Using Google Books And Amazon Look Inside

[Sylvia]

I recently spent 4 years as an online University student. There are times when one orders a book and it takes forever to arrive. In the meantime the Professors assume you have your books and begin the class with 4 chapters of reading and 3 written assignments. Needless to say that is one way to start out a class with high levels of stress and generally freaking out about getting behind. So in one term I discover this method of learning most of what I needed to complete the assignment while I waited for my books to arrive. I share this in hopes that perhaps some of you with a limited budget can take advantage of this learning opportunity. I works like this.

Online we have "Google Books" and "Amazon Look Inside." I noticed that the preview pages of one isn't always the same preview pages in the other. AND, Amazon has a "search inside the book" feature

Ok, so... This morning. I pulled up some leather books in google books and found this one. Pretty basic stuff but we will use it as an example.

Basic Leathercrafting: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started

By Elizabeth Letcavage, Bill Hollis

I looked for the same book in Amazon and sure enough it has a "Look inside" preview available. (This isn't always the case, btw)

So what I do is open the book in one window... then open the same book in another window. And flip back and forth between the two. In google I and read the title page, the acknowledgements and see the 'introduction' page as well as pages 1-7. In amazon, I can see the cover, the title page, and pages 1-6. then page 26. etc. Then I use the search Inside feature in Amazon to "search inside this book" Let's say I search for "hand stitching" It lands me on page 15. But I can scroll up 1 page to page 14, and down to page 19. On the left, I see other links to page 72, that has the word "stitch" on that page. When I click it, I can scroll up and down to pages 70-74. (not all results here will be click-able)

Ok sure it's sort of a pain... and one has to know the terms to search, but this has saved my behind while I've waited for books to arrive and when I needed a quote to put in a report. You might not be able to read all of the book, between these two screens, but it is certainly enough to understand what the book is trying to teach.

Hope this helps some of you.

P.S... I'm currently looking through

Leatherworking Handbook: A Practical Illustra… (Paperback) by Valerie Michael

:D

Edited January 13, 2012 by Sylvia

[King's X]

I find that books to be a great resource. I somehow ended up with two copies of this book.

[Sylvia]

I find that books to be a great resource. I somehow ended up with two copies of this book.

I like to have a book in hand too. I'm not fond of e-books but have been known to download a few. But in a pinch this works and saves you from having to go to the library or book store.

[Suicide]

P.S... I'm currently looking through

Leatherworking Handbook: A Practical Illustra… (Paperback) by Valerie Michael

I was able to see almost whole that book at amazon's "Look inside" just searched for the "leather" word in there

BTW: Don't know if it is a problem in US, but for instance here in Finland we have such books available in libraries for free....

[NOMADMAD]

ive done this before. have found some books complete like Laceing and stitching for leathercraft that now have added to my document library. now looking for the motorcycle accessory pattern pack.

[HellfireJack]

No thanks. I'd rather support the artists and people who advance our craft than steal from them.

[Sylvia]

I was able to see almost whole that book at amazon's "Look inside" just searched for the "leather" word in there

BTW: Don't know if it is a problem in US, but for instance here in Finland we have such books available in libraries for free....

You would think that would be a great thing. I live approximately 405 meters from my county library. But to get a Library card, they want $55 per person. And they people there are snots. When I was studying for school, I didn't have time to go and deal with attitudes, so I learned this technique out of desperation.

[Sylvia]

No thanks. I'd rather support the artists and people who advance our craft than steal from them.

GRRRRR.... How dare you? This is not stealing. It's using a service to MY advantage... jackass.

[Suicide]

No thanks. I'd rather support the artists and people who advance our craft than steal from them.

Do you think getting a book from a library also can be considered as a stealing? If no, than what the principal difference between way suggested by Sylvia and using a library?

[Leather Guru]

Hello Hellfirejack . . . Why not contribute 50 bucks to Lw .net instead of getting all your info free ?

Right on Sylvia ! I could sure use a chica like you doing all my computer work ! You have given some useful info like making those thumbnails bigger . Thanks

[Ferg]

I think the use of the information is being a little misunderstood. The Library has books to lend for reading. They are supported, for the most part by tax payer money

of which there isn't much being distributed these days. They have to make up the shortfall in ways that may aggravate some folks but fees are one way to do it.

As for the e-books that you can peruse on site without buying them........ Amazon for instance, makes money from selling a subscription to folks so they can read the book/books.

If they are terribly upset because Sylvia, and others, have figured out how to beat the system, they will close that hole in the software. At that time who is the winner?

Don't anyone give me the "Greed" bit. Every student has a vast amount of expenses when attending college. Books are certainly a large part of that. Soon, the printed page

will be for those of us that still like to read a physical book at abysmal prices, I could go on but you get the idea.

BTW: Sylvia, don't become so defensive about your method, that may show you are not quite comfortable with it either.

Just my .02

ferg

Hello Hellfirejack . . . Why not contribute 50 bucks to Lw .net instead of getting all your info free ?

Right on Sylvia ! I could sure use a chica like you doing all my computer work ! You have given some useful info like making those thumbnails bigger . Thanks

[HellfireJack]

GRRRRR.... How dare you? This is not stealing. It's using a service to MY advantage... jackass.

How dare I what? Give my opinion? Lord have mercy what have I done?!? GASP ::SHOCK:: QUICK SOMEONE CALL HIM A NAME!!! LOL. Grow up a little and try to be civil.

You're teaching people how to abuse a glitch in Amazon's book preview in order to not have to buy a book. This may not have been your intent but it is what it is. You're taking money away from the authors of those books by doing this. You can call it whatever you want, I call it stealing. All I said was that I'm not going to abuse the bug and I think I'm free to give my opinion. If you're fine with doing it by all means please continue. I'll just pay the 13 bucks and buy the book.

Feel free to have your opinion as well. No name calling needed on my part . Have a good day.

Hello Hellfirejack . . . Why not contribute 50 bucks to Lw .net instead of getting all your info free ?

Right on Sylvia ! I could sure use a chica like you doing all my computer work ! You have given some useful info like making those thumbnails bigger . Thanks

As far as I know Leather Guru there is no price prominently displayed on LW.net's message boards. Even if there were, I'm not circumventing their system in order to read these messages and I'm not doing anything wrong at all here.

Why don't you give LW.net 50 bucks for me since you're so concerned about them getting some payment from everyone. In the mean time I'll continue supporting LW.net as I already have by clicking on their ads and banners and puchasing from those clients who advertise with them. I probably will eventually also give money directly to LW.net but it won't be because of you and your ineffective guilt trips attempts. Thanks for you input though.

[HellfireJack]

Do you think getting a book from a library also can be considered as a stealing? If no, than what the principal difference between way suggested by Sylvia and using a library?

If you keep said book and never return it then yes it's stealing. I don't think anyone would disagree. If, however, you abide by the policies of the lending library and return the book of course it's not stealing. Libraries pay money for their books and they encourage reading. They do it with taxpayers money. Just because your library card is free it doesn't mean the authors aren't getting paid for their work. Your example doesn't quite match the given situation.

I'm not going to abuse the glitch in their system. That's all I've said. in my opinion it's unfair to the author and cheats them out of money. I've not told anyone they have to stop. You can abuse it all you want. This is a discussion board. People give their opinions here and discuss things.

[Suicide]

If you keep said book and never return it then yes it's stealing. I don't think anyone would disagree. If, however, you abide by the policies of the lending library and return the book of course it's not stealing. Libraries pay money for their books and they encourage reading. They do it with taxpayers money. Just because your library card is free it doesn't mean the authors aren't getting paid for their work. Your example doesn't quite match the given situation.

I'm not going to abuse the glitch in their system. That's all I've said. in my opinion it's unfair to the author and cheats them out of money. I've not told anyone they have to stop. You can abuse it all you want. This is a discussion board. People give their opinions here and discuss things.

You completely right about everything and I agree with you on this.

The only thing you seem don't paid much attention is that most of the people would like to see what they are buying before pay. As for me, I love lieathercraftlibrary.com and bought some from where, but at the same time I hate what there is completely no any preview. Maybe I would buy more stuff there could be preview available. "Zoom cover... pages:57." plus short general description. Press "What I am buying?" - you see what you are buying PDF for your own use. Great. But why I can't have a look inside?

I wanted to buy lacing book there, but could see the only page stated something about 15 different braidings.... What are braidings? Can they put at least names or TOC there? No. Well I downloaded this book from internet. I suspect it was the same copy gotten from LCL.com. I looked into it, found there exactly what I need and.... WENT to LCL.com and paid 7 bucks for it.

But if I couldn't find it for dounload I doubt I will pay 7 bucks for just "something".

If book is great, person who read "preview" and found it worth it's money - I believe he will pay for it.

If the book is a shit and I don't want to have it on my shelf or in my Kindle, then I could use the whole book preview as it would be book from a library - quickly read it, closed browser and forgot about this.

Thats just my thoughts....

[Suicide]

I think the use of the information is being a little misunderstood. The Library has books to lend for reading. They are supported, for the most part by tax payer money

of which there isn't much being distributed these days. They have to make up the shortfall in ways that may aggravate some folks but fees are one way to do it.

Thats also quite interesting case.

Ok, I took book from a lib, read it and return. But was so iinspired so I went to shop and bought personal copy.

Does it mean I paid to author twice? First time being a tax payer and second time being a bookstore customer?

[Sylvia]

No thanks. I'd rather support the artists and people who advance our craft than steal from them.

This isn't so much of an opinion but blatant statement implying that anyone that use this method, IS A THIEF. I don't copy these online sources, I read them as best I can and put them in a wish list for future purchases if appropriate to my needs. This is no different than going to a Barns and Nobel store and reading several chapters of a book before deciding to buy.

I am not a thief and I do believe in copyright laws. It is extremely insulting to me that you even implied that I am a thief...so yes I used your "name" and used a little ARTISTIC LICENSE and made it a bit more appropriate to your comment.

[HellfireJack]

You completely right about everything and I agree with you on this.

The only thing you seem don't paid much attention is that most of the people would like to see what they are buying before pay. As for me, I love lieathercraftlibrary.com and bought some from where, but at the same time I hate what there is completely no any preview. Maybe I would buy more stuff there could be preview available. "Zoom cover... pages:57." plus short general description. Press "What I am buying?" - you see what you are buying PDF for your own use. Great. But why I can't have a look inside?

I wanted to buy lacing book there, but could see the only page stated something about 15 different braidings.... What are braidings? Can they put at least names or TOC there? No. Well I downloaded this book from internet. I suspect it was the same copy gotten from LCL.com. I looked into it, found there exactly what I need and.... WENT to LCL.com and paid 7 bucks for it.

But if I couldn't find it for dounload I doubt I will pay 7 bucks for just "something".

If book is great, person who read "preview" and found it worth it's money - I believe he will pay for it.

If the book is a shit and I don't want to have it on my shelf or in my Kindle, then I could use the whole book preview as it would be book from a library - quickly read it, closed browser and forgot about this.

Thats just my thoughts....

This trick isn't about previewing before you buy. It's showing others how not to have to pay for a book.

You can inject whatever you have to in order to justify using this method. You don't need my approval to live your life and I'm not going to give it. Do what you have to do. As I've stated several times. I'm not going to use it and I hope others support these authors/craftspeople and actually purchase these books instead of just using this to read them for free.

[Sylvia]

BTW: Sylvia, don't become so defensive about your method, that may show you are not quite comfortable with it either.

ferg

No one calls me a thief and gets away with it. NO ONE! I am perfectly fine using this method otherwise I would not have shared.

[HellfireJack]

This isn't so much of an opinion but blatant statement implying that anyone that use this method, IS A THIEF. I don't copy these online sources, I read them as best I can and put them in a wish list for future purchases if appropriate to my needs. This is no different than going to a Barns and Nobel store and reading several chapters of a book before deciding to buy.

I am not a thief and I do believe in copyright laws. It is extremely insulting to me that you even implied that I am a thief...so yes I used your "name" and used a little ARTISTIC LICENSE and made it a bit more appropriate to your comment.

LOL! Silvia, do be serious. Are you saying anyone who uses this method to read a book for free instead of buying it wouldn't be a thief? I'm not sure what you're saying here?

And your name calling is useless in this discussion. Luckily I'm a fairly decent guy so you won't get the same treatment in return.

I've already explained my opinion and what I mean precisely. if you have issues with it then those issues are yours and not mine. As I said you may not have intended for it to be such but this is what it is. It's extremely insulting to me that you would call me names while teaching people to use exploits to read books for free. Be serious here. Do you honestly think everyone who reads this will use this method you've put out to simply preview books before they buy them?

What if some of these authors were orphans? Would stealing from orphans be OK?!? OMG!! CALL ME ANOTHER NAME!!!

I hope everyone supports these authors and craftspeople in their endeavors and purchases these books rather than just using this method to read them for free. Fair is fair right?

[Ferg]

Let's try to get this straightened out. You got the book from the library, read it liked it and considered buying the book. If you paid a fee to "Belong" to the Library you helped pay for the workers salary's, books, and all the essential things a public building has to have. The publisher received the most of the money for publishing the book but they also had to distribute same. The author got a stipend in many cases for having actually done the work of writing. The only money the author gets is for each book actually sold no matter who buys, library or person.

ferg

Thats also quite interesting case.

Ok, I took book from a lib, read it and return. But was so iinspired so I went to shop and bought personal copy.

Does it mean I paid to author twice? First time being a tax payer and second time being a bookstore customer?

[Ferg]

Sylvia,

Settle down and think about what you done for just a few minutes. No matter how it is stated, you hacked Amazon's software to get a free book. Each time an e-book

is sold the author gets about 30% of the price listed on a site. The remainder goes for all the overhead Amazon and others have endured. Do you think it costs nothing to put that book together so it can be read on-line?

Place yourself in this scenario: You design some leathercraft pieces and put them into a book format. You decide to see if you can make a little money, perhaps do the publishing yourself, writing the program so all the e-readers can understand and render correctly. Jo Blow sees the book on Amazon, figures out how to download those carefully prepared drawings etc. without paying for them. You would have been hacked. That is exactly what you did and it is not right. Probably didn't break any laws but it wasn't the right thing to do.

ferg

No one calls me a thief and gets away with it. NO ONE! I am perfectly fine using this method otherwise I would not have shared.

[Sylvia]

Sylvia,

Settle down and think about what you done for just a few minutes. No matter how it is stated, you hacked Amazon's software to get a free book. Each time an e-book

is sold the author gets about 30% of the price listed on a site. The remainder goes for all the overhead Amazon and others have endured. Do you think it costs nothing to put that book together so it can be read on-line?

Place yourself in this scenario: You design some leathercraft pieces and put them into a book format. You decide to see if you can make a little money, perhaps do the publishing yourself, writing the program so all the e-readers can understand and render correctly. Jo Blow sees the book on Amazon, figures out how to download those carefully prepared drawings etc. without paying for them. You would have been hacked. That is exactly what you did and it is not right. Probably didn't break any laws but it wasn't the right thing to do.

ferg

Ferg, I hacked nothing. I used the search feature on Look inside. Nothing more. I downloaded nothing, I broke into nothing, I stole nothing.

[HellfireJack]

Sylvia, If you're putting this out as a way to save people money then you're not being honest with us here.

You can't just go into the preview and see those pages. The search feature is not intended to give you access to the most or all of the book. You're using what a hacker would call a simple exploit to access information you shouldn't normally be able to access. If you're using it to gain information rather than just seeing if the book is good to buy then you are doing something wrong.

Sorry but I call a spade a spade. If people use this to read a book for free they would normally have to purchase then they're taking money from the author. This is pretty simple to understand.

You can do it all you want but don't sit and tell me that pointing out what this is is makes me wrong and then call me names because I'm not afraid to say it.

[Johanna]

I am reporting myself. Apparently, according to some members here I am a thief

and a liar. So please delete this entire thread.

Please cancel my

membership as well. I do not intend to subject myself to the abuse of the

members here any longer. So I'll be on my way. Thanks for attempting to put

up a good board... to bad you have curmudgeons that like to be trolls.

Thanks

Sylvia

The way I see it: If you want to browse through a book to see if you want to buy it online or at a book store, fine. Reading it in the store or in the way descibed above is pretty iffy. I think it's very important that we make sure authors are compensated for their work. We wouldn't have books by Bruce Grant, Peter Main, Al Stohlman, Valerie Micheal, Paul Burnett, George Hurst and on and on if there was no financial compensation to the authors. If you want to know what others think of the book you can ask here or read the reviews on Amazon. If you want to glance through the book, fine. Read, copy or redistribute, NO.

I'm sorry you feel you have to quit LW, Sylvia. I think Jack presented the other side of the coin quite well, and if that offends you, well, maybe you do realize that circumventing the honor system isn't popular here on LW.

Johanna

[DoubleC]

I think the use of the information is being a little misunderstood. The Library has books to lend for reading. They are supported, for the most part by tax payer money

of which there isn't much being distributed these days. They have to make up the shortfall in ways that may aggravate some folks but fees are one way to do it.

As for the e-books that you can peruse on site without buying them........ Amazon for instance, makes money from selling a subscription to folks so they can read the book/books.

If they are terribly upset because Sylvia, and others, have figured out how to beat the system, they will close that hole in the software. At that time who is the winner?

Don't anyone give me the "Greed" bit. Every student has a vast amount of expenses when attending college. Books are certainly a large part of that. Soon, the printed page

will be for those of us that still like to read a physical book at abysmal prices, I could go on but you get the idea.

BTW: Sylvia, don't become so defensive about your method, that may show you are not quite comfortable with it either.

Just my .02

ferg

Right on Ferg. Wouldn't we all like a huge library stuffed full of the printed word we love? What Sylvia taught us, and borrowing from a library is exactly the same. I don't know who Hellfire thinks he is, but I have two published SS in two different anthologies in my library back in my roots of Ohio. And I proud they are there for people to read. What's to be uncomfortable about? We've always made books available, but try and download a SONG and you'll end up in prison. And I'm sure she's right about the fees at her 'county' library. I live in Rutland VT. now, and the only people who can use the library are the ones who live in Rutland 'city.' Not anyone else in the county, unless you pay a fee. Damn disgrace. Cheryl