Despite Amazon's ridiculous patent activities I still like their website a whole lot. I agree with wickline, and like to use them for discovery but not purchase. My one weakness are the used books. I do buy those from time to time, and justify it in my mind because I'm helping support little used bookstores around the country.
A while back brian d foy turned me onto using Amazon's Web Services. I wrote a program to periodically suck down my wishlist and and store it on my stripped down website run by Rael Dornfest's blosxom.
Today I woke up at 3AM and couldn't fall back to sleep, and started poking around at the wishlist program to notify me when there is a used copy of the book available which falls below a certain (configurable) percentage of the list price. Now I will get email updates whenever some books I want are available for cheap from one of the used book stores. I'm sure Amazon gets a cut of this however.
Don't feel bad about buying used books through Amazon. A couple of used book sellers I've talked to say they have a decent amount of ongoing business through Amazon's used book sales. The volume seemed to be enough to be the difference from wondering if they'd make rent this month to knowing they'd have enough to make payroll and then some.Now I will get email updates whenever some books I want are available for cheap from one of the used book stores. I'm sure Amazon gets a cut of this however.
If you're serious about looking for used books on the web, may I recommend ABE Books? This is a small outfit run in Victoria, BC, that serves as a world wide clearinghouse for small used book sellers. Sometimes, the cheapest copy of a book you want may be sitting on a shelf on the other side of the ocean. ABE can help you find that book.
Re:Used book stores
inkdroid on 2003-02-28T19:51:33
Very nice...thanks ziggy. Now, if only I had a nice object oriented module to search them. WWW::ABE I hear you calling my name:) I just hope they won't mind.
