Folks who want a copy of Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead, the book I co-wrote with the Bears in 2000, may be interested to know that the book is now out of print. I discovered this a few minutes ago while attempting to link it to my new web page under design, and found that the only folks who had copies had used copies. Even McGraw-Hill no longer lists it, which I find a little irritating. I really think this book was underrated, and schooled me pretty well in the whole business of writing--Mariah, in particular, quickly gave me a kick in the rear and an excellent idea of what a writing work ethic really is, something that has consistently paid off since then. And John, of course, was the guy who brought my name into the situation to begin with. Folks who want to order the cheapest copy available need only look on Ebay, where one is up for auction now at 25 cents. Half.com starts at $1.30 or so, and if they run out of copies, plenty more can be found at independent bookstores through a search on BookFinder. Working with Osborne/McGraw-Hill was a pleasant experience, and one I wouldn't mind repeating. The editors up there all loved (and presumably still love) the book, and I loved the way it was designed. Why it didn't sell better remains a mystery to me, but I'd say it probably had something to do with the dot-com crash. Cheers,
Get Your IT and Get Ahead Tom, I, too, obtained a copy a few years ago...I found it well-written and informative. Maybe I shouldn't have passed it around at work? Steven King
Welcome to the real world of publishing, where the publisher "forgets" to tell you it is out of print. Have you thought of offoring to do an update, especially if it sold well?
I purchased a copy when it first came out. Outstanding work, but doomed to become outdated rather quickly without updates or further editions.
Re: Re: Get Your IT Degree and Go Out of Print I had an experience a number of years ago that told me when your book is out of date if not out of print. While browsing in a used bookstore on the University of Illinois campus I came across a dozen or so copies of a text I jointly authored ... still in the shrink wrap.
Re: Re: Get Your IT Degree and Go Out of Print Thanks for the kind words, folks; it's nice to know somebody bought this book. The idea in my head--I can't remember if it went any further than that--was that we would do a new edition every two years or so, much like Bears' Guide. I'd even sketched out some planned revisions for the second edition, including a detachable numbered map of IT programs so folks could quickly find one in their area, better DL-specific features, and 51 new schools (bringing the total up to 250). I suppose there's a chance we actually sold out the bulk of the first printing and McGraw-Hill decided there wasn't a point to doing a second one, in which case we may yet be contacted about a second edition. But I wouldn't bank on it. Cheers,
Got curious and just phoned my editor buddy at Osborne/McGraw-Hill, who told me that yes, Virginia, the book has gone out of print. They still love it over there, but it--and, apparently, a good chunk of the Osborne Media line--was hit very hard by the dot-com crash, and our niche market just kind of vanished. Oh, well; as I told him, this accomplished its primary purpose for me by getting my foot in the door as a writer, and I can't fault the publisher for lack of sales, especially under tight circumstances like these. Cheers,
Two quick points, if you like the editor and worked well with him/her, make sure you have a non-McGraw Hill way to contact them when they move on (and yes they will move on - average time at a publisher is 5 years). Second, if it is truly out of print, GET YOUR RIGHTS BACK! Especially before they decide on POD sales!
Tom, Sorry to hear the news. Your book has been very useful. I am now wearing out my copy of Bear, Bear, Head & Nixon (AKA Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees by Distance Learning). I am even citing you guys in a couple of conference papers that I am presenting and in my dissertation. Best wishes, Tony
