Re: Tech reviewing

2001-02-28 Thread Robin Szemeti

On Thu, 01 Mar 2001, you wrote:
> Robin Szemeti [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] quoth:
> *>
> *>I know in the publishing world people do things for ludicrously samll
> *>amounts, but thats because you can usually find a starving author that
> *>will do it for pennies, but if you assume that they need to know at least
> *>a little about the Linux security model then that kinda narrows it down a
> *>bit dunnit.
> 
> Well, for some of the more established academic publishers, there are a
> lot more than 'starving authors' :) It's academic courtesy.

I was thinking of the 'publishing world' in the larger sense ie all the
way down to paperbacks.

but agreed, for academia its a matter of courtesy and a desire to improve
the quality of the written store of knowledge that is the driving force,
rather than money. Hell, its an honour to be asked to review someone
elses work!

I suspect at the 'pulp fiction' end of the market it _is_ starving autors
though ;)

-- 
Robin Szemeti

The box said "requires windows 95 or better"
So I installed Linux!



Re: Tech reviewing

2001-02-28 Thread Elaine -HFB- Ashton

Robin Szemeti [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] quoth:
*>
*>I know in the publishing world people do things for ludicrously samll
*>amounts, but thats because you can usually find a starving author that
*>will do it for pennies, but if you assume that they need to know at least
*>a little about the Linux security model then that kinda narrows it down a
*>bit dunnit.

Well, for some of the more established academic publishers, there are a
lot more than 'starving authors' :) It's academic courtesy.

I misread the previoius as a book tech review for a publisher rather than
a software house but I don't know that you could charge all that much more
since 98% of the work is already done.

e.



Re: Tech reviewing

2001-02-28 Thread Robin Szemeti

On Wed, 28 Feb 2001, you wrote:
> David Cantrell [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] quoth:
> *>I've been approached to do some paid tech-reviewing, of a manual for a
> *>Linux security product.  I have *no* idea how I should charge for this,
> *>or indeed how much.  Does one usually do it per thousand words or
> *>something?
> 
> AW usually offers an honoraria of several hundred dollars for principal
> reviewers of their books which, depending on the book, could be nothing in
> exchange for your time if you do a lot of fact checking, etc. So,
> depending on the publisher, it is mostly a labour of love and not
> something you charge by the word. 
> 
> *>It's basically making sure that it reads OK when translated into English
> *>by the German authors, and requires no knowledge of the product itself,
> *>but does - obviously - require some familiarity with the subject.
> 
> Think of it as adding to the pool of quality publications and see what
> they are willing to offer. It really depends on the publisher.

umm .. strikes me this is not so much about a book publisher as a
software vendor wanting to get their documentation sorted out.  They'll
expect to pay normal consultant rates I would imagine as they are in the
software business not the book business. The security market is lucrative
so I doubt they are on their last pennies, but they aren;t expecting you
to write the stuff.  Ii'd go for a 'low contract rate' sort of figure. I
have no knowledge to base this on, just my gut feeling.

I know in the publishing world people do things for ludicrously samll
amounts, but thats because you can usually find a starving author that
will do it for pennies, but if you assume that they need to know at least
a little about the Linux security model then that kinda narrows it down a
bit dunnit.

-- 
Robin Szemeti

The box said "requires windows 95 or better"
So I installed Linux!



Re: Tech reviewing

2001-02-28 Thread Elaine -HFB- Ashton

David Cantrell [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] quoth:
*>I've been approached to do some paid tech-reviewing, of a manual for a
*>Linux security product.  I have *no* idea how I should charge for this,
*>or indeed how much.  Does one usually do it per thousand words or
*>something?

AW usually offers an honoraria of several hundred dollars for principal
reviewers of their books which, depending on the book, could be nothing in
exchange for your time if you do a lot of fact checking, etc. So,
depending on the publisher, it is mostly a labour of love and not
something you charge by the word. 

*>It's basically making sure that it reads OK when translated into English
*>by the German authors, and requires no knowledge of the product itself,
*>but does - obviously - require some familiarity with the subject.

Think of it as adding to the pool of quality publications and see what
they are willing to offer. It really depends on the publisher.

Jarkko was very impressed with the quality of the German translator who
not only translated MAWP but made corrections as well and I imagine he was
well paid for it but that is a different role than just skim editing.

e.



Tech reviewing

2001-02-28 Thread David Cantrell

I've been approached to do some paid tech-reviewing, of a manual for a
Linux security product.  I have *no* idea how I should charge for this,
or indeed how much.  Does one usually do it per thousand words or
something?

It's basically making sure that it reads OK when translated into English
by the German authors, and requires no knowledge of the product itself,
but does - obviously - require some familiarity with the subject.

-- 
David Cantrell | [EMAIL PROTECTED] | http://www.cantrell.org.uk/david/

   Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced

** I read encrypted mail first, so encrypt if your message is important **

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