Networked Book

A networked book is an open book designed to be written, edited, and read in a networked environment. It is also a platform for social exchange, and is potentially linked to other books and other discussions.

URL = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Networked_book

Books as a subscription service

Scott Karp in Publishing 2.0 [1]:

"What if the book was continuously updated and republished in new "editions" that incorporate:

1. Reader comments and supplemental "user-generated" content 2. Updates and revisions that reflect evolving trends and new ideas

In this scenario, a book is still an organized body of knowledge on a topic shaped by an author's vision, perspective, and expertise but it is also a living, breathing, adaptable entity, able to respond to its readers and incorporate new thinking (both from the author and from readers).

So imagine: rather than buying a book, you subscribe to it: you get the current edition, access to reader-only forums (i.e. community) in which the author actively participates, and a "feed" of continuous content updates. If an author were committed to the topic, the book could be sold as an annual subscription. "

More Information

Check out the above-mentioned Wikipedia article.

Recent (2006) networked book initiatives are listed here at http://www.futureofthebook.org/blog/archives/2006/05/defining_the_networked_book_a.html