Troubleshooting Mac® OS X Books

Infrequently asked questions

While most customers purchase Troubleshooting Mac OS X based solely on the information provided elsewhere on this Web site, occasionally we receive e-mails from potential customers with questions about the book. Here we answer the following "infrequently" asked questions we have received about Troubleshooting Mac OS X:

• I have never used an e-book. What advantages do e-books offer over printed books?
• I purchased an earlier edition of Troubleshooting Mac OS X. Can I obtain a discount on the latest edition?
• Will you be publishing future editions of Troubleshooting Mac OS X?
• Can I buy a paper-based or printed version of Troubleshooting Mac OS X?
• Are educational discounts available for Troubleshooting Mac OS X?
• Is Troubleshooting Mac OS X available for sale by Apple® Authorized Resellers?
• Apple just announced a new version of Mac OS X. Why should I buy the current edition of Troubleshooting Mac OS X?
• What are the terms and conditions of the License Agreement for Troubleshooting Mac OS X?
• I have lost my copy of Troubleshooting Mac OS X. Can I obtain a new download?

I have never used an e-book. What advantages do e-books offer over printed books?

We believe e-books, like Troubleshooting Mac OS X, offer the following advantages over printed books:

• Full-text search: You can search for words or phrases anywhere in the book. This is considerably easier than using a table of contents or an index to find information.
• Hyperlinks: Troubleshooting Mac OS X uses hyperlinks extensively, both to information within the book and to some of the best troubleshooting information available on the World Wide Web. These ease navigation in the book, as well as let the book bring you the best content regardless of where it is in the world.
• Bookmarks: Troubleshooting Mac OS X also employs the bookmark capability of PDFs, giving you access to a detailed table of contents in a separate window any time you want. This again makes navigating an e-book much easier than a printed book. You can also add your own bookmarks to your favorite pages.
• Zoom: You can zoom text or images to virtually any size. If you are visually impaired or rely on bifocals like the author, being able to zoom text and images in an e-book beats reading a printed book with a magnifying glass.
• Good value: Distributing Troubleshooting Mac OS X electronically as an e-book enables us to sell the book inexpensively while still making a reasonable and honest profit.
• Environmentally friendly: No trees were harmed in the creation or publication of Troubleshooting Mac OS X. Likewise, electronic distribution requires far less energy than either driving to a bookstore or having a printed book delivered.
• No paper cuts! [Top]

I purchased an earlier edition of Troubleshooting Mac OS X. Can I obtain a discount on the latest edition?

We do not offer free or discounted upgrades. The books require a massive amount of time and effort to produce, so much so that we cannot consider discounts, much less free updates. We keep our prices low so that new editions remain affordable. [Top]

Will you be publishing future editions of Troubleshooting Mac OS X?

We may publish future editions of the Troubleshooting Mac OS X series of books as new versions of Mac OS X are released. However, this depends on how well the current edition of Troubleshooting Mac OS X sells. The X Lab™ is a business: if publishing books like Troubleshooting Mac OS X does not prove to be sufficiently profitable, we may pursue other activities.

Furthermore, we never disclose nor "pre-announce" our plans for future products, nor do we discuss products in development. It is a common practice among companies to regard their product plans as confidential. If we plan to publish a new book or other product, we will only announce it when it is ready for sale. When you purchase one of our products, there is an option to be added to our mailing list. Customers who have requested to be on the mailing list are the first to be notified about new products. [Top]

Can I buy a printed version of Troubleshooting Mac OS X?

No. The Troubleshooting Mac OS X books are distributed exclusively as e-books.

However, you can print all or part of Troubleshooting Mac OS X on your printer. Each e-book has full book-production values, including a detailed Table of Contents and Index. It should work well if printed, but the hyperlinks only work when using the e-book on your computer. [Top]

Are educational discounts available for Troubleshooting Mac OS X?

No. We believe the books are already a terrific value and very inexpensive. Furthermore, offering and managing educational discounts, including verifying student or educational institution identity, would significantly burden our limited resources. We have priced the books in the Troubleshooting Mac OS X series so that anyone who can afford a Mac can afford the book. [Top]

Is Troubleshooting Mac OS X available for sale by Apple® Authorized Resellers?

We have considered a reseller program from time to time, but have no formal plans for one at the present. If you are interested in being notified directly if we announce a reseller program, please contact us. [Top]

Apple just announced a new version of Mac OS X. Why should I buy the current edition of Troubleshooting Mac OS X?

Whenever Apple® Computer, Inc. announces a new version of Mac OS X, we evaluate the differences between the current a new versions once the new version is released. In past cases like this, our initial evaluation has generally shown that a good portion of the troubleshooting information in the current edition is applicable to the new version of Mac OS X. Obviously, a new version of Mac OS X will have features or bugs not addressed in a book focused on the prior version, but the books have "travelled well" when Apple releases a new version of Mac OS X.

Furthermore, much of the advice in the most current edition of the Troubleshooting Mac OS X series of books is timeless, i.e. independent of the version of Mac OS X you are using. Chapters such as "Backup and Recovery," "Organizing Information About Your Mac," "General Mac OS X Troubleshooting," "Hardware Testing," "Moving to a New Mac," and many others apply regardless of whether you are running Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, or future releases of Mac OS X.

Only you can decide if you will obtain value equivalent to the purchase price of the latest edition of Troubleshooting Mac OS X between now and any future edition we may publish, if any. Most customers who purchased prior editions have also purchased the latest edition. The value is there. For example, one call to Apple for technical support is $49.00 outside of warranty or AppleCare® support. Compare this to the price of the latest edition of Troubleshooting Mac OS X. [Top]

What are the terms and conditions of the License Agreement for Troubleshooting Mac OS X?

Click here to review the License Agreement. [Top]

I have lost my copy of Troubleshooting Mac OS X. Can I obtain a new download?

We are sorry to hear of your loss. The answer is: it depends...

• If your e-book was lost, damaged, or stolen we will provide you, on a once-and-only-once basis, with a new download link within five business days after receiving notification from you if you notify us of the loss within 30 calendar days of your date of purchase.
• To notify us, and as proof of purchase, forward, via e-mail, a copy of the original "Thanks for your purchase" e-mail you received confirming your order along with a note requesting a new download link and a description of the circumstances of your loss, for example: stolen computer or hard disk head crash.
• Forward the copy of the "Thanks for your purchase" e-mail and the description of the circumstances of your loss to our feedback e-mail address from the same e-mail address that you used to place the order.
• Unfortunately, we do not have time to look up your original order: you must forward a copy of the "Thanks for your purchase" e-mail from the e-mail address used to place your order as proof of purchase.
• Beyond 30 calendar days following the date of your purchase, we do not replace lost, damaged, or stolen e-books, whether you purchased a download, a CD, or both. You will need to purchase a new copy.
• This is the same business model as used in the physical book world: if you bought a physical book from a bookstore, and then that book was lost, damaged, stolen, or destroyed, the bookstore would not replace the book: you would have to buy another copy.
• The license agreement for our e-books is very specific about making a backup copy for this reason. Once you have your copy of the e-book, you are responsible for making one backup copy and keeping it safe.

We have instituted the policies above for the following reasons:

• We have received a number of fraudulent claims for replacement e-books.
• We bear both the costs of time and bandwidth in replacing e-books, time being the most precious resource, when the license agreement clearly permits you to make a backup.

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