syn@uo-vax1.UUCP (syn) (02/14/85)
There is a very good reason that publishers charge outrageous prices for books on any kind of technology. First, readers are a very limited audience--the more specific the topic under consideration, the fewer potential readers for it, the less margin for error in the original print run. Second, technology changes so fast that the book may be outdated before it is printed and delivered to stores--there is a very small window in time during which the contents of the book will be pertinent. This is my analysis of the ungodly prices on trashy tech books. P.T. Barnum had another theory.
sigma@usl.UUCP (Spyridon Triantafyllopoulos) (02/19/85)
Talking about books by mail. A couple of months I send 2 postpaid
cards to J.Wiley and Sons for preview of 2 books:
1. Operations Research on the Micro
2. Practical Guide to Data Communications and Networking
Well, after receiving the books by UPS (took'em 15 days even if I gave
the correct address), I found out:
Both books are TRASH. Book #1 gives some OR examples found in any
basic OR texts, and APPLE II listings. A little different than
what I expected. Book cost: $19.95, TAX $0.80, Post&Handle $5.47 (!!)
Certainly NOT what you will pay a total of 26.22 bucks for...
The second book was even WORST. If by the term "book" they refer
to a vo-tech level paperback of 125 pages, with very little
connection of ideas or contents (total of 3 pages to X.25)......
They were rude enough to ask for (sit down) book $24.95, tax $1.00,
and $5.19 for Post&Handle... Total $31.something. Can't believe it.
What makes it more interesting is the Postage and Handling which, by the
stamp alone, was $1.87 and $1.59. Instead they charged a total of almost
$11.00. Of course I returned them to Mr. Wiley and Sons. What I can't see
is the reason for charging THAT much for (low quality) books, and
also for charging THAT WAY OVER TOO MUCH for postage and handling.
(Also, how come they are in NY and they can still collect sales tax??)
Who said that it's difficult to get (more) rich?
-- Spiros Triantafyllopoulos /* In the deaf man's door,
-- USL Computer Science Dept. there is a bell with a light */
-- {ut-sally, akgua}!usl!sigma -- Old Greek Proverb ---