Book now on Amazon, and progress update

[Gina Trapani, Lifehacker editor/author]

Hi all,

So sorry I've been absent around these parts, the book has taken up
all my time outside the site. But, samhealer caught it: the second
edition is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Here's the US link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470238364/ref=nosim/lifehackerboo-20

You'll notice the title is new, even though it's a second edition.
The goal is to make the book more accessible to folks who have never
heard of Lifehacker. But we intend to make it *very* clear on the
cover that it is indeed a second edition, and not a whole new book.

No cover design yet (hopefully soon!) and we're aiming to have it
available by 3/31 in the US, as Amazon notes.

I just submitted the draft of chapter 3 to my editor yesterday. More
details of how the table of contents is getting fleshed out plus
responses to earlier threads coming up later today.

Thanks so much for your interest! What do you think of the new title?

Gina

[peter.fi...@gmail.com]

I like it personally. It's definitely much more accessible to the
unknowing masses :}

Glad to hear that it's maintaining the "second edition" moniker! Can
you help us in knowing what's been helpful? Maybe give us some hints
as to what topics/thoughts we might be able to assist most with?

On Oct 2, 3:27 pm, "Gina Trapani, Lifehacker editor/author"

[Gina Trapani, Lifehacker editor/author]

On Oct 4, 7:04 am, "peter.fitzger...@gmail.com"

<peter.fitzger...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Glad to hear that it's maintaining the "second edition" moniker! Can
> you help us in knowing what's been helpful? Maybe give us some hints
> as to what topics/thoughts we might be able to assist most with?

Since this is a revision, any specific requests or additions that
readers have about the first book are most helpful. I know what *I'd*
like to revise, but I want to make sure that I'm adding and updating
the stuff readers want to see.

Also, any thoughts on why or why not you bought the first book, or
what would make you buy (or not buy) the second are also a big help!

In terms of my progress, I've posted the chapters I've submitted to my
development editor so far here:

http://groups.google.com/group/lifehackerbook2/web/chapters-in-full-draft-so-far

Let me know if I left out any good hacks you think should go in those
chapters, and I'll work them in when I can.

Thanks all for all of your opinions and thoughts, so far this has been
a great discussion,
Gina

[samhealer]

Woo! I got mentioned :)

Seriously though, great news.The new title is great,seperates it from
the other book, but keeps it kind of the same. Also, will the cover be
much different from the original?
It's my birthday in a few days and I'm getting the first book, so
I'll be able to comment much more on how it could be improved.

Keep on going Gina!

Sam

[Nicholas M.]

Goodness! Some interesting activity! Cool, I'm gonna need to check
that out then. I shall resume activity on here as before.

On Oct 5, 5:27 am, samhealer <samhe...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Woo! I got mentioned :)
>
> Seriously though, great news.The new title is great,seperates it from
> the other book, but keeps it kind of the same. Also, will the cover be
> much different from the original?
> It's my birthday in a few days and I'm getting the first book, so
> I'll be able to comment much more on how it could be improved.
>
> Keep on going Gina!
>
> Sam
>
> Gina Trapani, Lifehacker editor/author wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Oct 4, 7:04 am, "peter.fitzger...@gmail.com"
> > <peter.fitzger...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Glad to hear that it's maintaining the "second edition" moniker! Can
> > > you help us in knowing what's been helpful? Maybe give us some hints
> > > as to what topics/thoughts we might be able to assist most with?
>
> > Since this is a revision, any specific requests or additions that
> > readers have about the first book are most helpful. I know what *I'd*
> > like to revise, but I want to make sure that I'm adding and updating
> > the stuff readers want to see.
>
> > Also, any thoughts on why or why not you bought the first book, or
> > what would make you buy (or not buy) the second are also a big help!
>
> > In terms of my progress, I've posted the chapters I've submitted to my
> > development editor so far here:
>

> >http://groups.google.com/group/lifehackerbook2/web/chapters-in-full-d...

>
> > Let me know if I left out any good hacks you think should go in those
> > chapters, and I'll work them in when I can.
>
> > Thanks all for all of your opinions and thoughts, so far this has been
> > a great discussion,
> > Gina
>
> > > On Oct 2, 3:27 pm, "Gina Trapani, Lifehacker editor/author"
>
> > > <lifehacker.edi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > Hi all,
>
> > > > So sorry I've been absent around these parts, the book has taken up
> > > > all my time outside the site. But, samhealer caught it: the second
> > > > edition is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Here's the US link:
>
> > > >http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470238364/ref=nosim/lifehackerboo-20
>
> > > > You'll notice the title is new, even though it's a second edition.
> > > > The goal is to make the book more accessible to folks who have never
> > > > heard of Lifehacker. But we intend to make it *very* clear on the
> > > > cover that it is indeed a second edition, and not a whole new book.
>
> > > > No cover design yet (hopefully soon!) and we're aiming to have it
> > > > available by 3/31 in the US, as Amazon notes.
>
> > > > I just submitted the draft of chapter 3 to my editor yesterday. More
> > > > details of how the table of contents is getting fleshed out plus
> > > > responses to earlier threads coming up later today.
>
> > > > Thanks so much for your interest! What do you think of the new title?
>

> > > > Gina- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[peter.fi...@gmail.com]

I have to admit that I didn't buy the first book, although I did leaf
through it a long time ago... admittedly quite some time before I
started reading lifehacker.com

In all honesty the main reason I didn't buy the book was that I didn't
see a need for it and felt that it was somewhat dated at the time. At
this distance, and having spent some time considering the book in this
group and elsewise, I still don't see a direct need for the book for
me. I like the idea, but I know I'd only use maybe 1/10th of the
things listed. I have high hopes for the new book, but I'll be the
first to admit that I don't believe it'll stay current for me long
enough to make buying it worthwhile.

I might be being harsh, but that's my viewpoint on it. It's also one
of the reasons I've been trying to look for ideas that I think might
have a longer lifespan.

On Oct 4, 9:57 am, "Gina Trapani, Lifehacker editor/author"

<lifehacker.edi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Oct 4, 7:04 am, "peter.fitzger...@gmail.com"
>
> <peter.fitzger...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Glad to hear that it's maintaining the "second edition" moniker! Can
> > you help us in knowing what's been helpful? Maybe give us some hints
> > as to what topics/thoughts we might be able to assist most with?
>
> Since this is a revision, any specific requests or additions that
> readers have about the first book are most helpful. I know what *I'd*
> like to revise, but I want to make sure that I'm adding and updating
> the stuff readers want to see.
>
> Also, any thoughts on why or why not you bought the first book, or
> what would make you buy (or not buy) the second are also a big help!
>
> In terms of my progress, I've posted the chapters I've submitted to my
> development editor so far here:
>

> http://groups.google.com/group/lifehackerbook2/web/chapters-in-full-d...

[Gina Trapani @ Lifehacker]

On 10/5/07, peter.fi...@gmail.com <peter.fi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> In all honesty the main reason I didn't buy the book was that I didn't
> see a need for it and felt that it was somewhat dated at the time.

Totally understandable. Longevity (and time to market) is a huge
issue with computer books in general, especially the Lifehacker book,
which covers relatively new and still-evolving software and webapps.
I can't tell you how much it personally hurt me to see Google Calendar
get released after the first book went to print but before it hit
shelves, when it recommended using the much inferior Yahoo Calendar in
one of the hacks.

> I might be being harsh, but that's my viewpoint on it. It's also one
> of the reasons I've been trying to look for ideas that I think might
> have a longer lifespan.

I appreciate your honesty! I am doing what I can to emphasize
longer-lifespan ideas and concepts that rise above "click here, select
this, choose next", but I will admit, many of the implementation
suggestions in the second edition will be based on ever-changing
software, like the first.

In some respects, avid Lifehacker.com readers won't get the value out
of the book that someone else who is still new to these ideas will.

As for the cover, I have no idea what it will look like! I'm
anxiously awaiting to hear from my publisher's design team about it.

--
Gina Trapani
Editor
http://lifehacker.com

Order Lifehacker the book:
http://lifehackerbook.com

[Nicholas M.]

I am super excoted for this. I hope that we all do a great job helping

On Oct 10, 7:05 pm, "Gina Trapani @ Lifehacker"
<lifehacker.edi...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Editorhttp://lifehacker.com

[samhealer]

Same as Nicholas here, except I'm more excited that excoted :P.

But seriously, 2 weeks ago I got the first book for my birthday, and I
have found it extremely useful. I'm still going through it, but I can
see a few changes you may want to make. I'll make a new topic later
once I've finished it.

Sam

[Paolo C.]

On 2 Ott, 21:27, "Gina Trapani, Lifehacker editor/author"
<lifehacker.edi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,

Hi Gina,

> So sorry I've been absent around these parts, the book has taken up
> all my time outside the site. But, samhealer caught it: the second
> edition is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Here's the US link:
>
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470238364/ref=nosim/lifehackerboo-20

I was wondering whether to buy the first edition but I know think it's
better to just
wait for the second edition.

I live in Europe so I wonder whether you know if it's already possible
to
pre-order it via amazon.co.uk or any other European bookseller.

Thanks!

Ciao,
Paolo

[Gina Trapani @ Lifehacker]

On Dec 11, 2007 6:20 AM, Paolo C. <paolo.ci...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I was wondering whether to buy the first edition but I know think it's
> better to just
> wait for the second edition.

My publisher would probably hate me saying this, but yes, at this
point it's probably better to wait for the second edition. It'll
start shipping on March 17th, 2008.

> I live in Europe so I wonder whether you know if it's already possible
> to
> pre-order it via amazon.co.uk or any other European bookseller.

Yes! It's listed on amazon.co.uk and available for pre-order:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470238364/ref=nosim/lifehackerboo-20

My publisher put the first cover design up, too. Truthfully I don't
love it (and I didn't have anything to do with the concept, my
publisher's marketers and designers put it together.) But I talked to
them this week about tweaking it, so the final cover will probably
look pretty different.

What do you all think?

Have a great weekend,
Gina

--
Gina Trapani
Editor