Mac Slocum
Mac Slocum is O'Reilly's Online Managing Editor. He's been writing, editing and producing web content in various forms since the mid '90s. He also dabbles in video interviews from time to time.
"None of this is good or bad; it just is"
Lev Grossman takes a pragmatic look at the changing state of authors, readers, and the definition of publishing: Self-publishing has gone from being the last resort of the desperate and talentless to something more like out-of-town tryouts for theater or the farm system in baseball. It's the last ripple of the Web 2.0 vibe finally washing up on publishing's…
Presentations from the StartWithXML Forum
The following slides accompanied many of the presentations during the StartWithXML forum, held Jan. 13, 2009 in New York City. XML–Why Bother? David Young, Hachette Book Group USA As Chairman and CEO of one of America's leading trade publishers, David Young presents the executive perspective on the role of XML technologies in the increasingly complex business of creating and selling…
"Amazon Tax" Moves Forward in New York
A judge has dismissed lawsuits from Amazon and Overstock.com challenging New York's "Amazon tax," which was enacted last year. From the Associated Press: The law applies to companies that don't have offices in New York, but have at least one person in the state who works as an online agent — someone who links to a Web site and receives…
TOC Editor Note: Light Posts Through Holidays
The O'Reilly offices are closed through the remainder of the year, so TOC blog posts will be light until January 5, 2009. We're thrilled with the interest and enthusiasm we've experienced throughout 2008, and we look forward to more coverage, projects and events in 2009. We hope everyone in the TOC community has a restful and enjoyable holiday season! –…
Webcast Video and Slides: Social Media for Publishers
Below you'll find the full recording from the recent TOC Webcast, "Social Media for Publishers" with Chris Brogan. Chris has also made his presentation slides available: View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: socialmedia publishers)…
Early Registration for TOC Conference Ends Tomorrow Today
The $200 early registration discount for the Tools of Change for Publishing conference, held Feb. 9-11 in New York, ends tomorrow today. Event information and registration details are available at the conference site. The roster for the third annual TOC conference is nearly complete, and we're excited by the caliber of tutorials, sessions and speakers (and we aren't alone in…
Report: 300,000 Sony Readers Sold
The e-reader guessing game may be in its final stages. According to theBookseller, Sony confirms it has sold 300,000 Readers globally since 2006: So far three million books have been downloaded from its online library, which is home to 57,000 titles. The electronics giant said it planned to grow its online library to 100,000 titles by the end of the…
Slides from "Essential Tools of an XML Workflow" Webcast
Laura Dawson has made her slides available from the recent TOC Webcast, "Essential Tools of an XML Workflow." A complete recording of the event will be posted here soon. View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: xml swxml)…
[TOC Webcast] Social Media for Publishers
Tools of Change for Publishing will host "Social Media for Publishers," a free webcast with presenter Chris Brogan, on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. eastern (10 a.m. pacific). Webcast Overview So much of what we hear about blogging, podcasting, social networks, and the rest of the social media toolkit seems to be arbitrary, overly time-consuming, pie-in-the-sky. We might…
The Inevitability of Newspapers' Downturn
In a post at Boing Boing, Clay Shirky takes issue with the newspaper industry's slow adaptation to digital and its propensity for playing the victim: I'd only arrived on the net in '93, a complete newbie, and most of my opinions about newspapers came from talking with Gordy Thompson of the NY Times and Brad Templeton of Clarinet. Instead,…