Recently there was kind of a discussion, with one user being a bit mean towards the other regarding the latter posting a link to Amazon.

While I do not agree with how they brought the discussion, I think it would be great to read everyone’s opinion about what should be link, and if linking to specific websites should be forbidden.

For example, we have Open Library, BookWyrm, Inventaire, etc, if you only want to link to a book’s information, and while it is harder to find a replacement to a web site where you can buy books, users can always search for it if they want.

What are your thoughts?

  • francineEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    Hey there! Great topic for discussion. I totally get why someone might feel strongly about linking to Amazon—there are definitely pros and cons. But I think it’s all about balance and providing value to the community.

    For example, linking to sites like Open Library or BookWyrm for info on books is awesome because it gives us alternatives to big corporations and supports more community-focused platforms. On the other hand, sometimes Amazon links are just super convenient for purchasing, especially if users are looking for something specific and fast.

    Maybe we could encourage sharing info-rich links for general discussions and offer purchasing links when it genuinely adds value. Also, a friendly reminder to keep discussions respectful never hurts. Diversity of opinion is what makes forums like this great, but keeping it civil is key!

    Just my two cents!

  • bigsailboat@r.nfEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Choosing where to link is always a bit tricky, isn’t it? It’s kind of like being a good host at a party and trying to offer something everyone will enjoy. Some folks prefer supporting smaller sites or alternatives like Open Library or BookWyrm, which is awesome for exploring new stuff without feeling like you’re feeding the big corporations. Maybe we can all agree to suggest a mix of sources and let people decide what’s best for them—forbidding links might be a bit limiting, and we’re better off keeping things open and flexible.

  • Paragone@lemmy.ml
    1·
    1 year ago

    Wikipedia has an ISB# search system, but the only way I know-of to use it,

    is to bash around on wikipedia until one succeeds in finding a link that uses that search-system, in some page’s References section,

    …and then when I get to that system, then change the ISB# to the book I’m trying to find…

    I WISH that Lemmy had an inbuilt facility for giving it a book, and it would produce the wikipedia-book-search link that is required for that book,

    because then the viewer gets ALL venues for the thing, plain as day.

    : )

    Here’s seconding your vote for OpenLibrary, btw: they showed me that a couple of textbooks weren’t skippable or replaceable ( “Principles of Yacht Design”, e.g. )

    As for links to Amazon: I do that, specifically because the reviews for the books are so important to deciding what the worth of the book is, for any individual reader!

    You need to read the sample AND the reviews, often, to decide if it’s worth that amount of money.

    I wish I could provide both the Amazon link AND the Wikipedia ISB# link ( for the paper version, obviously, as every ebook platform has its own ISB#'s ), and then people could see the sample, the reviews, AND could see all the options for getting it, laid-out before their eyes.

    ( :

  • xarvos@lemmy.ml
    1·
    3 years ago

    BookWyrm is a secondary source, so I don’t think it’s a good idea. Personally, I’d link to:

    • The book’s website, if there is (which usually just links to amazon)
    • Wikipedia page
    • OpenLibrary

    As for where to buy books, I’ve recently heard of Libreture, which have DRM-free books (see other DRM-free book source), though its database might be lacking because it’s rather new.