[pct-l] 2005 revision of "Yogi's PCT Handbook"

[saskiadaru at xs4all.nl (Saskia Daru)]

But... 
I'm almost scared to pipe up, as I know it's a touchy subject.
I have purchased books over the internet in several palmreader formats as
well as audiobooks that come in an mp3-like format. Books are no longer only
sold on paper. Distribution over the internet would certainly make the
shipping and handling a lot cheaper.
I did not buy Yogi's book, since we only hiked the JMT in 2004. If we would
hike part of or the whole PCT, we'd buy it. We'd still would have liked to
buy it as an electronic document...

Saskia

> From: yogi <yogihikes@sbcglobal.net>
> Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 20:30:18 -0800 (PST)
> To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] 2005 revision of "Yogi's PCT Handbook"
> 
> My book is registered with the US Copyright office.  As recommended by that
> office, I have written permission (from every contributor to the book) to use
> everyone's comments.  There are different ways to register the copyright --
> either as a collection of other's work or as your own work.  Mine is a
> combination, and IS registered.  I am the author.  My function is not simply a
> collector of other's opinions.  As a guess, I would say that about 80% of the
> book is my own words.  The rest is a collection of other hiker opinions.
> 
> I realize that by writing my book I have opened myself up to criticizm.  I
> usually let it slide, but not this time.  I worked hard to write my book.  It
> took a lot of time.  In order to write the book and distribute it, I had to
> quit one job.  The income I receive from the book is much less than I earned
> at my second job.  Sure, I get more pleasure from operating the book business,
> but not more money.  And every week I get emails from people who want me to
> make the book available for free as an Adobe file.  That's simply not going to
> happen.  If you want the book, you'll have to buy it.  It's good information.
> I'm proud of it.  But it's not free.  Do you think if you wrote to the author
> of "The DaVinci Code" and asked for his book as a free Adobe file he would
> send it to you?  Or a free electronic version of "A Walk In The Woods"?  I
> doubt it.
> 
> Yep, I'm pretty defensive.  That's because the book is my passion.  It's human
> nature to defend what you're passionate about.  When people critize me, I get
> riled up.  A lot of thought, care, time, mental and physical work has gone
> into each book.  I go to the PO every day to make sure that people get their
> books in a timely manner.  When the 2005 Data Book showed different mileage, I
> put together a mileage revision and made it availabe at my cost to people who
> had recently bought the book.
> 
> I hope my book is helpful for those planning a PCT hike.  I hope the "Part 2"
> pages are helpful while hiking.  I think the book works well, but it's not
> free.
> 
> yogi
> www.pcthandbook.com
> 
> 
> 
> Ilja Friedel <pctl@ilja.ws> wrote:
> Hi Scott,
> 
>> Authors usually don't operate like you're suggesting. Anything placed on the
>> web becomes public domain, and despite copyright laws this material will
>> inevitably be copied and distributed, altered and edited, perhaps even
>> re-tooled for illegal profit
> 
> For this reason there is the option to register a copyright. This can be
> done for 30 bucks or so: http://www.copyright.gov/register/
> (If an author does not register he still keeps the copyright but has a
> much harder time profing damages in court.)
> 
> Not having ordered Yogi's book (yet) I find her work very usefull. Being
> able to sell the book might not be as financially rewarding for her as a
> daily job (I know what scientific authors get), but I'm sure emotionally
> there is a big component of pride and accomplishment. But it is my
> impression that Yogi's function is often not quite of an author (creating
> new material), but more of an editor (collecting and citing many different
> opinions.) I don't know how this would affect a copyright registration.
> (I'm sure it can be done, just look at newspapers.)
> 
> 
> Ilja.
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