Computer books

Rick Tomaschuk rickl-ZACYGPecefkNbK0NzMECUg at public.gmane.org
Tue Jan 18 04:05:13 UTC 2005


I've got a copy of 'Mastering Netware 5' which I paid a hundred bucks
for. Now I can use it for a boat anchor (its big and heavy enough)since
it was out of date a year after I bought it. I have a lot of other hot
computer books of equal value. I have a fireplace too...hmm

Why buy books when so much is available on the net? Most of what is
turned into commercial software was once freely available somewhere. Do
you think those developers are really that smart? Look at computer
stores sections for books. They can't give the crap away. How about
$600.00+ for certification "kits" which consist of...what else...a book
that will be soon out of date...I like UofT bookstore. Have'nt been to
WBBS for a few years.
Just my .02
RickT

On Mon, 2005-01-17 at 22:45, Christopher Browne wrote:
> > I suspect a likelier explanation is that there just weren't that many
> > people in the area ready to pay $80 for one more instruction book on
> > how to use a pirated copy of Photoshop.
> 
> That's a pretty significant set of additional pieces of the puzzle.
> 
>  1.  Yes, indeed, the "computer book industry" has gotten increasingly
>      associated with "piracy."  
> 
>      (Leaving aside that piracy is, in FACT, a crime that continues to
>      be as worthy of summary execution as any, in view of the fact that
>      it tends to include rape, robbery, and murder, all three...)
> 
>      That is a factor that leaves people unwilling to pay premium prices
>      for books.  One rip-off deserves another...
> 
>  2.  In order to be able to stock books that, though they may be
>      wonderful, will NOT fly off the shelves instantly, stores stocking
>      "specialty" books need to charge premium prices.
> 
>      That means charging $80 or more for a good book.  That's going to
>      scare off the price-sensitive.  
> 
> And with the Internet as a cataloging and central sales system, that
> means it's a way for someone to centralize stock, and seriously beat
> those premium prices.
> 
> I suppose that means that someone running a good technical bookstore
> might be able to scale it up to sell to all of Canada and compete with
> Amazon.ca/Chapters.ca.  Probably will be tough for whomever jumps in
> first...
> --
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