assigning a random number :-)
>
> Combine those factors and the costs for a small ebook publisher could be
> enormous -- and it's all unnecessary. A simple program could assign numbers
> automatically, instantly, for practically nothing.

[Moderator: David Reed also wrote in citing the cost of ISBNs
 as a reason not to use them at the rate he'd need them for etexts.
 The cost may vary in different countries, as noted above, since
 different countries may have different sets of ISBNs they can allocate - JMO]