Borders just declared bankruptcy.

[Lorizael]

We're one step closer to a world with no physical books. Yay?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2011/02/borders_turns_page_to_chapter.html

[SlowwHand]

It's not a good thing.

[Lorizael]

Think we should get Obama to bail them out?

[Asher]

It is a good thing. They didn't manage their business correctly. Selling overpriced books, no real eReader, etc.

[Donegeal]

Guy, what do you think of this? You're a Doctor without Borders.

[Lorizael]

/me groans.

[Donegeal]

Sorry Lori, are you a Dr too?

[Lorizael]

Heavens no. I'm just amused by your awful pun.

[Supr49er]

I kind of liked it.

[Dinner]

Borders was innovative back in the day. They were the first ones to go truly mass market with the big box book store back in the 80's plus they added things like a coffee shop and first a music and then a video section to their stores. I know several independent bookstores already did that but Borders took it to the next level by putting one of their stores in every suburb so that no matter where you lived there was a borders near by. I seriously doubt bankruptcy reorganization will do them much good now as everyone buys their books online, fewer people actually read these days, and downloading has killed the video and music sales. First all the little independent new & used book stores went out of business and now the big chains are going out of business. It's sad especially since I have fond memories of digging through small used book stores for old fantasy novels and what not but I guess that is the way of the world. I predict Barnes & Noble will be next to declare bankruptcy as there really isn't anything about their business model different from Borders.

[Lorizael]

I predict Barnes & Noble will be next to declare bankruptcy as there really isn't anything about their business model different from Borders.

Your prediction will probably be borne out, what with B&N being for all intents and purposes the last brick and mortar book retailer, but for the wrong reasons. B&N is doing quite well right now, has always managed its own site, is selling an e-book reader, and is generally just bigger than Borders. Borders had been in financial trouble for quite awhile now and anyone paying attention to the book industry pretty much knew this was going to happen. There's no hint of that for B&N - at least not in the near future.

[Agent Sox]

A world where books are ruled by Amazon would be terrible. They can edit and delete all the books in the world if they want to.

[Lorizael]

Except when they actually did that, they got caught and were forced to undo it.

[Agent Sox]

Well yeah but if Amazon really controlled everything, then over generations they could change what books say. I mean it doesn't have to be Amazon. Any company could do it. It's just scary to think that in an all digital world you could never be sure what an original text said.

[Asher]

I'm more concerned with the American government censoring things than private companies.