[Zope] Zope Book Beta

[Michel Pelletier]

Jason Cunliffe wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Chris Withers <chrisw@nipltd.com>
> 
> > > Not yet. I think that O'Reilly doesn't want us to produce any more
> > > public versions of the book until it is published. I'm double checking
> > > with them right now. Take a look at the copyright verbage on each book
> > > page to see what I'm talking about.
> >
> > Kinda tough to check out/read/find mistakes in a book that's only
> > available as a set of html pages that aren't full text searchable....
> 
> This is a really good point.
> 
> Just as open source benefits from real-time peer review, so do manuscripts
> get better when fresh eyes and minds and go over them.
> 
> How about 'releasing' a PDF / HTML Doc with header/footers clearly marked:
> 'Preview Review copy for Copy-Editing use only. Not for general public or
> commercial distribution'

This is a good idea and probably a good compromise, but this would
require us taking the time to negotiate it with O'Reilly and engineer a
stx-pdf converter and pre-empt alot of work we have lined up for the
book and other documentation efforts.  With the existing setup, we don't
have to worry about this for a couple months and we don't have to stir
the shit with O'Reilly.

> The number of people who are likely to 'bootleg' the Zope book must be tiny.

I agree, and honestly, Amos and I don't care about the bootlegging or
book sales revenue.  It is also not our job to enforce the rules; I
would chuckle to hear about people 'bootlegging' ilicit PDF copies of
the book.

> Most will want to see the book sales thrive,

Yeah, NY Times bestseller list!!!

> so that Zope grows and gets the
> wider recognition it deserves.And to save time and money when developing
> Zope projects.
> For such sophisticated 'free' software, a well written, well edited book is
> a trivial price to pay.
> 
> The issue is how to get the best final copy to the printer in timely manner.

Well... from your perspective (and ours) but from O'Reilly's I think
they're woried about *who* the first person to print that best final
copy is.  Those are the people they are worried about bootlegging the
book, not you, they _know_ you'll buy a copy.  ;) If we open content it
now, someone could beat ORA to the shelves by a week and undercut a
sizable percentage of sales and all they would ahve to do is put ORAs
name on the cover, but they don't get any money.

I feel your pain on all issues.  A couple more months and this will all
go away.

-Michel