SQL Server Wait Stats was my first book experiment, and requests for a free PDF taught me about publishing. I wanted readers to learn, while respecting everyone who helped make the book.
Why Readers Asked for a Free PDF
In October 2011, readers asked me to send a free PDF instead of asking them to buy the book. Others offered to share a downloadable copy widely in exchange for exposure. I understood the wish to learn without another expense.
I could also see the attraction of reaching more readers. But a book involves much more than the author’s time. Editors, the publisher, distributors, and the marketing team all contribute. Exposure alone doesn’t account for that work.
Buying a Copy for Someone
My answer in 2011 was personal. If someone needed the book and couldn’t afford it, I offered to purchase a copy and ship it. That offer belonged to 2011. It isn’t a current shipment promise.
I bought copies through Amazon or Flipkart. I was comfortable giving up my share, while protecting the shares of the other contributors.
Giving someone a purchased copy let me help a reader while supporting the publication. Offering a file for unrestricted sharing would have been a different decision. My reply wasn’t an invitation to redistribute the book.
SQL Server Wait Stats on Kindle
The Kindle edition gave readers another way to access SQL Server Wait Stats when a print copy wasn’t available locally. Reading a Kindle edition didn’t require owning a Kindle device. Reader software covered computers and mobile devices.
The 2011 software options included PC and Windows Phone 7. The five-day Kindle price offer listed $3.99 in the United States and a $3.99 to $5.99 range elsewhere.
The price was scheduled to increase by $2 after November 1, 2011. Those figures describe the 2011 offer. Worldwide availability was also a claim from that period. A current edition, country listing or price needs a current seller’s confirmation.
Publishing and Learning
This was an introductory book about SQL Server Wait Stats. I also mentioned plans for an expanded version covering SQL Server 2012. That was a plan at the time, rather than proof of a later release. The warm reader response encouraged me to keep writing.
Thank you for reading, and for supporting the people behind the books you love.
Helping a reader is not unrestricted copying, it is support for learning and the work behind a book.
Published by Pinal Dave on SQLAuthority. More of my work at pinaldave.com.
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9 Comments. Leave new
Is there any dicounted version of paper book? And can you name any free kindle reader for Mac?
“If you really need my book and cannot purchase it due to financial trouble, do let me know and I will purchase it myself and ship it to you.”
Ha! I loved your response sir! I must say I think you are handling some of the perhaps more undesirable attention very well! In my opinion folks that are on the scrounge for a free book should genuinely be embarrassed and ashamed of their rudeness.
It takes a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication to produce a technical publication and the cost to the reader is so trivial when compared to the value that is accessible through the knowledge gained.
Congratulations once more to you Pinal for a fantastic achievement. I’d love to read some posts about your experiences as a first time author and how you got started.
John Sir,
You read my mind, truly I worked hard. Besides author there are so many other people who are involved. Editors, Publisher, Distributors and few Marketing team. When one free copy is shipped – I am totally fine to lose my share but I think it is unfair for everybody who are involved to loose their share. For the same, I directly purchase and ship it from Amazon (USA) and Flipkart (India).
Thanks for motivating words.
Pinal
All right, the kindle edition. That is what I was waiting for.
Pinal, publishing a book at such a young age is great. I have felt that book writing is challenging. Like the reader John, if you could publish some tips on how to get started say even contributing for some chapters of a book (like a joint venture) that would be great.
Thank you
Ramdas
Just bought the book on Wait stats and reading through.
I am seeing a lot of ASYNC_NETWORK_IO wait types on my SQLServer with high wait times. These are not happening on the Database Server but on the application and file server end. Earlier the switches connected to these file servers had a bandwidth of 100MB and we have increased it to 1GB. Still there is no change in the wait types or wait times. I am seeing no difference.
Can someone please help me.
I am able to identify the SQL that has ASYNC_NETWORK_IO wait type based on Adam Machanic’s whoisactiv script. The select statement is trying to fetch records between 7 and 90 based on an ID. The graphical execution plan suggests that adding a missing nonclustered index will impact the performance with a 70% improvement. I am not sure if I need to go in this route to remove this wait_type yet.
Can i get an e-book which i can purchase online itself?