For years I’ve been thinking that we eventually will see machines in libraries and bookstores that will print books on demand. The Espresso Machine from On Demand Books is the current buzz that is trying to make that happen.
And perhaps all the buzz about the Espresso Machine from industry observers and publishers is causing the Web site of On Demand Books to exceed its bandwidth this month. Or, it just shows the power of an Endgaget post.
We’re all in favor of devices like the Espresso Machine and fully believe that these types of machines will be an inevitable presence in bookstores and libraries. Yet, I do get a little worried about a technology-based company that can’t handle the basics of keeping a Web site operational.
Sure, a publicity crunch brings a lot of traffic but this is why technology planning is important. Anyway, we wish Espresso Machine a lot of luck and will be thinking about the implications of these machines for book design…more on that in a future post.
update:
Design the Web Site Before Launching Your Product
Well, I guess I should have been in no hurry to look at the On Demand Books Web site since there’s very little information there.
Somehow, I thought that a company that is utilizing technology in an attempt to revolutionize publishing would have had a striking Web site filled with information about its system. There’s a lot of potential there but, again, for a company that says it is “finalizing technology to access a vast network of content”….well, there’s something to be said about first impressions. And I’m saying that not just as someone who manages a graphic design firm but also as a person who spent years developing digital libraries and managing IT in academic libraries.
A type of on demand book machine is needed and, eventually, will be a reality but it looks like there’s still a long road to travel. Anyway, again, I’m still wishing OnDemandBooks the best success.
Great point about the virtues of a tech organization that can’t keep up with their website traffic. Then again, I’ll try to think of it as a good thing since it means there’s a lot of interest in the POD technology!
Maybe they’re trying to create buzz before launching either the website or the machine. If that’s the plan, they should use good design and better copywriting. They could design one page well without having the whole site up yet. Thanks for bringing our attention to these folks, though — they might be onto something.
Hi Liz – thanks for your comments. I totally agree about the need for better design and copywriting for a company starting out on the Web…. but it seems like a like of people don’t yet get that concept.