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"Thanks for a great book.  Most e-books are small, almost pamphlets but the Desktop Search Handbook is great value for over 60 pages of info"    - Greg H, Lincoln, Nebraska.

FAQ

How much does the Handbook cost?

The Desktop Search Handbook costs US$14.95 retail.

Our newsletter subscribers (one or more of Office Watch, Office for Mere Mortals, Access Watch or Email Essentials) get the same Guide for the discounted price of US$9.95 - click here.

It is also available for sale in some other currencies - click here.

What do I get?

All purchasers get a comprehensive guide to Desktop Searching – over 95 pages of original content with color screen-shots, table of contents and appendixes.

The Handbook is in PDF format personalized for each buyer.

Who wrote the ebook?

The Desktop Search Handbook was written by the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Office Watch and other newsletters, Peter Deegan with help from Claudia Almer and Rose Vines.

I already have a Desktop Search program

It's easy to install a desktop search program - but are you getting the most from it?  We found there's lot's of hidden extras and tricks behind the apparent simplicity of a desktop search program.

Our Handbook isn't just a brief review - it's a comprehensive 'how to' guide so you can get the most out of whatever program you are using.

Plus the Handbook may encourage you to try one of the other products that are out there - the most popular one isn't necessarily the best.

What do I need to read the Guide?

You need a copy of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader – version 5 or above.  Most people will have the reader installed already but if not you can download it from here.

The book can be read on any Windows or Macintosh computer that supports the Acrobat Reader.

Some people have had general problems with the Acrobat Reader which have been solved by switching to the latest free v7 release from here

How do I pay?

You can pay via major credit cards or Paypal using a secure online system.  Payment can be in US Dollars, Canadian dollars, Sterling, Euro, Yen or Australian dollars -- click here.

You do NOT need a Paypal account -- just a major credit card.

NEW!  There is an offline payment option available where you can fax in your credit card details instead.

Can I pay by check?

No directly, we looked at this option however it would be slow and we'd have to charge an additional fee for the manual processing involved. 

However Paypal has an 'e-check' option for compatible US bank accounts - you choose this option when arranging payment from Paypal - click here.  It takes a few business days to clear, unlike credit card payments that are cleared in seconds.

Paypal won't accept my card or country!

Paypal accepts most major credit cards however the exact cards available depends on your country of origin and their local policies.  In addition some countries residents are, in effect, banned due to excessive fraud from those regions.  This is a Paypal decision over which we have no control. 

However we do have alternative payment options that are available - click here.

How big is it?

The first edition is over 95 pages long plus there's appendix which has a complete list of the supported file types and search commands reference for each of the major Desktop Search products.  The PDF file size is around 2.7MB.

Can I see before I buy?

You're welcome to look at the first few pages of the Desktop Search Handbook in PDF format – click here.

How much advertising is there in the guide?

None at all.  This is a book you pay for, as opposed to the free newsletters, so there is NO advertising at all.

What if I lose my copy of the Guide?

You can download a fresh personalized copy of the Desktop Searching Handbook at any time from our web site.  Just login and download.

How do I get the updates?

See our special page on updating your copy of the Desktop Search Handbook.

What version of the e-book do I have

Have a look at the 'Revision History' section in the e-book text for a full list of updates.

The final update (January 2006) is now available with greatly updated coverage of Google Desktop Search, Copernic Desktop Search v1.6, entirely new chapter on Blinkx and Isys among many, many updates.

Is this a prelude to a paper book edition?

We're not intending to produce a paper book version of the Desktop Search Handbook  - we feel that this part of the computer world is moving far too quickly for the paper publishing world to keep up.  It would be prohibitively expensive for us (and you) to produce and distribute a 'real' book.  A 'real' book runs the real risk of getting out of date soon after, if not before, it reaches you.  In addition to the free update editions the ebook has features (like searching, bookmarks and annotation) that are not possible with a paper book.

Can I print out the Handbook?

Unlike many e-books, we let you print out a copy of the Desktop Search Handbook for your own use.  However before you do please keep in mind:

• The entire e-book is over 150 pages with the appendices.  Since the appendix are designed for searching / reference it's probably not worth printing them out.  You might want to only print out the main body of the book - around 95 pages.
• A printed version will get out of date.  We will be updating the Desktop Search Handbook throughout 2005 and purchasers get those editions for no extra cost.  Any printed version is likely to be superseded.
• The PDF file is formatted to 8.5" x 11" (US Letter) however the Acrobat Print dialog box has some useful options like:
  • Page Scaling to allow the pages to be printed on another size paper. 'Fit to Printer Margins'
  • Page Scaling also has a 'Multiple Pages per sheet' that will let you print two pages on one sheet (test first to make sure the smaller type is readable)
  • Page Range lets you specify which pages to print - similar to the option in Microsoft Word.
• Each page is numbered in the bottom right corner.
• Adobe Acrobat has some great features like search and bookmarks that make navigating the book much easier than a paper version.   We love a printed book as much as anyone, but for reference and how to material like this, the ebook option is worth trying.

Will there be more Office Watch Guides?

We hope so - it depends on finding suitable topics and the financial viability of the Desktop Search Handbook.   We are trying to provide quality and timely content for a reasonable price -- if you, the customer, responds favorably then we'll be happy to make more titles in the future.  For the moment we're focused on the first title not future maybe's.

I've purchased the Guide - how do I get it?

You'll be sent an email within a few hours, usually much sooner, with the link to download your personalized copy. 

But you do NOT have to wait for that email (in fact you might not get it due to over-zealous spam filters) - just login to our online shop, view your orders and a link to the download is provided for all completed orders.

The same login and download link lets you get any future updates -- the latest version of the Desktop Search Handbook is always available from the same download link.

I haven't seen any email with a link!

Don't panic - most likely the message has been caught in an overzealous spam filter.  Please check your deleted items and Junk Mail folders for a message from us.  Also keep in mind that many ISP's have their own spam filters and it might have been wrongly caught there - before you see it.  In Email Essentials we've complained about ISP's who filter spam without any options for customers. 

Sadly these days you cannot assume that when you don't receive a message that means it wasn't sent at all.

If you purchased after 15 March 2005 you will have used our online shopping cart at http://shop.office-watch.com/eb/ .  With this system you can check the status of your order and get a download link at any time (whether you've received a confirmation email or not) which is always for the latest version of the e-book.

Just go to http://shop.office-watch.com/eb/  login using the email address and password you created when you purchased.  View your current orders and a download link will be shown for all paid e-book orders.

If all else fails:  ebookshopmanager@woodyswatch.com please include details of your order, especially the exact name and exact email address used with your order plus any other details you might have.  The more information you can send us the easier it is for us to find your account and order.

Do I need a Paypal account to purchase?

No -- we use Paypal to process credit cards on our behalf.  They are a well-known and respected company who can process multiple currencies.  While in the past, Paypal might have required you to create an account with them, that is no longer the case if you simply wish to make a purchase.

There is an exception that some customers have found.  Paypal has a security feature that, like most security features is both sensible and annoying.  Here's what happens:  at some time in the past you created a Paypal account and recorded a credit card against that account.  Now you try to pay directly with that same card and Paypal will insist that you login to use it.  This is presumably a security measure to stop unauthorized use of a credit card that a Paypal customer has recorded.

NEW! There is an offline payment option available where you can give us your credit card details for manual processing or fax in your credit card details instead.

I hate Paypal!

We are investigating other options (unlike some computer companies, when we say we are investigating it -- we really are!).  Once we have found a reputable, secure and efficient option for credit cards we will implement it.   While there are plenty of credit card acceptance systems out there we are fussy and particular not just for ourselves but our customers too.

NEW! There is an offline payment option available where you can give us your credit card details for manual processing or fax in your credit card details instead.

What DRM are you using?

We looked at the major Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems for ebooks and found them wanting.  They are too difficult for the reader to manage and we didn’t want to put our customers to that nuisance.  But we do have to protect ourselves from copying and theft of a work that has taken us a long time to prepare.  Each copy of the Desktop Search Handbook has the purchasers name embossed in it so the source of any illegal copying can be detected, we will withdraw the right to updates to any user who illegally copies the Guide.

Can I have a copy on my desktop and laptop computers?

Yes, certainly.  Copying between two computers you use is fine.

Note that we have not used any Digital Rights Management systems that would make copying much harder and difficult for customers. This was a deliberate choice on our part.

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The Desktop Search Handbook (ISBN 978-0-9757363-0-2) - by Peter Deegan - enquiries about our ebooks or ordering can be emailed to  ebookshopmanager at woodyswatch.com