O'Reilly To Release Dead Tree iPhone App Store Guide

[Vincent Ferrari]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/oreilly_media_releases_best_iphone_apps/' target='_blank'>http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.p...st_iphone_apps/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Fortunately, Best iPhone Apps: The Guide for Discriminating Downloaders guides the way, shining the light on over 200 gee-whiz apps that delight, empower, and entertain. Author Josh Clark stress-tested thousands of titles from the App Store emporium to select apps that will make the biggest difference in every aspect of your life: at work, on the town, at play, at home, and on the road. &ldquo;I wrote this book to help you stay current,&rdquo; notes Clark."</em></p><p><img height="271" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1247225076.usr18053.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" width="360" /></p><p>Okay...&nbsp; I'll say it.</p><p>I don't get it.</p><p>A book about the App Store?&nbsp; A resource where hundreds upon hundreds of new applications are available to people every day?&nbsp; While I get the general idea, and can appreciate the work involved in reviewing all those apps to choose them for a book, I don't understand why anyone would want a dead tree reference for the App Store.&nbsp; It'll be out of date by the time you get it home!</p><p>I don't get it.</p>

[ptyork]

Greenpeace
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:)

[Jason Dunn]

I kind of feel sorry for most technology book publishers - people just don't buy technology books like they used to...

[Vincent Ferrari]

I kind of feel sorry for most technology book publishers - people just don't buy technology books like they used to...

I still buy reference books (Just dropped $45 on a SQL book, actually) but I would NEVER buy this book. Just don't get it. :confused:

[ptyork]

I kind of feel sorry for most technology book publishers - people just don't buy technology books like they used to...

I feel sorry for the tech book WRITERS who don't receive the kind of revenue they once did for such books. I have a hard time feeling sorry for the publishers. They are the same ones charging $150 for a 500 page textbook that I use in one of my classes. My students are spending around $500-$750 per semester for textbooks--supposedly paying for all of the unuseful supplemental software, but really for all of the cute blonde sales reps that wander our halls and offsetting heavy revenue shortfalls elsewhere. Textbook costs have risen at a rate above 6% per year, which of course is WAY above inflation. Full in-state tuition is around $1500. You do the math. Obviously we're working towards eliminating traditional textbooks as much as possible. Again sad since it isn't the fault of the writers and there really is value in a good textbook in terms of structuring learning and maintaining continuity.

All paper publishers (book, magazine and newspaper) are in peril unless they can come up with more up-to-date and financially reasonable means of distributing their intellectual property. There is no doubt expectations have been reset and fundamental paradigm shift is underway. It'll be a completely different landscape in 10 years. I'll stake my shoddy reputation on that! :)

[Jason Dunn]

I still buy reference books (Just dropped $45 on a SQL book, actually) but I would NEVER buy this book. Just don't get it. :confused:

Yeah, development books still sell - but general consumer "how to" books and whatnot? Not so much. Most people are apt to go to Google and type in what they're looking to do rather than buy a book. This is just my opinion mind you; I haven't seen any statistics to back that up.

[Jason Dunn]

I feel sorry for the tech book WRITERS who don't receive the kind of revenue they once did for such books.

That would be me. :D My last book never even earned through its royalties. I was happy for the opportunity to write it - it was my first and only Microsoft Press book - but I killed myself writing it and was hoping for SOME royalties...

[QUOTE=ptyork;710042]I have a hard time feeling sorry for the publishers. They are the same ones charging $150 for a 500 page textbook that I use in one of my classes.

That reminds of this post:
Seth's Blog: Textbook rant (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/06/textbook-rant.html)

Textbook prices are INSANE. Equally insane are the teachers who require students to buy textbooks then only use them here and there. I've been both a college student and a college teacher, so I've seen both sides of the equation.

All paper publishers (book, magazine and newspaper) are in peril unless they can come up with more up-to-date and financially reasonable means of distributing their intellectual property.

Indeed - the times, they're-a-changin'. :)

[YazrJeffries]

I think there is a market for this--actually might buy it for my daughter. It's for the non-techys who don't have the time or the wherewithall to check out all the iphone applications and select the best.