[pct-l] Yogi's guidebook

[kdrury at indy.rr.com (Keith Drury)]

Just my 2 cents on selling (vs. giving away on the Internet)information in a
guidebook...  I've done both with my guide to canoeing the Missouri river: I
sell it through Amazon.com etc. and also give the identical information away
on our University's Internet site... when I posted the information for free
the sales of the book went UP--go figure. Apparently people still wanted the
pocket-sized print-edition so I guess I work both sides of the street.   My
Missouri River guide (also self-published like Yogi?s guide) has now made a
?negative profit? of about $2000 so far?not particularly a smart financial
move on my part ;-)

Finally I?d like to lay out a challenge: I call on those who resist Yogi?s
moderate selling price to ?put up or shut up? ? that is, on your trip up the
PCT this year take the time to make a detailed record of data for others
instead like Yogi has.  Your call for altruism in others is a boomerang?it
comes right back at you.  I dare you.  Collect the data (with referring to
Yogi?s data?that?d be a Copyright violation) then when your trek is finished
YOU take the time to type it up and publish it for free on your Internet
site. Or even send to my University and we?ll publish it for you for free on
our Backpacking site.)  I dare you!

I?m afraid we thru-hikers always want others to be altruistic to us?but
forget we too ought to give.  So is there anyone out there willing to do
what you expect Yogi to do?  I?m calling you out.  Let?s see if you?re
willing to gather quality data to help other hikers, take the time to type
it up after your trip then post it for free on the Internet. Perhaps someone
will do what they call Yogi to do????  Or will we all just continue writing
our self-absorbed personal journals?

Second Wind

--Keith Drury
Professor of Backpacking
Indiana Wesleyan University

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