LongPen: What do you make of this?

[James]

Dean Koontz launches LongPen in the UK
Dean Koontz
The Good Guy
WATERSTONE'S PICCADILLY
Saturday, 23 June 2007, 2:00PM - 3:00PM
Using the revolutionary LongPen, Dean Koontz will be signing copies of his novel from his home in California, for customers in London. For the first time in the UK, customers will have the chance to chat with Dean long distance and have their books signed.

As time goes by this is also going to make it hard to tell whether some book shops selling signed books are selling long pen signed books or genuine handsigned in person books as the sigs will appear identical, but unliek autopens, long pen signed sigs will have the same flaws as handsigned sigs.

This is going to be used more and more in our hobby over coming years, along with downloadable signed pictures. Another nail in the hobby's coffin?

The LongPen TM – the world’s first long distance, pen-and-ink signing device is the invention of Margaret Atwood. Carbon neutral, and one of the most exciting developments in the literary world, it enables booklovers from around the world to have contact with authors they would never otherwise meet. LongPen TM operates over the Internet, incorporating video conferencing to facilitate trans-Atlantic conversations between writers and their fans.

What do you think?

[sj93]

Whoa cool technology
Shame it's probably going to affect our hobby
People will be able to sell these LongPen signed things and claim they are authentic Not good.

[dgangel]

I think passing them off as genuine signed items is fraud..

[whosurdaddy]

I remember reading about it in 2004-2005 at that time it was still in it's infancy. I don't see really any big deal. It's still done mechanically and although every signature will be different, when looked at under a jewelers loop I'm sure You will still be able to tell. The only problem is if bookstores and individuals try to pass them off as authentic. I guess if purchasing a signed book you have to ask if it's really signed or long penned signed. LOL The hobby has survived the stamp,autopen,preprint,secretarial and laserprint. This is just another thing to argue authenticity about. LOL
Here is a picture of it...


mail@longpen.com
Here's there email. voice your opinion. I let them know that I would no longer purchase any signed books unless it is disclosed if a LongPen was used or not.

[Atomic ant]

Absolutely lovely as if there's not enough layer's already to get though, to recieve an authentic autograph.

You can bet your bottom dollar, that some celeb's are presently using it We need to remember, they have had decades to better the autopen. And with today tech, it barely bares thinking about

Maybe this is the thing, that slips passed everyones net, and if it's good enough not to tell the diffronts oh dear!!!!!

[damien666]

its EVIL
and Margaret Atwood is EVIL for inventing it

[MW1221]

This device isn't evil. It was created so that people could buy a copy of the book, and feel as though it's been signed. It's the same reason PP's usually sell pretty well on eBay.

This machine just doesn't take our hobby into account.

Personally, I now hate this machine, but it's not evil.

[damien666]

naaaaaaaa its deff EVILLLLLLLL

[TheCollector]

It's a difficult one

It is kind of a step on from an autopen, and somewhere inbetween that and an authentically hand-signed autograph.

Afterall, the celeb (or author) in this case will still be signing each book individually with dedications etc albeit long-distance. They won't have their pinkies on the signing pen, but they will still be in direct control of it.

I don't think it will make a great deal of difference to our hobby though, as whosurdaddy said, we have had to come to deal with preprints, autopens etc. I do concur however that it is going to make it a lot more tricky for the average collector to distinguish between and authentic and a LongPen.

I am guessing though, that there will be certain signers who will become synonomous with using the "contraption" so pretty quickly we will have a fighting chance at weighing up the odds of whether or not an auto is authentic. I think it is going to be one of those things that will be used mainly by authors who can't be bothered to go to sign in person. I can't really see the benefit for actors etc using them when it is still so much cheaper for them to sign photos sent to them (especially if we collectors behave and pay the postage!!)

However, I think a lot of celebs will tend to shy away from this kind of gizmo, as I am sure many enjoy the direct interaction with their fans, and take pride in providing those people with the genuine article

Cheers,
Ian

[Meagan8477]

I'm not sure it would be worth the money for the celeb if they still have to do the hand work each time. The only thing they would save is on mail forwarding fees... or am I missing something?