by crystalclear » 30 Jan 2012, 19:47
I think there are machines now that can print and bind a book from a PDF file and websites where you can upload your PDF to effectively "publish it".
If anyone sees the PDF (which they can get for free) and wants a paper copy they can order it for a price which pays for running the printer to create the printed copy and mailing it. The company with the website of PDFs and printer is clearly doing it for the money. I guess the author gets a cut, which is their incentive for uploading their PDFs.
If what you are doing is "vanity publishing" - just wanting your content in print, that might be a consideration.
I think its a bit like uploading some of your photos and getting an album printed as a birthday or Xmas present for someone, except there is a third party - the customer- involved.