manual refund

[alltaken]

my question is this.


i was kind of expecting a manual in early january to be at my house.

now here comes the issue.

i am a full time student from feb-sep meaning that i literally get 4 hours sleep a night during those months with only a few weeks off.


the purpose of buying a manual was getting information over my summer break (which i am on now) and to complete an animation with these skills.


however it now looks like i will get the manual after i start university. hence the manual will be 8 months out of date by the time i ever get to pick it up and look in it.




i have a few questions

A) will there be suplimental information available on the net to manual owners, such as info on new features introduced over the entire 2.3 rane basicly.

B) will it be a 2.3 manual or will it be a 2.31 manul (i think it will be 2.31) but will they include suplimental printouts in the shipment (not necisarily in the book itself) for features new in the release of blender just before publication of the manual

C) how long is the manuals life expectancy before its obsolete

D) if i were to request a full refund of the $80 NZD it cost me for my manual is it possible to get it. (considering nothing has yet been shipped etc..)

E) how fast could i get a refund.

the issue is right now i am in debt, and having $80 now is gonna be helpfull, but someone else having my $80 for a good 4 months collecting interest in their banks.... doesn't really do it for me


don't get me wrong i wanted the manual and love blender but frankly its gonna be too late to do anything with, i mean how annoying would it be buying a car and the day before it arrives moving to a country that only has rivers as roads.

BTW yes i was one of the signed copy buyers

Alltaken

[levon]

who needs food when you can read the blender manual.

this is why ive held of buying the manual yet, that and i need to 'borrow' my brothers credit card

[ox]

auction off your signed copy at Elysiun for $90 NZD

[alltaken]

$90 plus P&P maybe LOL


Alltaken

[B@rt]

May I suggest that you send messages like this to shop@blender.org instead of posting them on the forum?

Cheers,

B@rt

[alltaken]

ok


but my real questions i don't know if the shop can answer.

and that is about the manual's life expectancy, will it be relivent and up to date in the last 3 months of 2004, after many months of blender development.

when will the next manual be released? (e.g. the one after 2.30 manual, will they be anual, will there be another one at 2.50 etc...)

and will suplimental information be available, e.g. i buy a manual and i can download updates of the manual or somthing???


those are my real questions, the ones that will make me make the decision wether to get a refund or not.

i guess only a few people can answer those questions, ton might be one of them or perhaps the writters of the manual

thanks

Alltaken

[IoN_PuLse]

Please email the store about this, they will answer your questions or get you the answers you seek.

Using proper spelling and punctuation also helps, because the more clearly you define your questions, the more accurately someone can answer them.

This does not belong in a public forum.

[jonobacon]

and that is about the manual's life expectancy, will it be relivent and up to date in the last 3 months of 2004, after many months of blender development.

I am not being rude here, but this is a rather obvious answer.

Blender is Open Source and free software. As such, its development relies on that of its user community and developers. Its development also relies on the everyone having the time to contribute where they can. The general nature of free software projects is that development various in its speed. Although we have the wonderful Ton working his arse off day and night on Blender, the development speed cannot be guarenteed.

As such, this time in three months there may be so much stuff that the manual is out of date. When you buy a manual for some software, you buy it for that version of the software. I doubt the Blender UI will change drastically in the near future, but there will be plenty of extra things added. This is no different to any other software product.

When you buy this manual you will learn all of the concepts of how to use Blender. If you buy it, read it and learn it, this will pave the way to make future features and changes easier to manage due to your previous experience.

If you don't want the manual, cancel it. If you do want it, prepare for a great product that will show you how to be productive in Blender. Expect it to be out of date at the end of this year - as would any other computer manual.

Jono

[/quote]

[IngieBee]

Well, let me put this here.... Blender still works very much like it has always worked. A few new features are easly learned. Most of the changes are only the look of some of the windows, but functionality hasn't changed much. Therefore, I would say that this manuel, like most of all of the manuals before it, will be and are still valid. I think the gui is going to remain much like it is now, and not change much, maybe a few new buttons, etc.. but nothing big. It's really the same thing in slightly different/ neater locations, kind of a clean up.

I'm sure the store would be happy to cancel the order, but I think it may be the one you'll want to have all year, even if you haven't got much time to spend on Blender, unless you have 2.0 and/or the game kit, then you might want to just stick with them? If you don't have any of the older versions, and you do like to use Blender, then I'd splurge for the new book.

I'm rambling, but got to get back to work anyway, hee hee hee, sorry for any spelling errors, lack of periods, etc.... Have fun in school!

Love Ingie

[Analogy]

I bought the 1.5 manual way back in the day... For a new user, it will still be enough to teach him the basics, and from there all you have to do is notice that there's a new button and press it to find out what it does. Once you get the hang of Blender's interface, new features come naturally.

[Helmuti_pdorf]

Manual 2.0 is fine to read in the bed and look ahead for some buttons and their definition.
I found the 1.5 manual better for understanding than the 2.0. manual,
some information like batch rendering or the import and export file format was good defined in the old manual. ( never found in the new one).
I believe for newbees is the 1,5 anual better to understand, but the 2.0 manual looks great!
regards helmuti

[ton]

Sorry, I've had no time for the forums a while... but sending such a mail to me would have given you an answer in a day!

A) will there be suplimental information available on the net to manual owners, such as info on new features introduced over the entire 2.3 rane basicly.

The documentation board will continue as normal, and my aim is to have a release well documented as well, not only with release notes but with nice html descriptionsm images and tutorials.

B) will it be a 2.3 manual or will it be a 2.31 manul (i think it will be 2.31) but will they include suplimental printouts in the shipment (not necisarily in the book itself) for features new in the release of blender just before publication of the manual

The book will be updated with 2.32 as well, but most of the 2.32 stuff will be in a separate chapter, we cannot redo all chapters for it.

C) how long is the manuals life expectancy before its obsolete

It will be obsolete when the next book is out! I don't expect one before the end of 2004...

D) if i were to request a full refund of the $80 NZD it cost me for my manual is it possible to get it. (considering nothing has yet been shipped etc..)

Yes, our policy is to refund at first request, no discussion on it.

E) how fast could i get a refund.

Depends on how you paid. With paypal you'll get it immediately. With a bank it'll take a week or so.

[alltaken]

thanks for the info ton.


i jsut got back from my holiday and i guess i would jsut like to keep the manual still for no other reason apart from being able to look up the simple questions i forget all the time that probably won't change such as quick keys and such.


oh and as for e-mailing you directly i shall look out for that in the future if i have any issues in the future.


*crosses fingers and hopes the next blender book is more than 1 year away LOL*


anyway thanks for the info.


Alltaken