Perhaps a secondary offering of a "distilled" version of the book in PDF format.
Upon purchase of the hard copy book, you could additionally provide immediate access (either free or at increased cost) to a much trimmed down, straight to the point, chapter by chapter collection of examples, in PDF format. This could actually improve your marketing efforts while at the same time filling a need (e.g. "Need help right now? For just a few dollars more, you can immediately download a complete set of examples in PDF format"). This could additionally serve as a quick reference for the user after having read the main book. There's nothing worse than flipping through a thick book trying to dig up a salient point that you've forgotten the location of. As an example, I just ordered your book (looking forward to it), but am VERY frustrated that I must now wait for it to arrive. I am having trouble NOW and want a solution NOW. This is the internet age, even relatively short wait times are a handicap to your offering. I came back to buy your book only because I could not find a more immediate solution elsewhere. I'm sure that I am not alone in that regard. Food for thought! --- In [email protected], "Howard B" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Kar -- > > There have been a few requests to have Quantitative Trading Systems in pdf > format, but not many. > > A book distributed as a pdf file is not a 100% replacement for the paper > version of the book. So the tasks associated with printing and mailing > physical copies do not disappear. > > The price would not be substantially lower. The value is in the content, > not the paper. > > I am unenthusiastic about pdf books -- but that may change. > > Thanks for the suggestion, > Howard > > > > On 8/13/07, kar_avi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected] <amibroker% 40yahoogroups.com>, "Ton > > Sieverding" > > <ton.sieverding@> wrote: > > > > > > Kar why is a PDF version of a book 'making your life so easy' ? I > > got Howard's book here in Belgium within 3 weeks and without extra > > costs for the Belgian customs like with Amazon ( Amazon always plus > > Euro 10 or 20, Why ? ). > > > > - In India, if the delivery is not through Fedex, UPS, DHL and the > > like, it may take 6 weeks. With postal service there is no guarantee > > that you may get it. I receive at the most 8 TASC magazine out of 13. > > Savings of $20 delivery cost is incidental. Important is the immediate > > delivery of the book. Imagine TJ refusing to let you download > > Amibroker and sending you boxes after 3-6 weeks for each upgrade! > > > > >And if it is so simple to scan the book, why not just doing it and > > you will have your PDF version ... > > > > I was referring to pirates doing that. (There may be some everywhere, > > but I do use original software). As for PDF, did you not have the urge > > to browse through your Palm or laptop while traveling, or do you > > prefer carrying 10 books with you? For me that is 'life made easy'. > > > > Warm Regards, > > Kar > > > > > > > > Kind regards, > > > Ton Sieverding. > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: kar_avi > > > To: [email protected] <amibroker%40yahoogroups.com> > > > Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 10:27 AM > > > Subject: [amibroker] Re: Suggestions for book introducing new > > users to AmiBroker > > > > > > > > > Howard why dont you sell PDF format of your book? That makes life easy > > > for you as well as buyers. I understand your hesitations. But let me > > > try to address some of them. > > > > > > 1. First of all, any hard copy book can be scnned and pirated, if > > > thats your fear. > > > 2. You can encrypt the PDF. Use DRM. > > > 3. You can zip or RAR the PDF and send the pwd separately to the > > > buyer's email. > > > 4. You can use licensing software that can generate machine id based > > > code and allow opening the book only on 2 PCs of the buyer. > > > 5. You can even print small code numbers on the PDF versions of each > > > book, so that even if it lands up on the Net, you can pinpoint who the > > > person behind it is. > > > 6. For opening the book first time on a new PC, you can ask the for a > > > login to your site, for authentication. > > > > > > The point is that solutions are many, if you are willing to implement > > > them. Other than cutting out your time at the post office, imagine the > > > increase in the number of customers. > > > > > > WHy do you think big publishers like Wiley, McGrawHill and others > > > provide ebooks in spite of being aware of the risks? > > > > > > Your comments are welcome. > > > > > > Regards > > > Kar > > > > > > --- In [email protected] <amibroker% 40yahoogroups.com>, "Howard > > Bandy" <howardbandy@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Hi Angelo -- > > > > > > > > Thanks for the encouragement for my new book -- Introduction to > > > > AmiBroker. I have started a new thread to get away from the > > > > "difficulty of AFL" thread. > > > > > > > > You all know my feelings -- AmiBroker is clearly the best choice > > for a > > > > trading systems development platform. My book is intended to make it > > > > as easy as possible for as many people as possible to become > > competent > > > > users of AmiBroker. > > > > > > > > There is always a conflict between accessibility and completeness. > > > > Introduction to AmiBroker is intended to be useful to people who > > have > > > > absolutely no experience with AmiBroker, and perhaps little > > experience > > > > with any programming language and little experience with trading > > > > systems or even charting. > > > > > > > > Should a book present the basics in enough detail so that > > everyone can > > > > get started and use the most common features of AmiBroker? Or should > > > > it present all of the features of AmiBroker, even though that will > > > > make the book longer, heavier, more expensive, more overwhelming > > to a > > > > new user, and very likely to slip out-of-date quickly? > > > > > > > > I am leaning toward the former -- a book that presents the basics in > > > > enough detail to get everyone started and reasonably proficient. My > > > > thoughts are that AmiBroker is having its set of features expanded > > > > regularly, and that no printed text can stay current and explain > > > > everything, including screen captures and examples. Covering the > > > > basics in detail is more valuable to new users than covering topics > > > > such as Custom BackTester and creation of dlls in an introductory > > > book. > > > > > > > > I believe that there is a place for, and there may be a market > > for, a > > > > book describing the advanced features of AmiBroker. But I am > > thinking > > > > that is a separate book. Those of you who have read Quantitative > > > > Trading Systems will note that I have focused on the development and > > > > testing of trading systems, but used many of the advanced > > features of > > > > AmiBroker to illustrate. I believe that advanced features are best > > > > described in the context of specific examples such as these. > > > > > > > > Most of the people reading these posts are already well into > > > > AmiBroker, so your comments are from a group that has already had a > > > > mostly successful experience. But I would appreciate constructive > > > > suggestions from anyone who has thoughts and opinions about this. > > > > > > > > The writing of Introduction to AmiBroker is well under way. I expect > > > > to have copies available early 2008. > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > Howard > > > > www.quantitativetradingsystems.com > > > > www.blueowlpress.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
