Re: Delphi is Going to be Killed



Gbenga Abimbola wrote:
>
> Jeff wrote:
>
> >If there was money to be made publishing Delphi books, then why aren't book
> >publishers doing more of it? People in the business don't get into the area,
> >but you seem to think Borland can make a go at it even though that is not their
> >area of expertise? Good way to drive Borland further into losing money and
> >eventually out of business.
>
> You don't get it. The reason that most Delphi books don't sell
> is, those books are not specific. Sometimes, you saw a book
> that is just a bunch of codes copied from somewhere and
> joined together. Here is a sample book that could sell.
>

You don't get it. I've not only followed the book market (I've been asked in
the past to both write and proof Delphi books), but talked to many Delphi author
who are not Delphi authors any more. I know what the reasons behind the dry up
was. And they were what I described. Not what you are guessing. Have you done
any research to back your guesses? I have behind my statements.

> Suppose I want to develop an e-commerce site, and was
> considering using Delphi. Now, say there is a book that
> completely provides a solution from database design to
> actual coding and displaying of what users are likely to see.
> It will sell, period!

All 500 copies? A book has to sell enough copies to a) make money for the
publisher and b) generate enough revenue to compensate the author to write it.
Small focused books are very hard to accomplish both and for books to get
published BOTH have to be accomplished. Both the publisher has to make money
and there has to be enough money to convince authors to write the book in the
first place. Most book deals are that authors get a royalty per book sold, not
a flat price.

>
> I wanted to write an ASP.NET application, and I found a book
> that wrote in step by step. It says. Open your IDE. Type this
> code, type that code. Compile and display. This is what you
> will see. You know what, it works! And when it didn't work
> I knew something is wrong, and this prompted me to investigate
> further! What do you think is happening? I'm learning and
> it is drawing my interest. Which IDE? Visual Studio.NET!

Larger market so once again both the publisher and the writer can make money.

>
> Show me a Delphi book that would take you step by step.
> Thank God for the likeof Dr. Bob and Todd and
> few others who have been providing downloading of
> articles. Not everyone wants to download every time. I go to
> book stores at least once a month, looking for a computer
> book. One needs a book that can be taken to the wilderness,
> lay down, relax and read. Of course you can take some loose
> papers that are stapled together to the wilderness, I think
> you know what I meant.

Have you look at the Borland Developer Network? There are a lot of focused
articles doing exactly what you want. You can print out the articles and take
them wherever you want.

>
> Most Delphi books don't sell because those books are written
> as if you are looking for theory and no practical.

Good guess, but wrong.

> A good
> example of a book is Delphi / Kylix Database Developement,
> using dbExpress by Eric Hammon. I bought the book and showed it
> to a colleague. He ran out of the office to get the book, having
> noticed that is small and well written.

The focused book have a problem in the market because the market is too small.
Marco's books can continue to sell enough to justify the next because they are
not focused but covers a wide range of topics to expand the possible purchase
base, but even he is down from two books (one beginner to intermediate and
another more advance) to just one book per release (beginner to intermediate).
His more advanced book made it one release (Developers Handbook), but the
Mastering series has had the legs to continue to get updates for each Delphi
release.

>
> Delphi books should be specific. Borland can hire engineers who
> who have been writing codes from births. It is time to focus
> on the human aspect of the business: Higher psychologist,
> industrialist, sociologist, writers, and
> maybe a medical doctor at the site too, just in case someone
> gets sick.

If these ventures could make money why are the established publishing companies
not doing it? As you pointed out there have been a few focused books, but
answer one question. If these focused book were profitable for both the
publisher and the author, why aren't there more? Don't you think that if
something makes money they'd try to milk that for all its worth? Or does it
make more business sense to not continue to publish things that make money?
Since these types of books are not common place I'd expect that the reason is
that they don't make money.

--
Jeff Overcash (TeamB) On waves of silver I dreamed of gold
(Please do not email 'Till I lost the peace that dreaming gives
me directly unless I dreamed of the moment of my own death
asked. Thank You) That no one ever dreams and lives (Marillion)
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: We Interrupt This Submission . . .
    ... You get what you pay for. ... you their hard-earned money or not. ... the money to self-publish a book. ... Small press vs. big publisher is a legitimate decision. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.composition)
  • Re: We Interrupt This Submission . . .
    ... pay a substantial chunk of money. ... you their hard-earned money or not. ... you have less time per title, and unless your titles sell, you're ... Small press vs. big publisher is a legitimate decision. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.composition)
  • Re: Beginning, Middle and End
    ... Money always flows to the writer. ... Well, it will, if you self-publish and it turns out that people buy the ... addressed envelope to a conventional publisher. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.composition)
  • Re: Online novel
    ... Yes, I understand that the point of writing novels is to sell them and make money, and if all goes well that is what I'm aiming to do with my stuff. ... Comparing the markets for poetry and sci-fi is a silly exercise, I know, as the sci-fi market is still healthy - lots of people buying books, and plenty of people getting money for writing them - but I have to admit that I sometimes worry that by the time I've written a book fit-for-retail the market will have - changed? ... So many non-fiction proposals require the writer to have their own ready-made platform before a publisher will bite. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.composition)
  • Re: FS: Tomes of Delphi - Algorithms and Data Structures Book
    ... > I'll use the money to buy more Delphi books. ... John you a little liar.. ... You won't use the money to buy more Delphi ...
    (borland.public.delphi.thirdpartytools.general)