An idea for bilingual eBooks for technology niche market

Features of eBooks

  • Page amounts and physical amounts are not linear
  • Version-ups after purchase
  • Price can be changed (In Japan, most paper book prices can not be changed)
  • Publish to world wide without airplanes and trucks

Technology books in Japan

  • Many translated books from English to Japanese
  • Short lifecycle (circumstances are changing rapidly)
  • Volumes are too little to publish on paper
  • Publishers do not like risks
  • Many japanese are not confident for reading English books.
  • Japanese books are not include English words. We can not search Google / Wikipedia.

More translations by practitioners, Less costs, With English

  • Re-publish English book with Japanese (partial) translations
    • Original author get same effect of selling original edition
    • Japanese translator get revenue of additional value.

  • Without perfect translation is ok.
  • Translator can choose witch part he hope to translate.
    • At first publish, low translation coverage, low price.
    • Translators put new translation, kick version-up, move to higher price
    • Early adapters can get new version without additional costs
    • If the book sold much in early stage, encourage translators for rest of translation.
      • Feedbacks encourage translators.
      • It's ok for stopping translations, anytime.
      • Ohter people hope to continue translation, can join translation community.