Splendid Feast

[SmoothOper]

[..]

Ah, OK. I am just practicing for when I release some software which doesn't support Apple. I can already anticipate the question... Whud aboat Mac'ntosh? Basically designer hardware just isn't worth it to me.

Ah, OK. Finally you admit you’re trolling. Keep on practising for a time when you might have a clue.

Well, as long as people are whining about platform compatibility.

[nagano]

Mr. Fairbairn, I would gladly purchase your new books if you released them on Kindle as well, as you have with some of your previous work.

[joellercoaster]

I don't get the analogy. I find it hard to see where I paid the supposed premium compared to other vendors still, and I could easily wipe my Mac and install whatever I fancied if I wanted to, if just for the hardware factor.

Lets talk about how easy it is after you have done it. Wipe your iPhone and iPad to while you're at, lets see how that goes.

We are getting way off topic here, but: I have done this before, a couple of times. I am a lifetime Linux user, and I had Macs available. So I ran Linux on those. It was fine.

Apple hardware is not actually a terrible deal in terms of price vs power, but the problem here is that SmartGo books are only available on Apple *software*. And it's the software I don't much like, certainly not enough to spend hundreds of dollars for what would be a single-use device.

Believe me, I have considered it just for SmartGo - the decision is far from a no-brainer. But in the end, it isn't worth it to me, but I would absolutely pay a premium over the current price for SmartGo books on Android (or Linux or (better) Java or whatever).

Also for what it's worth, I think the format of the one Jasiek PDF I have is excellent.

[SmoothOper]

Just to clarify, I do have an iPad that was a gift, I use it all the time, but I really do dislike platform compatibility issues raised in people's threads, so I will refrain from setting the record straight about brandiwines hardware.

[tchan001]

Mr. Fairbairn, I would gladly purchase your new books if you released them on Kindle as well, as you have with some of your previous work.

I have been through the grind with both Kindle and SmartGo. The latter in particular has quite a steep learning curve and the specs keep changing. In the case of the Kindle the software I used was decommissioned and stopped working, so I gave up.

http://www.lifein19x19.com/forum/viewto ... 13#p158613


Maybe someone can recommend JF an alternative to the decommissioned software.

[John Fairbairn]

Maybe someone can recommend JF an alternative to the decommissioned software.

This decommissioning happened before I moved over to SmartGo. Had I never found SmartGo, I may have moved to other software (I know it exists) and accepted the extra work to learn the new method. However, I would still be constrained by two factors inherent in the Kindle format. One is that I would have to do all the diagrams myself, which would limit the books I would be prepared to consider (e.g. Feast would not be done because it has several hundred diagrams). The other is that the diagrams have to be presented as digital files that bulk up the download, which I or the user has to pay for. Judging by the sales of about 120 for Shuei (the biggest Kindle seller), not many users are prepared to pay. I know it's not a great-looking format anyway. I just ended up there after Slate & Shell decided new paper ventures were a no-no.

Actually, because of severe constraints on my time, I am only prepared to get involved with one format at a time. Don't forget, writing of the actual books takes quite a bit of time too, as does trying to keep the GoGoD database on the road.

For that reason, I would prefer it if people could desist from making "why don't you" comments on alternatives, which tend to leave an air - no doubt unintended, but still there - of lack of effort or care by me.

[RBerenguel]

Maybe someone can recommend JF an alternative to the decommissioned software.

This decommissioning happened before I moved over to SmartGo. Had I never found SmartGo, I may have moved to other software (I know it exists) and accepted the extra work to learn the new method. However, I would still be constrained by two factors inherent in the Kindle format. One is that I would have to do all the diagrams myself, which would limit the books I would be prepared to consider (e.g. Feast would not be done because it has several hundred diagrams). The other is that the diagrams have to be presented as digital files that bulk up the download, which I or the user has to pay for. Judging by the sales of about 120 for Shuei (the biggest Kindle seller), not many users are prepared to pay. I know it's not a great-looking format anyway. I just ended up there after Slate & Shell decided new paper ventures were a no-no.

Actually, because of severe constraints on my time, I am only prepared to get involved with one format at a time. Don't forget, writing of the actual books takes quite a bit of time too, as does trying to keep the GoGoD database on the road.

For that reason, I would prefer it if people could desist from making "why don't you" comments on alternatives, which tend to leave an air - no doubt unintended, but still there - of lack of effort or care by me.

I'm one of the purchasers of Shuei's biography for Kindle (which is "the" correct format for such a lengthy piece...) but as soon as it was packaged 4-in-1 for SmartGo I grabbed it, so I'm kind of a double purchaser. Had I known GTAM would appear in SmartGo I'd have resisted purchasing it for Kindle... Kindle doesn't suit very well to more heavy go things, unless it's long pieces of text like Shuei's biography.

[lobotommy]

I'm one of the purchasers of Shuei's biography for Kindle (which is "the" correct format for such a lengthy piece...) but as soon as it was packaged 4-in-1 for SmartGo I grabbed it, so I'm kind of a double purchaser. Had I known GTAM would appear in SmartGo I'd have resisted purchasing it for Kindle... Kindle doesn't suit very well to more heavy go things, unless it's long pieces of text like Shuei's biography.

Same with me: I bought 1st part on Amazon, but Amazon's bandit tax policy just made me think twice about next purchases. I decided to wait for SmartGo version even if this would mean a year or two of waiting.

[RBerenguel]

I'm one of the purchasers of Shuei's biography for Kindle (which is "the" correct format for such a lengthy piece...) but as soon as it was packaged 4-in-1 for SmartGo I grabbed it, so I'm kind of a double purchaser. Had I known GTAM would appear in SmartGo I'd have resisted purchasing it for Kindle... Kindle doesn't suit very well to more heavy go things, unless it's long pieces of text like Shuei's biography.

Same with me: I bought 1st part on Amazon, but Amazon's bandit tax policy just made me think twice about next purchases. I decided to wait for SmartGo version even if this would mean a year or two of waiting.

Bandit tax?

[skydyr]

Same with me: I bought 1st part on Amazon, but Amazon's bandit tax policy just made me think twice about next purchases. I decided to wait for SmartGo version even if this would mean a year or two of waiting.

Bandit tax?

If you're in the wrong part of the world, then congratulations, amazon ebooks cost double the first world price.

[RBerenguel]

Same with me: I bought 1st part on Amazon, but Amazon's bandit tax policy just made me think twice about next purchases. I decided to wait for SmartGo version even if this would mean a year or two of waiting.

Bandit tax?

If you're in the wrong part of the world, then congratulations, amazon ebooks cost double the first world price.

Oh, wasn't aware of it. Stupid Amazon...