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CD-ROMs with Books -- Worth Your While?
An anonymous submitter sends: "I'm working on a new book which would have the Open Source/Linux/BSD/etc community as its target audience, and the editors are very interested in having a CD-ROM included with it. I personally feel that a CD only adds a few bucks to the cost for negligible benefit, since the code is probably outdated by the time you get it. What are your thoughts? Do you get something out of having the code on CD, or would you rather have references in the book or online and download the software yourself? (And lest you wonder why I'm posting as AC, this is a serious question, not a PR attempt.)" I have several technical books with CD-ROMs. I've never used any of them. I'd rather the book have an accompanying website to provide code and errata. But maybe other people feel differently.
I would be willing to pay a good deal more if publishers would include a PDF of the book on the CD. While I know this is not going to happen, its the only reason a CD would have any real use.
Put the code on the website, most everyone has internet access. If you are concerned about those who do not, have a mail in offer for the CD and charge for the price of shipping & handling.
I have never used a CD from a book either. The number of people who would buy a technical book and not have internet access to download anything that would have been put on the CD is probably small enough not to be worth distributing one. Other than that what would be the benefit of a CD?
I remember a time when I anxiously scanned the back of every book for the contents of the included CDROM. This was back when my net connection was 14.4. Today, I think you're right. The contents of CDs are almost always outdated or some shareware version of an application that can be downloaded from the Net. Then again, some people may not give up their old habits. Your book could be left on the shelf because it's lacking that lump on the back page. Do you want utility or sales...
Maybe the topic can determine the level of the audience. If your book has an animal on the cover, go with the website. If the title includes "in 21 days" then go with the CD.
I think most titles would benefit if they were released in stand-alone CD format as well as in hardcover/softcover, because:
1) Some people dig that kind of thing.
2) CDs would probably be a lot cheaper to make, although they would still be a rip-off to purchase. We already know that CDs are cheaper than tapes, a secret that the record industry failed to keep.
3) CDs are more portable, and it would be nice if you could save the CD-book to your hard drive.
4) CDs obviously can present better visual and audio media. A CD-Book would kind of be the DVD for the literature industry. . . More features and knick-knacks, deleted chapters, yadda yadda.
Of course, this doesn't mean that people won't copy them and threaten to destroy the industry's efforts at the multimedia market.
Meanwhile, I find that CDs included with books can help only if they can easily illustrate what the book says. A good example is the character creation CD that was sold along with 3rd edition D&D players' guides. Include more useful information and programs on the CD.
When I was getting started with Linux and I didn't have any high-speed Internet access, the discs in the books I got really got me on the road nicely. However, now that I have been using Linux for a couple years, I usually just tear 'em out and never even look at them.
Well, ask yourself - are you targetting the savvy, internet experienced people with broadband, or are you targetting an introductory crowd?
When I was younger, I bought a Java book that came with a CD. In those days I didn't have high-speed internet, and (more importantly) I didn't really have much understanding of how to research things, or find out which packages were best for me.
I would recommend that if your book takes the attitude that your readers are experienced and savvy, a few words on locations to find the software would be much more valuable than the value-added-CD that comes in the back. But if you're targetting a crowd that perhaps isn't as comfortable navigating, finding out which versions of software to trust and rely on, then I would say definitely include your "Picks" for which software packages are trustworthy, up-to-date, et cetera.
Chances are, the advanced user wouldn't trust the CD, so code out-datedness wouldn't be as crucial, whereas the beginner would be satisfied not having bleeding-edge code.
These are just my opinions - I know that I typically no longer use CDs that come with the books I buy, but I also know that if I were a beginner (particularly modem-based) I would probably swear by them.
Unless there is something you really want to include that is just too big to be downloaded easily by 56kers. Unfortunately, many people still seem to be limited in this regard, and even I don't really want to download hundreds of megs on a cable modem.
Apart from that, anyone who does open source or other types of coding already has net access, so it is not worth even a few bucks. For just source code and maybe some binaries, just make sure you have a good web or ftp site available.
I have dozens of CDROMs that came with books that I have never touched. The one exception was one that had a 50MB source tar that I didn't feel like waiting to download from a slow site.
If you know of any similar books to yours, you might want to put the cd in there for competition's sake. People might make a choice on which book to buy based on "Includes packed CD-ROM!!" on the cover.
python -c "x='python -c %sx=%s; print x%%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))%s'; print x%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))"
With cable/DSL connections, the constant change of open-source software, and that the publishers usually add at least $10 to the price. I see it as a bad bad thing. I do like the idea of a pdf of the book though but if you can't do that give a great index.
I would like to say that I use the CDs. I always mean to use them. Never really seam to.
However, whenever I hit a snag I reach for that book. As much as I love technology there is nothing easier than looking in the index of a book and finding (hopefully) what you need quickly and easily.
I've done it 4 times today alone.
-- No Comment
Assuming the info on the CD is of a substantial size. The benefit to a dialup user can be great. I would much rather dl patches at 56k than an entire large project. Plus It can give a reader/user an idea of modules for certain projects. Plus it's nice to have a reference to start from.
"as plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee" - Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz. (One man's humorous is another mans flamebait)
If you're only going to need space for code, then use a website instead. It allows for easy/smoother updates.
I find it immensly useful to have the text of the book on the CD that accompanies it.
Everything else I prefer to have on a website. Of course if the website ever becomes defunct and I go to look for it I'm not a happy camper.
In short I think the CDs are added to justify selling a $70 text book for $128. $58 multiplied by all the text books I had to buy... Well I'd have less college debt right now.
I've hit Karma 50 and gotten a Score:5, Troll... I win!
Actually, if you believe in free software you should include it. 5 years from now the publisher may go bankrupt, you may be unavailable and the book may be useless without the code, which will be abandonware...
Secondly, I have a broadband connection, but I find I reach for the CD first because it's right there and it's easier/faster/etc.
Lastly, I have a book which doesn't include the source code on an media, but does include it online - the problem is that it doesn't include COMMENTS! The code printed in the book does have comments, so I can only assume they are trying to make the online code useful only to those that have the book - the reality being that it's almost less useful.
It adds a buck. It is useful for 10% of those who buy it, and it is a marketting gimmick. There really isn't a reason to not go with it.
But PLEASE include the text of the book on CD if you can manage it! PLEASE?!??!
-Adam
If it's just code samples or small applications, I'd definitely rather have a link to an online resource. I've never used most of the CD's I have gotten packaged with books. There are two notable exceptions:
1) when the subject material requires access to an application larger than 20-30 MB (big enough so that downloading the latest version isn't practical for some people)
2) a searchable reference. Whether the reference is supplemental to the book or is the exact same material as the book, having it in a searchable electronic format can be very nice.
include $sig;
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My problems with CDs in books are:
- they raise the cost of already expensive books
- they are usually just jammed full of demo-crap (as though giving me "free" demo software was a benefit)
- they never come with cases, so if you pull it out of the book, you have to find your own way of storing it
- you're left with a large ring in the back of your book (maybe you could use this to your advantage with the ladies...but...)
If you're technical enough to be reading a technical book, you should be able to download a few files (usually very small code fragments) from the InformationSuperHighway(tm).Patience is a virtue, but I don't have the time - TH
Why? Well, what use is a four year old copy of Python when I can download a current version just as easily? I'd have been happier if that one was a couple bucks cheaper, just as I was happy about the blurbs on the back of Philip & Alex's Guide to Web Publishing and Mac OS9 Missing Manual saying that avoiding the cd keeps costs down while allowing you to get more up to date software. As a paying customer, I appreciate that sort of consideration for my needs and my wallet. So to me, it's kind of a tradeoff among several factors. In no particular order:
Deciding what way to go is a matter of looking at factors like these & others, and evaluating what you're trying to provide for your customer and what their expectations are likely to be over time. If the digital material is just a supplement to the book, and can be easily downloaded, then most customers will probably appreciate it if you save them a few bucks & don't include the CD. On the other hand, if the book is really a supplement to the discs, and the digital material is difficult or impossible to download (for bandwidth, copyright, or other reasons) then including the CD media is a good idea. Find out where things seem to balance and make your decision from there.
DO NOT LEAVE IT IS NOT REAL
When it comes to a choice between a CD or online media for source code I would personally rather have the CD. I don't want a CD with free demos of shit and I definitely don't need yet another copy of Borland for Windows. However for a book with code samples or free resources like icons or license free graphics, I want a CD. Far too many times have I tried to follow an old hyperlink to something and had it not be there. Unless you get some sort of web analog of a cemetary's real estate contract I don't want shit on the web. If I'm trying to look something up quickly I don't want to run into a bunch of dead links which will inevitably happen. I like the info there in front of my in easily searchable and preferably indexed HTML. Provide an HTML bookmarks file that I can import into IE or Netscape too. If you're going to provide a shitload of references don't put the onus on me to organize the damn things. Out of date software I can deal with as long as you provide information on where I can get an updated version. What concerns me are code samples and digital copies of the text in the book.
I'm a loner Dottie, a Rebel.
Another alternative is to offer to send a CD for a few bucks more, and let the rest of the readers use your website. That's probably the best for the readers.
I'm USian, but it strikes me that our friends overseas might appreciate the CD so they don't have to download stuff over their dialups, which I understand to be orders of magnitude more expensive than those in the US.
just a thought.
ceci n'est pas un sig.
And vice versa - there is room for a complete index on the CD: Every word of the book: Chapter, verse, and page number. In some neat searchable format and in plain greppable ascii text! Other than that, I second the adivce given so far: Don't bother for advanced readers, for beginners it might help. Add whole text of the book on the CD, again in searchable format and/or plain text.
In Murphy We Turst
I always junk the CD as soon as I get the book just so I can flex it properly to find info. It always annoys me because it means I can't return the book if it turns out to be useless. I try to determine that in the store before I plunk down the 60-75 bucks, but sometimes I'm wrong.
I favor books that don't have the CD for this reason, as a bonus it tends to save a few $$ too. I rarely return a book (maybe 1 in a 100) so it's more a matter of feeling denied my wallet vote than an actual monetary loss.
I think the CD is a way for the editors to marginally increase the cost of a book, but substantially increase the profit.
It seems like books with a CD attached seem to cost about $20 more than books without.
Maybe they should offer an extended warranty too.
Take the simple example of a HTML/JavaScript reference I have; the book is basically a list of the various HTML tags and JavaScript commands grouped by type with a description and usage guide. It also comes with the entire book on CD in a searchable format, so if you want to do some obscure thing with the TABLE tag say, you can search on TABLE and get a complete template to cut and paste as required, complete with documentation of each sub-TAG.
I don't know where the book is, but the CD is in my laptop carrycase's CD box next to the O'Reilly Perl Bookshelf CD...
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!