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Comment by sachitgupta | Hacker News Reader

I disagree with your last point. Don't think of it as paying $10/book for "something I'm only going to read once", because its more than that. Essentially you're paying someone to work hard and labor on a topic you are interested in for years; and distill that years of research into a few hundred pages so that you don't have to do all the work.

Someone once told me that if you can get _1_ idea from a book that changes you're outlook on things; then it's worth it, and I agree. I don't understand how people can say $10 on a book is too much; you can friggin' spend more than that on one meal!

EDIT: And as eru said, if you still think its too much, join a library.

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> Essentially you're paying someone to work hard and labor on a topic you are interested in for years; and distill that years of research into a few hundred pages so that you don't have to do all the work.

I am doing no such thing. Sure, some of my purchase price will go back to the author and in aggregate with other purchasers they may be fairly repaid for their labours. But the book is worth whatever I was prepared to pay for it.

What you proposed was the Labour Theory of Value; a thing is worth the effort and talent put into it. Intuitively attractive, but it breaks down in economic practice. If instead you accept that things are worth what people will give up for them -- the Subjective Theory of Value -- economic analysis requires fewer epicycles and illuminates more phenomena.

That said, I suspect I'd actually spend a crapload more money on eBooks if they typically cost $6. If something like an eBook costs $10, I'll figure out how to do without. Price it at $6 and it's just a little above the level of impulse buy -- a lot harder to resist.

From the sellers perspective, suppose they plan to make $6000. If they price it at $6 - they need to sell 1000 copies, if they price it at $60 - they need to sell 100 copies. Which ones easier?

I've spent > $100 on ebooks or courses, and they've been immensely helpful. I guess it depends on how much you're willing to pay for the value you get.

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