The Web 3.0- Language.

Language and the Internet, what do they have in common? Well for starters, the Internet is based on a language of its own, that incorporates html, xhtml, css, etc. These languages help provide structure and behavior for the pages that we see when we visit a website or click on a link. But who would think that the actual language that the website is presented in counts? Have you ever taken a minute to ask yourself: what is the most popular language on the Internet? According to this link, as of right now English is still the most popular Internet language. But that could soon change.

According to the graph, English is the number 1 language on the Internet, followed by Chinese and then Spanish. Wow that’s pretty amazing that Spanish makes it to third place. This is one example of why many of the pages of EditorialCampana.com website are in both Spanish and English. It is important to be able to reach out to as many people as you can. Depending on the language of the website, will determine what visitors will be attracted as well as the amount of people. Many of the books published by editorial campana and campanita are in bilingual (English/Spanish) format. So it would make sense that the pages on the website be available on both languages as well. Translation are not always easy to come by (and they can be expensive). Maybe that is why many websites stick to 1 language. 

 

Before we continue, it is important to understand why the title of this blog includes “3.0″. Many of us have heard that the Web has gone 2.0. This basically means that the original web has had an update. In the first version we were able to retrieve information. Now with the 2.0 version, users can do much more. We can interact with the websites that we visit. This interaction comes in many different forms, from social networking such as wordpress.com to educational sites that allow students to do homework and hand in assignments online. This new Internet gives users more flexibility in the information that they receive. With a 2.0 release, there is always room for improvement. That is where the Web 3.0 may come into play.

it’s a wonderful feature to be able to go to someone’s blog and post a comment or reply to them. Another wonderful element of the Web 2.0 is to be able to add media to your site easily. However, lets say you have this small publishing company that wants to attract Spanish and English viewers? Its wonderful that people can interact on the web now a days, but language can be the greatest obstacle to overcome. Until now- in a recent article of the onlive version of the NY Times, Writing the Web’s Future in Numerous Languages, many people are starting to realize that native language is just as important in the real world as it is in the digital realm.

“If you want to reach a billion people, or even half a billion people, and you want to bond with them, then you have no choice but to do multiple languages,”

This statement was made by, Rama Bijapurkar, a marketing consultant and the author of “Winning in the Indian Market: Understanding the Transformation of Consumer India.” She seems to understand that language can very much control the fate of a website. Another individual, Ram Prakash Hanumanthappa, an engineer from outside Bangalore, India, saw an opportunity to make one’s native language usable on the Internet.

So in 2006 he developed Quillpad, an online service for typing in 10 South Asian languages. Users spell out words of local languages phonetically in Roman letters, and Quillpad’s predictive engine converts them into local-language script. Bloggers and authors rave about the service, which has attracted interest from the cellphone maker Nokia and the attention of Google Inc., which has since introduced its own transliteration tool.

Although the article is about how India is attempting to change or expand the language of the Internet, how will this impact the rest of the world? The Internet allows people to go anywhere they like. That being the case, shouldn’t users be able to learn about their native country in their native tongue? Or when shopping online, wouldn’t it be nice to speak or read a products information in any language possible? Hopefully with the success of the the Web 2.0, more people like Ram Prakash Hanumanthappa will work to make the Internet a language-friendly place. Wouldn’t it be great to go to your favorite website, and just like editorial Campana’s website, be able to click on a language link and see the page transform. Or even better, go to the homepage and choose your language before you enter the site? 

 

What does the economy mean for book sales? (revisited)

For most, the holiday season has passed. We are now looking to what 2009 will bring. In the last post, we looked at how the economy was impacting the book world, both traditional and digital. 

In the following article though, it seems as though the economy may not be impacting book sales as we thought. 

What’s undermining the book industry is not the absence of casual readers but the changing habits of devoted readers.

Readers are changing, just as the world is. Although we are in a recession and sales in books have decreased, the Internet is to blame a little bit. People use the Internet to buy books as we all know. Books bought online tend to be cheaper, especially with many stores now offering free shipping aside from incredible discounts. The Internet has also become a great resource to look for books (especially if one is looking to find anew author or genre) and a great way to sell books once they have lost their value or are taking up space on much needed shelves.

What is hurting the author and publisher the most are individuals known as “resellers.” 

Some [resellers] list them for as little as a penny, although most aim for at least a buck. This growing market is achieving an aggregate mass that is starting to prove problematic for publishers, new bookstores and secondhand bookstores.

In this new method of selling books, the individual selling the book makes the money. The author and the publisher see…NOTHING. Many of the books that are sold are cheap, as in 1 cent cheap. Why would someone buy a book for $19.95 new when they could get it for almost nothing. Many of the books online that are sold look brand new or have very little wear and tear. 

Although many might suggest that these individuals are taking well deserved income away from hard working authors and publishers, others might argue that resellers are somewhat like Ebay and similar online markets that allow you to sell your old and unwanted goods. The fact that all the proceeds go to the individual who sold the book might seem unfair. Maybe, as this trend picks up someone will find a way to use these online markets to help the author and the publisher.

As the new year approaches and as New Year’s Resolutions are being made, should we be rethinking the way we buy books? 

One consequence has been to change the calculations involved in buying a book. Given the price, do I really want to read this? Now it’s become both an economic and a moral issue? How much do I want to pay, and where do I want that money to go? To my local community via a bookstore? To the publisher? To the author?

Another interesting article: Booksellers and Publishers Nervous as Holiday Season Approaches

View the original article quoted: Bargain Hunting for Books, and Feeling Sheepish About It

What does the economy mean for book sales?

As the economy has taken a downward spiral, what impact has it had on book sales? The economy, as we all know, as bad. Many experts say that it will get worse before it gets better and many agree that it will be a while before change for the better occurs. Since the decline of the economy, prices have dropped, gas has gone down, and everyone is wondering what will happen next. When “Black Friday” came around, consumer found deals that made their eyes pop out.  Despite the downfall of the economy, people are still shopping.

Net sales of books in April fell 3.5 percent to $472.7 million, based on data from 79 publishers as reported to the Association of American Publishers.

We probably should have expected this as many other products have been on the decline since the economic crisis. surprising though is that digital-based copies of books have not declined. sales in April rose almost 20%. This may be due to the fact that Kindle has increased in popularity. It may also be due to the fact that people are looking to spend their money in the best way possible- treading away from traditional media and venturing into the digital realm. Maybe there is some sense in buying the digital copy of Sonia Rivera-Valdès’ Stories of Little Women and Grown-Up Girls. 

Due to the decrease in book sales, many bookstores may start to sell books at lower prices to try and attract customers. Since the stores and retailers usually buy books at a fraction of the price for what they sell them, it may be in their best interest to slash prices if they are to stay in business, especially if the economy continues its trend.

“Most bookstores buy stock for 20 to 40 percent off suggested retail,” May said. “But they can buy remainders and other bargain books for as much as 90 percent off retail price. That means they can sell the books for less in a time when consumers are spending fewer dollars on books, and still make a higher profit margin.

As we get closer and closer to the end of 2008 and move into 2009, we can only hope that book sales will increase. Even if digital book sales continue to increase, traditional books also need to make a comeback. Hopefully, by slashing prices books will become more and more attractive, even in this digitally run world.

Read the full article quoted: Book sales in decline as U.S. economy contracts

Happy Holidays from the Virgin Islands & Campanita Books!

Dec. 10, 2008- Thousands of copies of Campanita Book’s A Caribbean Journey from A to Y(read and discover what happened to the Z) were distributed to the children of the United States Virgin Islands this week by the First Lady of the Territory, Cecile de Jongh, by Santa Claus himself, and by many helping elves.

    

The gift is extra special because A Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z) was turned into a Special Edition just for this event!!!

 

The preface by de Jongh reads:
It is my great honor as First Lady of the United States Virgin Islands to join Mario Picayo and his many readers worldwide in celebrating the proud cultures of the Caribbean. A Caribbean Journey from A to Y is a wonderful expression of the diversity of the Caribbean peoples and their lifestyles. It takes us on a journey through the islands of the region and shares important and interesting facts about each location.

As you turn the pages, you will discover the many special places, foods, and experiences of the Caribbean. Truly a treasure all on its own, this delightful book is a journey to places near and far that we can all enjoy. It is a reminder of our shared ancestry and celebrates the similarities and differences of each of the islands and their people. Perhaps what we learn the most from this wonderful book is that we are all God’s children, each of us brothers and sisters in paradise.

As a Virgin Islander and as a passionate advocate for children and literacy, I am proud to join you on this educational journey through the Caribbean. Enjoy!

 

Go to EditorialCampana.com to read the press release. You can also go to The St.Thomas Source to read the article in it’s original format, written by Molly Morris.

There is still time to give one of Campanita’s books (or all of them) as a Holiday present!!!