A "Virtual Book" is actually a computer file which uses "Portable Document Format" developed by Adobe.
Almost all computers use a free program called "Acrobat Reader" to view or print out these books.
Q. Do you supply a printed version?
A. In most cases NO. It would be very expensive to print a minimum quantity of, say, 1000 books (as required by most printing companies). In addition, you'd have to pay shipping costs and you'd have to wait for the post.
Q. Can I print my own copy?
A. Yes but it will use your ink and paper and remember that many of the books are over 60 pages long and include colour photos. It's better to read it on-screen and print out specific pages if you need to refer to them elsewhere.
Q. So what's the advantage of a "Virtual Book" over a printed copy?
- You can download it NOW if it's free and in just 30 minutes from now if it isn't.
- You don't have to drive to town to get it and you don't have to pay postage.
- A printed copy would sell for typically £19 to £29 plus postage (actually, a book with colour photos would cost a lot more). Most of the Virtual books are £7 or less (or FREE).
- A Virtual Book takes up no shelf space and it's difficult to misplace it.
- A Virtual Book is searchable - you can type in a word or phrase and find every occurrence in an instant.
- A virtual book can be updated frequently so the latest information is always available.
Q. How do I know when a book has been updated?
To find out about satellite book updates, join the free monthly satellite TV e-news letter from SatCure. Guaranteed to inform and amuse. You can also look at the book revision dates on the pages linked below.
Q. How can I be sure that I'll be able to download and read a virtual book after I've paid?
A. Download a FREE book first. If you have problems, get a friend to try with his own computer. Some office systems have problems because of security systems so try using your home computer instead. The files take no more than a few minutes to download with a 56k modem connection.
Q. Can your "virtual books" carry a virus onto my computer or cause other problems?
A. No.
Q. Can I copy my "virtual book" onto another computer or send it by e-mail?
A. Yes, I can't stop you. But remember that each book is "watermarked" with a secret code so I can trace where each copy came from. If you send a copy to a friend, point this out to them and ask them to download their own copy if they want to keep it. It is illegal to copy these books - even the free ones - and copyright law is much easier to enforce than patent law. If I find a book copy on any web site I can have that web site shut down within an hour. I guarantee this. I've already done it once. No ISP wants to get involved in a copyright lawsuit. They'll switch the site off and ask questions later.
Q. Why do I have to pay in dollars?
A. Payment is made easy by using a well established and reputable company called "Kagi" in California. In the near future, it should be possible to pay in Euros as well. The payment is taken from your credit card and you will see the transaction recorded in your local currency, at the prevailing exchange rate, on your statement.
Q. Can I send you a cheque or cash or other form of payment?
A. No. The situation is that I sell the books to "Kagi" and they sell them to you. I can't sell them direct. However, Kagi will accept a US dollar check drawn on a USA bank. But Kagi's payment system is very secure - more so than sending your card details by post, fax or phone! And they will be happy to help you if anything goes wrong with the payment.
Q. I'm not very technically minded. Are your books easy to understand?
A. Yes. I've been writing and publishing books for many years and people tell me that my writing style is easy to follow; technical matters are explained in simple terms, often with some humour. I believe my readers! You could call my books "dummies guides" but you certainly won't be a dummy after you've read them!
Q. How can I be sure that the book will be useful and I'm not just wasting my hard-earned money?
A. My technical books are full of information, ideas, examples and pictures, which have taken years to compile. All of this will help you to learn about the subject so that you can understand the choices and possibilities available. Armed with this new knowledge and information, you can make the best possible decision to get exactly what you want and save money. There's always a good way and a bad way, a cheap way and an expensive way. I want you to get the best at the lowest cost and the best way to achieve that is to give you the knowledge to be able to decide. It's important that you get what suits you and your family and your house and not some pre-packaged system that never seems quite right, despite what the salesman said. Lots of people ask me for advice about things and I can give that but I can't, ever, tell you what you need and want. That's your personal choice and my books allow you to make it.
In addition I give a money back guarantee! If you are not absolutely convinced, when you have read it, that the book you bought is not worth every penny ... if you are not totally convinced that it will save you time and hassle and cash ... simply write to me with proof of purchase and a brief explanation of what was missing from the book (so I can improve it) and I'll send you a cheque for the full amount.
Can I afford to offer a money back guarantee? Well, time will tell. I know there are a few total b*stards out there who will take pleasure in wasting my time and ripping me off but I'm prepared to take the risk in order to help those few people who genuinely can't use my books and therefore should not have to pay.
So feel safe to click on the links, below, to see the books. Safe in the knowledge that you won't catch a virus and you won't get ripped off!