I went to WaterStones to buy a Linux 7.3 Book with the CDs. I have just found out that the latest version of Linux book available was the Linux 7.2 with the program included.

I wanted the Linux program on CDs since I don't have any broaband connection or anyone who can help me.

At the shelf there were 2 same books by SAMS (publish company).

One was called
RedHat Linux 7.2 Unleashed, and the other:
Redhat Linux 7 Unleashed.

Exactly Same books with the difference that one was Linux 7.2 verion, and the other was an older version of the Book (Linux 7). They had exactly the same price.

I had an argument with a sales person because they were trying to sell older versions of their books for the original price, and she was bull****ting at me.


What the hell are those Bookshops thinking of us???

Are we stupid or something??

At waterstones bookshop once they were trying to sell be a PC (c) 1993 book for £26. The original price at the back of the book.


I WANT TO SET A FIRE ON THOSE RIP OFF WATERSTONES!!!!

Just to clarify, a "bookshop" does not publish books, a publisher does. Just because a book is out of date doesn't mean the price will drop. Most bookshops tear off the cover (as proof the book was not sold) and return it to the distributor for a credit. Sometimes they may sell outdated material at a discounted rate. It really depends on the agreement between the distributor and the bookshop. Also the writer or the publisher may have a say in whether or not the distributor can even discount an item.
Also note that three day old newspapers sell for the same price as a current one, because:
1) There are no means to prove what day it was sold.
2) The fact that somebody bought a three day old newspaper means it had value to somebody.
3) It still cost the same to produce the three day old one three days ago as it does to produce the current one today.
4) Finally, the store (or bookshop) will be charged for the whole delivery invoice, which is the total of all the newspapers delivered, minus the credit for the return of the unsold ones.
and that folks, is justy a 'quickie' lesson on how bookshops work.
I have a few friends in the biz.

Thanks,

But the bookshop should send the old-dated back to the publisher or sell it as it is.

After me, there one old-dated book left. That of Linux 7. A customer who is not aware of the latest Linux version could be foolished.

It is the responsibility of publisher and bookshop to make sure that the customer knows the latest versions of a program and when a book is back-dated.


Alex

I agree, a good bookshop (or any shop for that matter) keeps the merchandise up to date. :D

Or discounts the older merchandise...

And buyers do have some responsibilities -- don't you check the date tag on your bread or bagels and try to buy the freshest?

There is some value to the older books. Say someone comes in and has red hat 7.0 setup on a machine and doesn't want to upgrade to 7.3 (it happens). They would be best to buy a 7.0 book because the 7.3 book might not be completely accurate for the 7.0 version.

Anyway, they can sell their books for whatever price they want. If you think it's too much... just don't buy it!;)

...and just because 7.2 is the most recent version doesn't mean that it's the version that is most commonly in use.

Although software companies would like everyone to buy their newest versions as soon as they are released and discard all past version software, it doesn't work that way. That's consumer thinking.

In larger computer environments (such as educational institutions and the corporate world), standards tend to be older version. So if booksellers don't have books on the most commonly in use applications and operating systems as well as the bleeding edge stuff, they are going to miss out on a lot of book sales, and a lot of people are going to look elsewhere for their books.