Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!uw-entropy!dataio!pilchuck!ssc!fyl
From: fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes)
Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix
Subject: Re: Jim Joyce, books, vendor booths, etc.
Keywords: book signing at BOOKSTORE
Message-ID: <1950@ssc.UUCP>
Date: 21 Jun 89 18:11:24 GMT
References: <7552@hoptoad.uucp> <57038@uunet.UU.NET> <15866@vail.ICO.ISC.COM>
Organization: SSC, Inc., Seattle, WA
Lines: 24

In article <15866@vail.ICO.ISC.COM>, rcd@ico.ISC.COM (Dick Dunn) writes:

> But it's not clear to me that "buying a booth" makes any sense to a book-
> seller.  They're obviously NOT in the same league as hardware and software
> vendors.  What does a bookseller booth do?  You can't sell books there (by
> the vendor-exhibit rules); all you can do is have sample copies around and
> tell people where to go to buy the books.  You get to have two sets of
> sample copies and staff two separate locations...it probably costs several
> grand to do this, with no clear benefit.  

We (SSC) have had the same problem.  Although we do sell some software and
offer training, our primary product is our series of pocket references and
tutorials.  The are definitely a "see it, I want it" item.  We have had a
booth at Usenix for quite a few years but have decided that we can't
afford it because of this.  (I do understand why you can't sell stuff but
that doesn't help us.)

On the other end, it is a service to members/attendees to be able to
see, feel and even buy UNIX books.  Possibly Usenix could either operate
their own "bookstore" at or near the show to offer these types of
publications or get someone to do it where Usenix gets a % of the take.
-- 
Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155  (206)FOR-UNIX
    amc-gw!ssc!fyl or uunet!pilchuck!ssc!fyl or attmail!ssc!fyl