Village Press new soft bound books?

[PTSideshow]

I just recieved my order of the new readers tip books? volume 1 and Vol 2 along with the reissue of the Mr. Harris's Donkey engine. All three are top nocth and done with the highest starndards. For A magazine with Advertisements! I have no complaint with the content, the tip books are filled with great info. And the updated drawings ect are crisp and clear.
They did not say magazines in the add I purchased them from. I realize That we can split hairs about what is soft bound. But these are no different than any issue of the three village press magazines I subcribe to. I am very disapointed in thier slightly under handed description of the items they offered for sale I think that if it was by a company buying space from them they would insist that the description would be more accurate to reflect the item for sale.
Also selling advertising space my be good for thier bottom line.But how long will the sale prices be in effect? All the adverts have a code.
I probally would have purchased them if I had know they were magazine type bound. Its sort of like the commericals on the dvd's,vhs and at the movies. But I still feel cheated with the adverts.


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Glen
Been there, probally broke it doing that

[GWRdriver]

Are you saying that they are bound with lightweight paper, like a typical magazine cover, rather than a stiff card stock of some kind? If this is the case I'd be very unhappy with them also. But I wouldn't stew about it, if it was me I'd just send them back and if they ask why I'd say the items simply did not meet my needs or expectations. End of transaction.

On the other hand, if the material is valuable enough to you and a keeper you could have the vols re-bound in a hard (or at least hard-er) cover and slice out the ads section at the same time.

[PTSideshow]

They are exactly like the magazines, its not so much the covers that both me its the advertisements inside the covers and on the back cover. I can understand the village Press advert's but not selling the space to paying customers. The bookLets would be a better description. Have very good contents but it will make me think about buying something described as a soft cover or soft bound book again from them everytime I use them.
Its like getting one of those DVD's that you can't fast forward past the commericals and other BS at the start.

[Clover McKinley]

Gentlemen, hello!

Last week when I read the comments above, I determined to do a bit of research concerning paper weights for the Village Press "softcover books." The publications department has its own CSR (customer service representative) inhouse who keeps all this information straight, on computer. (The administration makes the publication decisions; Judy's the "air traffic controller" of the projects.)

Judy verified for me that The Steam Donkey Engine book cover weight is identical to that of our Rifle Action book and Building the EDM. Specifically, it is 10 pt. Carolina cover stock; the text is 60 lb. gloss text.

The out-of-print Harris Steam Roller "book" was printed on a lighter weight paper, and the cover was printed on the same stock as the text. (We could see through to the advertisement on the inside front cover!) The original year of printing was 1991, and I think Power Model Supply advertised on the back cover until the company's demise -- with house ads inside.

No one in a dozen years said a word in objection to the weight of the paper, the ads on the covers, or that we called it a "softcover book." And still, we upgraded wonderfully when it came to further Harris books.

The Steam Roller reprint might have qualified to be called a booklet -- "a small bound book or pamphlet, usually having a paper cover." (I'm confused about the term "small"...does it mean "thin"? or does it mean 5 x 7 as opposed to 8-1/2 x 11? My impression is that "small" is height and width, rather than thickness.)

The Falk No. 1 book (10 pt. cover stock, again) will be printed without advertisements, but a reprint may very well have ads -- especially if we can find a source for castings.

Synonyms for "booklet" are: brochure, folder, leaflet, and pamphlet. And a "magazine" is "a periodical containing a collection of articles, stories, pictures, or other features." BOOK is defined as "a set of written, printed, or blank pages fastened along one side and encased between protective covers."

After we pick to pieces the word "protective," we may come up with what we all agree is a BOOK!

VPublications wishes to get valued information out to our readers inexpensively. This I believe we've done. I would disagree that we've done anything underhanded -- and I'll use The Steam Roller as the precedent/example; if you are aware of that long-running, very successful engine reprint (ads and all), you know that we've gone on to improve our product without pressure of any kind.

Thank you for your comments. And, yes, if you're dissatisfied with anything concerning our books, contact our circulation people and arrange for an exchange or refund.

Sometimes content is not enough; sometimes the information has to feel good in your hand.

Clover

Senior Editor, VPublications

[PTSideshow]

I didn't have any problem with the content of the items. Just the advert's inside the covers. As I don't have the rifle or the steam roller ones you describe. I don't know about those. But I do find advertisments offensive in a soft cover book of that price. So as I said I will probally no longer buy any of your soft cover books. This is my opinion.

[timz1999]

I Had purchased the readers tip book. and being new to the metal working I think the book is great. the cover of the book does not bother me as long as the information in the book is worth it and it fits my needs as far as the adds go in this type book its ok. if it were a hard covered book i think that would bother me and again if I feel the content is worth it would still buy it as you can't just go down to you're local book store and pickup the info.
When I go out to Cabin fever I plan on picking up the second tip book and the Donkey engine book.

[Bill Shields]

Advertising keeps the cost of delivery to the end-user affordable. Without advertising, as objectionable as some of it may be to many of us, is the only way that publishers can put something in our hands that we can afford.

Dare I ask Clover what it would cost to put the same soft-cover books in our hands without advertising? I think that many (most)of us would be a bit surprised..

Given the price difference, would EVERYONE that purchased one of the soft-cover books ante' up the difference to get one sans-adverts?

Look at how many publications are done off-shore (aka China) these days. As my father used to say TANSTAAFL (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch). Somebody has to cover the costs...and advertisers are one way of keeping the costs down to a reasonable level...and believe it or not, advertisers are willing to pay more $$$ to be on the covers.

FWIIW, I don't always care for advertising either, but I would rather take the $$ saved and buy castings, welding rod, tools, shampoo, deodorant, etc:...sometimes in that order, but we will not get into that discussion here and now.