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08-14-2007, 04:07 PM   #1
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Book for Pentax K10D and K100D – Spam?

Pentax is a fairly small company when compared to Canon and Nikon, even with its acquisition by Hoya. We all know how hard it is to get new lenses. They’re always back ordered. You don’t find Pentax DSLD in Costco, Wall mart, Circuit City, Best Buy, and most of the other electronic chains. I admire that as they don’t bring the value of their products down by selling them at variety stores instead of camera specialty stores. Pentax is all about quality and innovation. The fact that you are reading this attest that you already know that.

I a member of all the Pentax Forums I know of, visit all known Blogs on Pentax, and most everywhere I go, I hear Pentaxians complaining about the lack of lenses, after-market equipment, books and literature about Pentax, etc,. If you own a Nikon or Canon, the market is saturated. You can find anything and everything on these cameras.

I purchase a K10D back around December 2006. I couldn’t find any books on it, other than the OEM manual, which was ambiguous and seemed to have been translated directly from Japanese to English, by a Japanese person. I have been in photography for all my life, and perhaps I don’t even need a “how-to” book. After all it’s all about shutter speed, aperture and media sensibility. That isn’t much different than the 35mm SLR cameras. Still, I struggled reading the manual, experienced with the camera and finally learned everything there was to know about it. A lot of what I learned wasn’t in the manual. A lot of what I learned is used everyday. Sure, you can set the camera where everything is done for you automatically by the camera.

Since there isn’t much after market anything for Pentax, I wrote a book called Pentax K10D “Everything you need to know …and then some”. I have received many favorable reviews and it is selling surprisingly well.

OK1000 Pentax Blog: The K10D Book, a good companion to the Pentax K10D
Pentax K10D blog: yvon bourque

I publish the book myself, and I won’t get rich anytime soon.

Here is my uncertainty. I have been accused of spamming before and I am not sure that what I do is spamming. This is a Pentax only forum, and therefore people bring everything they find to the attention of others. They send them to websites selling camera, lenses, interchangeable screens, etc. I present a book for the Pentax DSLR only and since you can hardly find anything about Pentax, I think I am helping other Pentaxians, especially the newbies and amateurs. I have seen people complaining about the lack of books for Pentax and the very same people complaining about their perception of me spamming my book. I can really understand that if someone posts a commercial to purchase a Nikon or Canon on a Pentax site; that’s spamming. How else can one let everyone in the Pentax world, know about a good tool to help them?

I would really like to have your opinion.

08-14-2007, 04:34 PM   #2
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Personally I have no problem with it I support free enterprise and initiative, but I can see some being concerned of the forum being turned into a free for all of advertising various Pentax add ons. Perhaps you should just mention it in the for sale threads and trust your fellow Pentaxians to spread the word. Believe me if it is good there is nothing more powerful than a testimonial from a happy customer (particularly a happy Pentaxian).

From your title it seems you will be producing a book for the K100D as well when I upgrade from my *istDS I may buy the book.
08-14-2007, 04:43 PM   #3
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Spamming??

I don't think so, Yvon.
I don't think I would have heard about the book otherwise.
I bought it and have been really happy with it.
You haven't been "in your face" about it, so I'm ok with it

This is a small community. If my neighbour want to come over and offer to help, I'm all for that.

David Lee
08-14-2007, 05:07 PM   #4
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It's not spam on here, as long as you don't keep going on about it, which you don't, I think the way you have handled it is fine.

08-14-2007, 05:33 PM   #5
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I'm actually happy you mention the book. I think you should mention it to everyone that asks the question, "Is there a book available for the K10D?". Of course others will no doubt mention the Magic Lantern Guide for the k10D as well. Ipersonally would not be offended if you "advertised it" for sale in the market place. To me, a book is necessary equipment to get the most out of the k10D
08-14-2007, 05:33 PM   #6
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There is a simplier way to promote your book, Yvon. If done tastefully, very few should object.

1. Use an image of your book as an avatar in this and other forums. An avatar is the small image seen under people's names throughout this forum (under the words "Site Supporter" and above "Join Date" on the far left of your message).

2. Use the signature feature to display a small, text-based, advertisement for your book. One or two lines of text is sufficient (don't overdo it).

3. Place a link to your book's website in the signature under the text in item 2.

At that point, every single message posted to this forum, asking and answering questions, will promote your book. In other words, your actual participation in this forum is a means to promote your book.

Of course, if you see a person asking about books, feel free to answer by mentioning yours. However, in the interests of full disclosure (and fairness), make sure to also mention you're the author.

By the way, if you don't understand how to use any of these features mentioned above, take the time to research them. The FAQ section of this forum is a pretty good place to start.

stewart
08-14-2007, 05:37 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by dlee Quote
Spamming??

I don't think so, Yvon.
I don't think I would have heard about the book otherwise.
I bought it and have been really happy with it.
You haven't been "in your face" about it, so I'm ok with it

This is a small community. If my neighbour want to come over and offer to help, I'm all for that.

David Lee
This is a one David Lee town, mister. One of us has got to go, and it isn't going to be me!

Sorry, this post freaked me out a little.

08-14-2007, 05:54 PM   #8
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I bought your book because of your low profile advertising; read it too. It's a good piece of work aimed at a specific audience--and right on target!

Some folks think spam is any advertisement; they blow at something as simple as a tag line in a signature. Others wouldn't care if their mailbox fairly-well exploded with offers.

Get a thicker skin, you're in business to sell things--the book. Advertising is a requirement! If it gets you to the sales level you desire, that's what matters-----ESPECIALLY if it doesn't violate a hosts web-site's TOS. Bandwidth is relatively cheap; if you take too much of the hosts bandwidth, you'll get a warning or banning--thats the opinion you need to worry about.

QuoteOriginally posted by k10dbook Quote

I publish the book myself, and I won’t get rich anytime soon.

Here is my uncertainty. I have been accused of spamming before and I am not sure that what I do is spamming. This is a Pentax only forum, and therefore people bring everything they find to the attention of others. They send them to websites selling camera, lenses, interchangeable screens, etc. I present a book for the Pentax DSLR only and since you can hardly find anything about Pentax, I think I am helping other Pentaxians, especially the newbies and amateurs. I have seen people complaining about the lack of books for Pentax and the very same people complaining about their perception of me spamming my book. I can really understand that if someone posts a commercial to purchase a Nikon or Canon on a Pentax site; that’s spamming. How else can one let everyone in the Pentax world, know about a good tool to help them?

I would really like to have your opinion.
08-14-2007, 05:57 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by stewart_photo Quote
There is a simplier way to promote your book, Yvon. If done tastefully, very few should object.

1. Use an image of your book as an avatar in this and other forums. An avatar is the small image seen under people's names throughout this forum (under the words "Site Supporter" and above "Join Date" on the far left of your message).

2. Use the signature feature to display a small, text-based, advertisement for your book. One or two lines of text is sufficient (don't overdo it).

3. Place a link to your book's website in the signature under the text in item 2.

At that point, every single message posted to this forum, asking and answering questions, will promote your book. In other words, your actual participation in this forum is a means to promote your book.

Of course, if you see a person asking about books, feel free to answer by mentioning yours. However, in the interests of full disclosure (and fairness), make sure to also mention you're the author.

By the way, if you don't understand how to use any of these features mentioned above, take the time to research them. The FAQ section of this forum is a pretty good place to start.

stewart
Dear Stewart,

I think you have the best idea I heard anywhere. I participate in most of the Forums and blogs. I'm glad I thought of that!
08-14-2007, 07:41 PM   #10
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Not a problem Yvon IMHO

QuoteOriginally posted by jfdavis58 Quote
I bought your book because of your low profile advertising; read it too. It's a good piece of work aimed at a specific audience--and right on target!

Some folks think spam is any advertisement; they blow at something as simple as a tag line in a signature. Others wouldn't care if their mailbox fairly-well exploded with offers.

Get a thicker skin, you're in business to sell things--the book. Advertising is a requirement! If it gets you to the sales level you desire, that's what matters-----ESPECIALLY if it doesn't violate a hosts web-site's TOS. Bandwidth is relatively cheap; if you take too much of the hosts bandwidth, you'll get a warning or banning--thats the opinion you need to worry about.
I agree with Jeff, I too purchased the book and it has an accurate and clear explanation of many features not clearly described in the book. I hate SPAM, but this is not Spam in my opinion.

Has not bothered me at all, and suggestions to Yvon for inclusion or clarification have been well received and responded to.

Phil
08-14-2007, 09:11 PM   #11
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I don't have any issues with your little PR on here Yvon, Your only trying to help us out.
Besides if I remember correctly it was another ember, not you that originally drew attention to your book on this board.

Truth be known, most of us are guilty of a little spamming whenever we post a link onto our web site in our signature or onto a thread.
I'm as guilty as the next in this situation.
I've never seen anyone get in trouble for it, so why should you.
08-14-2007, 10:15 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Dave Lee Quote
This is a one David Lee town, mister. One of us has got to go, and it isn't going to be me!

Sorry, this post freaked me out a little.
That's ok. Now we've got one per country. Any more?

Thats why I made a point of the "David" I've never really been a Dave
kinda guy.
David
08-15-2007, 07:14 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by dlee Quote
That's ok. Now we've got one per country. Any more?
Alright, we'll have some sort of NAFTA agreement.

I suppose I should make some sort of on topic comment here as well. I don't see anything wrong with someone who participates regularly on the forum plugging his/her product occasionaly.

The bozo that pops in to advertise his discount cialis/viagra is another story.
08-15-2007, 07:30 AM   #14
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Fair enough to mention your publication when you first released it (so that we can be informed), but shouldn't its continued promotion be via word of mouth from satisfied customers rather than you starting threads like this?

Last edited by bonovox; 08-15-2007 at 10:26 AM.
08-15-2007, 10:15 AM   #15
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You can move this thread to https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photographers-marketplace/, and then it is clearly not spam.
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