> While I certainly appreciate Cory's POV on this issue, I think
> it should be acknowledged that TAG is merely asking its members
> to refrain from hosting links to Amazon on their websites.
> That's all. Compliance is completely voluntary, as is
> membership in TAG - it is not a union, or other type of mandated
> membership organization. Hey, I like (and buy) used books, but
> I would not expect *all* authors to feel likewise, and I
> certainly would not expect them to support Amazon through
> linking if they felt negatively towards the practice of used
> book sales.

TAG did more than ask writers to stop linking to Amazon, it did so through a campaign of FUD that was hardly a quiet mention of Amazon's practice. Rather, it was a damning polemic that indicted Amazon for selling used books. I don't argue that TAG is trying to ban Amazon, but they ARE trying to muscle Amazon out of selling used books (else, why the action?)
> And please, lets not bring up used bookstores and libraries. I
> think that we all implicitly understand that the leveraging
> power of the internet has a far greater impact upon the
> distribution of used books than the dusty old bookstores with
> their haphazard title availability, or local libraries with
> their limited collections. The web removes many if not all of
> the "barriers of inconvenience" that limited the impact of
> libraries and used bookstores on the average author's income.

Please re-read my letter. I make a point of explaining this very thing, and address why it is good for writers.

> No one is arguing against the existence of the first sale
> doctrine. But likewise, no one should argue against the right
> of authors to link to whatever bookselling sites they wish
> (including Amazon). If an author feels that used book sales
> hurt, he may omit such links. If he feels that used book sales
> help bring new readers to his work, then he can show his support
> by including links to Amazon, Half.com, etc.

TAG *is* arguing against the social value of the Doctrine of First Sale, and has done so historically.

To sum up:

TAG released a statement calling on authors to do one thing, filled with their polemic. I released my own, which answered their polemic. Amazon called on others to do the same. This is a marketplace of ideas -- what's the issue?