ATT John Bear: Differences between 15th Edition and 14th Edition?

Greetings,

This is my first post here in DegreeInfo.com

I am considering purchasing "Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning", 14th Edition (launched on February 2001), but I have seen in the Ten Speed Press Website, specifically at:
http://www.tenspeedpress.com/catalog/all/item.php3?id=1076
that the 15th Edition will be available on January 2003.

I live in Portugal (that is in Europe for the Geography-challenged

As far as I could tell, no bookstores (online or physical) sell *any* Edition of the Bears' Guide here in Portugal.
It seems that Amazon.co.uk does not have the Bears' Guide (14th Edition) readily available, because on their Website it says: "Availability: usually dispatched within 3 to 5 weeks."
You can check this by going to:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580082025/qid=1039975804/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_0_7/202-8379926-5438216

However, in another British Online bookshop: "Internet Bookshop" - http://www.bookshop.co.uk/ - they seem to have the 14th edition on stock, as they have the book available within 48 hours:
http://www.bookshop.co.uk/ser/serdsp.asp?shop=3181&isbn=1580082025&DB=220


So, I guess I have several questions:

1) What are the differences between the 14th Edition and the 15th Edition? With this information, I could take a more informed decision regarding buying now the 14th Edition or waiting for the 15th.

2) Is the launch date for the 15th Edition still valid (January 2003)? And, more important (for me), when is the launch date for Europe?

3) Are there any other Online bookstores that you know that sell the book (any Edition) in Europe, and have it readily available?


Thanks in advance.

Best wishes,

Ricardo Dias Marques

P.S: My native language is not English. Feel free to point any mistakes that I may have made in this post, so I could improve my English.

 

First of all, welcome. I hope you learn as much here as I have...

Next, don't worry about your english. It is better than mine and I am working on my MA in English...

clint

 

I just got the 14th edition. I'm hoping I can get the 15th as a Christmas gift. What about it Bill Grover, Russell?

Roscoe

 

Even if you could find a 14th edition, I would definitely recommend waiting 3 or 4 weeks until the 15th is available. (Many libraries have the 14th; even, possibly in Portugal, at US consulates or US Information Service offices)(If they don't, they should!).

In a nutshell, these differences between BG14 and BG15:

1. All listings corrected and updated. It is always surprising to me how many legitimate schools (not to mention state agencies and accreditors) have new URLs, new phones, new mailing address -- and, of course new degree programs. Mariah and I hired DegreeInfo.com to do all the basic research and database updating, and we think Nathan, Kristin, Chip and Bill Gossett did a terrific job.

2. The number of properly-accredited totally non-resident schools has gone from 263 to 327.

3. The number of properly-accredited short-residency schools has gone from 145 to 165.

4. The number of unaccredited non-resident schools has gone from 202 to 351.

5. The number of diploma mills has gone from 401 to 513.

6. The number of unrecognized accrediting agencies (most of them bogus) has gone from 119 to 160.

6. The state laws chapter has been substantially updated.

7. The subject index (again splendidly done entirely by Tom Head) is even more detailed and useful.

8. 25 all-new cartoons, including a few captioned by Tom Nixon and Bill Highsmith from this forum.

 

It's starting to sound like a movie ratings system for degree mills (ie: Bayou Huffington U is rated BG 15, or really awful)

In any case, I am eagerly awaiting the release of the 15th edition of Bears' Guide.

Darren.

 

Hi John,

OK, thanks a lot for pointing the differences between both editions

I have done several searches in PORBASE - http://www.porbase.org - which is the "Base Nacional de Dados Bibliográficos" (that translates to "National Database of Bibliographical Data"). It seems that no Edition of the Bears' Guide is available

Maybe I'll try checking the US Consulate, as you suggest.

Thanks again!

Best wishes,
Ricardo Dias Marques

 

In a nutshell, WOW! Great job, I'm looking forward to it.

 

ALternatively,

Greetings Senoir Marques--

I'm sure John Bear will appreciate your purchase of the 15th edition, and we are all gratefull for his contintuing services, but as a future DL student, possibly through a US institution, it serves you well to know of another resource:
used book online at:

http://dogbert.abebooks.com/abe/BookSearch

Thay are based in Canada, but serve the Enlgish speaking worlk, mostly that meag-market, the US. The stores they put you in direct contact with are mostly quite helpful in sending would-wide, except for the smallest ones.

--Orson

 

I totally support buying from non-conglomerate booksellers whenever possible -- but my look at the site Orson suggests confuses me. Just looking up yours truly, many of the prices seem quite out of line. Bears' Guide 14, from US suppliers, for as much as US$63 (around $25 at the chains and at Amazon); our MBA book for US$38 (about $15 at Powell's).

Speaking of Powells, I spent a very happy 2 hours there this Christmas afternoon, here in Portland. Jam packed, it was. What a wonderful place. I've never been to the Tattered Cover in Denver, to which it is often compared, but it's definitely my favorite bookstore in the world at this moment, slightly ahead of Foyles in London.

 

A couple of quick trivia points

1. The building Powell's is housed in is a former car dealership.

2. Michael Powell, the founder and owner of Powell's City od Books, originally wanted to avoid going into the same business as his dad, but obviously eventually did.

3. Powell's is likely the only Bookstore to have a branch UNDER a public park in Pioneer Courthouse Square in Downtown Portland (Their Travel Bookstore).

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all the readers of Degreeinfo.

 

Dave: The building Powell's is housed in is a former car dealership.

----

I wonder if this helps explain what is the oddest parking garage I've seen. It seems to be about 6 levels high, with 3 or 4 cars at odd angles on each level.

 

John,

I do hope you didn't have the fake Harvard diploma on your person while in Oregon. It was suggested that Alan Contreras was patroling the streets of Portland on Christmas, seeking all with less-than-wonderful credentials. If the DegreeInfo gang has to post bail for you, let it be some other time than Christmas. I'm broke!

 

YES!!! POWELL'S ROCKS!!!!

 

Re: ALternatively,

Hello Orson,

Thanks for the pointer. I didn't know about Abebooks. However, I think I will wait for the 15th Edition to arrive.

John Bear: Could you please tell me if the January 2003 date is still valid? Do you know when will the book be launched in Europe?

Thanks.

Best wishes,
Ricardo Dias Marques