On Monday at 08:46:49PM -0500, Greg Newby wrote:
>>On Mon, Sep 06, 2010 at 06:36:17PM -0400, Greg Weeks wrote:
>> The whole workflow at DP does NOT let you combine things when they
>> need separate clearances.
>Is that the only thing in the way?
>
>The idea, which I think you've heard, is to consider combining
>these very short items to make a larger item. Combinations could
>be by author, by topic, or by source. For example, perhaps
>combining an entire year's worth of Weird Tales items.
>Let me know what you think would be a good solution. I,
>personally, think that very short items should only be posted
>as a single eBook when there is a compelling reason (Robert's
>example of a pamphlet seems compelling, though even then I would
>wonder whether there are other, related pamphlets to combine).
>
>I see I basically already said this, below. What I'm not seeing
>is whether there is a reason (other than limitations in the DP
>workflow) not to combine.
The problem is not a "limitation" in the DP workflow: This issue arises solely
out of the fact that PG refuses to post items they consider to be "too small,"
which is arbitrary, ridiculous and completely unnecessary. PG requires that
the SF shorts in question be cleared separately for very good reasons; what
possible argument is there for NOT publishing them separately, especially
considering that PG (via the WWers) are almost inflexibly insistent that
ordinary works with illustrations be kept as small as possible?
DPs workflow is intended to faithfully reproduce works as they were originally
published. While PG certainly acts as a publisher, there is no practical
reason for requiring "short" works to be compiled and thus muddy the origins
of the source material.
The sensible and practical thing for PG to do is to do away with any minimum
size requirement for postings. Items can be posted as they were published, and
any desired compilations can then be created by PG without forcing arbitrary
requirements on their contributors.