Description:

What began as a disagreement between colleagues has blossomed into the most fun you can have fighting at work: the TOC Debates. Our first debate, "Amazon vs. Apple," features Joe Wikert and Kassia Krozser.

As a bit of a preview, we offer you a statement from each of the opponents:

Joe Wikert (GM and Publisher, O'Reilly Media)

"This will be like shooting fish in a barrel. When I said I'd like to see a debate about Amazon vs. Apple's ebook platforms and said I'd take the Amazon position I never thought I'd find someone who would represent Apple! Shortly after that, Amazon announced their Kindle Cloud Reader initiative. Wow, yet another point for my case! I have loads of respect for Kassia Krozser but she's got her work cut out for her. I'm very much looking forward to the debate as well as addressing questions from the audience."

Kassia Krozser, (proprietress of BookSquare.com)

"Joe may wish he chose the Apple side! I won't deny that Amazon has many strengths, but they also have an amazing weakness: selective vision. The Kindle platform is based on an old, creaky format. Apple gets the web, and it gets the technology, hardware and software, that runs the web...which, we all know, will expand both our ability to read all kinds of books in digital format *and* our definition of a 'book'."

Join us live via webcast on Thursday September 15 at 10am PT. You won't want to miss it!

About Joe Wikert

Joe Wikert is a publishing executive with 20+ years of industry experience. He is General Manager & Publisher at O'Reilly Media, Inc., where he manages the sales and editorial groups. Prior to joining O'Reilly he was a Vice President and Executive Publisher in the Professional/Trade division of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and had management responsibility for the WROX and Sybex imprints. Since graduating from Purdue University with a degree in management and computer science, Joe has held a variety of sales and editorial positions in the publishing industry. He is also the author of seven books on programming languages and computer applications. Joe regularly shares his publishing industry thoughts and outlook on his Publishing 2020 blog which can be found at www.JoeWikert.com as the proud owner of an Amazon Kindle, Joe also blogs about his iPad experience on www.iPadHound.com.

About Kassia Krozser

Kassia Krozser has seen the future and it is good: more people are reading, writing, and publishing than ever before. Kassia consults with publishers about digital publishing opportunities at Oxford Media Works, and writes about current digital publishing trends at booksquare.com.

About Kat Meyer

Kat Meyer is hopelessly addicted to the world of book publishing, having spent many numbers of years gathering editorial, production and marketing experience working for all manner of regional and national trade and academic publishers, including: HMH, Communication Skill Builders, the University of Arizona Press, Rio Nuevo Publishers, and a few more she can't recall the names of. Kat is currently rather happily employed by O'Reilly Media as Community Organizer and co-Chair for the Tools of Change for Publishing conference and community, pursuing her obsession with ebooks and other digital booky things.