Re: late incoming: Publishing@W3C Summit Theme

I certainly haven't been to as many publishing conferences as Bill, but
I've been to too many. Most are forgettable, some are regrettable, but only
a few inspire loyalty and love—ebookcraft and Books in Browsers. Ebookcraft
is built around a specialized community, and we can't quite recreate that.
But Books in Browsers is an interesting model, and I think a large part of
its success is because it has a clear theme and an actual point of view.
Here's the blurb for the next Books in Browsers:

In 2017 BiB will focus on how changing expressions of art and media can
forge stories that encourage social change and engagement. By examining how
we use data and narrative, we will explore how storytellers can contribute
voice to people and perspectives that would otherwise be muffled or
submerged by oppression and negligence.

A critical component of 2017’s theme is the creator’s struggle to obtain an
authentic voice, particularly when we speak with and for communities of
which we are not members. We will also be addressing how to bring more
people in touch with the technology, skills, and platforms they need to
tell their own stories, particularly when they are emerging from
disenfranchised environments.

BiB isn't trying to be all things to all people, and this reads to me as
more authentic than most conference blurbs. Digital publishing faces huge,
complex, and interesting problems. Let's confront them! Let's talk about
them! Here's what I would propose:

DAVID AND GOLIATH: DIGITAL PUBLISHING AMONGST THE GIANTS

We live in an age of giants, where most published content is delivered to
readers by immense corporations. Amazon, Apple, and Google control not only
customer relationships, but the technology that displays our content. Web
and ebook standards are all that stand between us and these giants. But how
do we get the giants to listen? How do publishers and standards
organizations respond to new, proprietary features? How can we push for
interoperability in this fragmented landscape? How can we balance the needs
of readers, authors, distributors, and retailers? How can we support
existing content and business practices while building toward a better
future? How can we integrate new web technologies, like web payments and
linked data, into our businesses?

Now that the IDPF has combined with W3C, perhaps there are lessons to be
learned from the history of both organizations, and we certainly have a lot
to learn from each other. Hear from both Davids and Goliaths and add your
voice, as the web and publishing communities create the future together.

Regards,

Dave



On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 11:50 AM, Bill McCoy <bmccoy@w3.org> wrote:

> Hi PBG SC folks,
>
>
>
> This just in time from Karen. I +1 her improvements but hesitate to just
> send (this latest revision) to PBG a few minutes before the meeting. But if
> co-chairs or anyone else say yes, I will do. I would in any case request 2
> minutes during the “other business” agenda item to request participation in
> program committee for the Publishing@W3C Summit (as we said in earlier SC
> call that in addition to interested members of the SC the program committee
> should include others as well) and give a brief status update about the
> event (still hoping we can get initial public announcement done this month).
>
>
>
> --Bill
>
>
>
> *From:* Karen Myers [mailto:karen@w3.org]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, May 9, 2017 8:40 AM
> *To:* Bill McCoy <bmccoy@w3.org>
> *Subject:* Re: Publishing@W3C Summit Theme
>
>
>
> Hi Bill,
>
>
>
> Here's a new take incorporating your feedback:
>
>
>
> Karen
>
>
>
> *Connecting at the Crossroads:  Roadmap for Digital Publishing and the Web*
>
>
>
> The vision to bring the rich traditions and best practices of the
> Publishing industry to the Web and to make all publications first class
> citizens on the Web is now part of the exciting roadmap for Publishing at
> W3C.  This convergence is not only technological, it’s fundamentally being
> driven by consumer experiences in how they create, read and share
> information and knowledge on their connected devices of choice.
>
>
>
> Building upon on the success of IDPF’s DigiCon events, the new W3C
> Publishing Summit on 9-10 November 2017 will address the emerging needs of
> all segments of publishing, including trade book, educational, academic and
> scholarly, libraries, newspapers and magazines as well as professional and
> corporate.
>
>
>
> Web and publishing industry experts will share concrete, practical
> insights you can put to use today to improve workflows, discoverability,
> and reduce costs.  You'll learn new ways to leverage mobile and other
> connected devices for your customers.  And you’ll hear about exciting new
> solutions on the horizon for greater interactivity, data analytics, virtual
> reality, and new business models for publishers made possible with Web
> payments.
>
>
>
>
>
> Who should attend: senior leaders in technology, content management and
> production, product management and business strategy from book, magazine,
> academic and professional, and corporate publishing.
>
>
>
>
>
> On May 5, 2017, at 9:39 AM, "Bill McCoy" <bmccoy@w3.org> wrote:
>
>
>
> Hi Karen, definitely an improvement!
>
> My biggest concern is that there is no reference to the cross-segment
> aspect
> other than the not totally clear reference to breaking out of traditional
> silos (but it's not clear to me that folks will understand what is meant by
> this as silos often refers to e.g. vendor silos like Amazon Kindle or Apple
> iOS) and stating at the end " book, magazine, academic and professional,
> and
> corporate publishing" should attend. But there is no, from the perspective
> of those in it, a singular "the publishing industry" but multiple
> industries
> and there is certainly no "the supply chain" - one of the key things that
> distinguishes the fields of publishing is that each field has its own
> distinct supply chain, there is some overlap (one piece of trivia:
> paperback
> books were originally distributed via magazine channels not bookstores) but
> not much.
>
> Perhaps you could extend your "crossroads" metaphor to touch on the
> segments
> of publishing converging thanks to digital transformation and the universal
> Web platform? Or more explicitly tie the "break out of silos" thing to the
> different fields of publishing?
>
> Also, I don't think that " and take full advantage of the Open Web
> Platform"
> is a major driver that warrants being in the lede. If you are in any of
> these fields you only want to take advantage of X, for any X including Open
> Web Platform, if it advances your business. I.e. it is only a means to an
> end. We could say that the Open Web Platform is an enabler, and driver, of
> convergence but to some extent the convergence is being driven by something
> even bigger than the Web - consumers doing everything on just one or two
> general-purpose devices. Maybe working the word "mobile" in the blurb
> somewhere could be helpful? Some people would argue that "Mobile is Eating
> the World" [1] is the big story, and the Open Web Platform is simply the
> means for dealing with that without falling into the trap of lock-in to
> vendor platforms.
>
> I like your subtitle but maybe in this vein Web is too prominent? Could it
> work as ""Connecting at the Crossroads: Publishing Roadmap for Convergence
> and Digital Transformation Via the Web" - OK maybe too many words (my
> speciality) but maybe you get the point...
>
> Perhaps you could take another pass at it and then we can get it in front
> of
> the PBG-SC to have some more eyes on it?
>
> I'm around today but in constant meetings from now until 1pm Pacific (4pm
> ET), can talk  after that, or over the weekend or Monday (FYI my Mom is
> still in the hospital for a couple more days but just because the healing
> process is going a bit more slowly than the hope-for best case, everything
> is great otherwise).
>
> --Bill
>
> [1] http://ben-evans.com/benedictevans/2016/12/8/
> mobile-is-eating-the-world
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Karen Myers [mailto:karen@w3.org]
> Sent: Thursday, May 4, 2017 5:47 PM
> To: Bill McCoy <bmccoy@w3.org>
> Subject: Publishing@W3C Summit Theme
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> I've struggled mightily with the framing on this one.
>
> Try this out:
>
> Themeline:
>
> Publishing@W3C Summit:
> "Connecting at the Crossroads: Web and Publishing Roadmap for Success"
> or
> "Content at the Crossroads: Web and Publishing Roadmap for Success"
>
> Blurb:
>
> Empowering digitally published content to break out of traditional silos
> and
> take full advantage of the Open Web Platform is both the challenge and the
> opportunity for the future of publishing. In this exciting day-and-a-half
> conference, we'll address head-on the fundamental issues holding back the
> publishing industry and the supply chain, and identify the impactful
> solutions on the Publishing@W3C roadmap for short- and long-term success.
> Web and publishing industry experts will share concrete, practical insights
> you can put to use today to improve workflows, discoverability, leverage
> device capabilities and reduce costs.  And, you'll hear about exciting new
> solutions on the horizon for greater interactivity, data analytics, virtual
> reality, and new business models for publishers made possible with web
> payments.
>
>
> Who should attend: senior leaders in technology, content management and
> production, and business strategy from book, magazine, academic and
> professional, and corporate publishing.
>
> Let's catch up tomorrow and iterate.
>
> Karen
>
>
>