Theos-Talk Archives (September 2010 Message tt00069)

Thanks for your detailed msg. While I am not an expert in publishing or
printing, I find pieces of info on Internet as to what technology is doing
to publishing.

Holding on to traditional approach to publishing and printing unfortunately
is pervasive in many organizations including theosophical, one or two things
have to happen. Hard copy publishing has to be come prohibitively expensive
for short printing runs (of course theosophical publications do not command
huge sales) or some young leadership who have grown up in Internet culture
have to come to top decision making levels (which may take years).

If organizations are not responsive to average middle class theosophists,
what happened to pricey software in the years past is likely to happen
theosophical books as well. I have heard in cyberspace that the complete
collections of publications of a well known modern philosopher is on a
server in Europe, much to the disappointment of copyright purists.

The need to make theosophical information available to anyone anywhere is
urgent and can affect a large number of people around the world because of
its transformative nature.

Any how let us see how the theosophical publishing trend progresses.

MKR

There is no religion higher than Truth

On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 11:49 PM, Daniel <danielhcaldwell@yhdGs1G8jBuufuzEmoQthWDfxnvnf8cjBUFSsd4Q1gLrAfPWkYnHoYthsVUat8R8nxPOJ9UVJ2_WYzoaOSDn1-xPfXA.yahoo.invalid> wrote:

>
>
> MKR:
>
> You write:
>
> ------------------
> ....very valuable time was lost in the process of trying to publish it as a
> book....
> ------------------
>
> Yes, about 12 or 13 years lost...at the least!!!
>
> You also comment:
> ----------------------------
> Also these days, on demand publishing is picking up speed and thus cost of
> printing and inventorying is disappearing.
> ----------------------------
>
> Several years ago when cost was brought up, I suggested to the powers that
> be that on demand publishing would alleviate most if not all of the cost of
> printing the manuscript. Here in Tucson a paperback version of the book
> could have been printed using print on demand technology for about $20.00.
> That would be the printing cost. I'm sure it could be done even cheaper
> elsewhere. This was not pursued.
>
> Furthermore, a print on demand version could have been printed here in
> America and one in Europe and even in Australia. This is very simple to do
> online. And would speed up delivery time and lessen the cost of postage
> considerably.
>
> See for example PediaPress that prints Wikipedia articles in book format
> using print on demand technology. The company is in Europe but at least for
> America the books are printed up thru an online printer in America. Very
> simple to do.
>
> Also the whole HPB manuscript could have been scanned and put on the web.
> See just one page of the manuscript at:
>
> http://blavatskyarchives.com/transactionsex.htm
>
> I find this quite readable and it could have been scanned in short order
> and put on the web and readers anywhere in the world could have accessed it
> for free!! F....R.....E....E....
>
> But this option was not used either.
>
> And the Theosophy Company could do this right now....if they really wanted
> to....
>
> OBTW Joy Mill's commentary on the Mahatma Letters could have been printed
> in paperback and hardback by using print on demand and surely could have
> been sold for less than what it is now being sold for.
>
> Some people still prefer reading printed books...once a week I go to both
> Barnes and Noble bookstore and Borders bookstore in Tucson and both stores
> have lots of people buying books every time I go. But a book can also be
> offered for those who prefer online versions using pdfs and also for example
> the Amazon Kindle. You give people options.
>
> Daniel
> http://hpb.cc
>
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com <theos-talk%40yahoogroups.com>, MKR
> <mkr777@...> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for the detailed background. My personal concern is that very
> > valuable time was lost in the process of trying to publish it as a book.
> > Anyone visiting a professional office such as an accountant or an
> attorney
> > or even a doctors office these days, books are disappearing and
> everything
> > is in electronic medium. Also these days, on demand publishing is picking
> up
> > speed and thus cost of printing and inventorying is disappearing. While a
> > lot of work went into getting the book ready and published, still the end
> > product is too pricey and out of reach with most theosophists especially
> in
> > the third world country. Thus the end product is going to reach
> relatively
> > few theosophists who can afford to pay the high price. In my thinking,
> any
> > material we should try to reach as many as possible and we all know the
> > number of theosophists are miniscule relative to the overall population.
> It
> > is a pity that when business side gets mixed up with dissemination of
> > theosophical material, the end result is not pretty. Let us all hope that
> > the Theosophy Company sees the issue from the point of view of poor
> > theosophists in third world and do something about reaching them. Again,
> > making original material available to theosophists has great value since
> > each earnest student can try to understand and come to their own
> > interpretation which is more valuable to the individual.
> >
> > Thanks again for the detailed account of the background.
> >
> > By the way, I hope pricey spiritual publications do not face the same
> fate
> > as pricey utilitarian software faced years ago.
> >
> > MKR
> >
> > On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 5:34 PM, Daniel <danielhcaldwell@...> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > MKR, the reason I did NOT mention who possessed the HPB manuscript is
> > > because I was told and assured many times by the Theosophy Company
> > > officials that the Theosophy Company was indeed going to publish the
> > > manuscript as a book. And this was confirmed by other people
> > > involved in the project.
> > >
> > > That is also the reason that no attempt was made to scan the material.
> > > This was a project that was being undertaken by the Theosophy Company
> > > people and was going to cost them money to publish. Among other
> > > reasons, it would therefore not have been fair to try to publish the
> > > material online at the same time.
> > >
> > > Even two years ago when Michael Gomes was then involved in the
> > > project it is my undertanding that it was done in conjunction with
> > > the Theosophy Company and the plan was to have the Theosophy Company
> > > publish it.
> > >
> > > I only wanted the material published and I also thought that when
> > > published by the Theosophy Company it would not have cost anymore
> > > than any other book published by them.
> > >
> > > As far as I know, the Theosophy Company has the original material and
> > > I suppose could still publish their own version and/or even put up on
> > > their website an online version.
> > >
> > > You and other interested persons should write directly to the
> > > Theosophy Company about this. I already have.
> > >
> > > Daniel
> > > http://hpb.cc
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com <theos-talk%40yahoogroups.com><theos-talk%
> 40yahoogroups.com>, MKR
> > > <mkr777@> wrote:>
> > > > Thanks for the msg and clarification. I accept any error on my part
> as to
> > > > how I missed it. On the other hand, I wish all the theosophists
> contacted
> > > > the custodian of the documents as soon as we all knew about the
> discovery
> > > > and request that scanned copies made available to all. Hopefully, if
> any
> > > new
> > > > material gets discovered, we get to see them quickly without waiting
> for
> > > > years or having to buy a pricey book.
> > > >
> > > > MKR
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 1:49 PM, Daniel <danielhcaldwell@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > MKR, you write in part about the HPB material recently published:
> > > > >
> > > > > -------------------------
> > > > > It was in 2004 or 2005, I heard some vague comments in cyberspace
> point
> > > to
> > > > > some material in some one's archives. There was no inkling of the
> kind
> > > of
> > > > > material and what the issues surrounding them were.
> > > > >
> > > > > When the recent publication of transcription and explanation of the
> > > > > discussions HPB was announced, and subsequent discussions on the
> > > > > publication convinced me that the subject of the material was
> indeed
> > > HPB's
> > > > > discussions.
> > > > >
> > > > > The publishing industry had radically changed since the time of
> HPB.
> > > When
> > > > > it became clear that the unpublished material is indeed genuine
> > > transcripts,
> > > > > no one in the know made any attempt to alert theosophists about the
> > > > > discovery.
> > > > >
> > > > > Those in the know kept it to the vest. In todayÃÆÃÂÃÂÃâÅÃÂÃÂÃâÅÃÂs
> Internet
> > > world,
> > >
> > > > > dissemination of the information is quick and free. The
> theosophists
> > > > > involved should have made all of us aware of the discovery.
> > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > > > >
> > > > > MKR, I'm sorry to say that this is NOT accurate. NOT accurate at
> all.
> > > And I
> > > > > am surprised that you are writing it.
> > > > >
> > > > > In the pages of THEOSOPHICAL HISTORY IN 2002 I alerted the public
> to
> > > such
> > > > > materal and clearly identified what the material was.
> > > > >
> > > > > And for years I ALSO had on my website this announement.
> > > > >
> > > > > It was announced at http://blavatskyarchives.com in 2002.
> > > > >
> > > > > For example, this is what the announcement page looked like in
> 2005:
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> http://web.archive.org/web/20051103230921/http://secretdoctrinecommentary.net/
> > > > >
> > > > > ALSO ON THEOS-TALK I ANNOUNCED THIS. For example here is one of my
> > > postings
> > > > > from 2005:
> > > > >
> > > > > http://theosophy.com/theos-talk/200512/tt00042.html
> > > > >
> > > > > Again 2006:
> > > > >
> > > > > http://theos-talk.com/archives/200604/tt00108.html
> > > > >
> > > > > Scores of students over the years as a result of reading this above
> > > > > material would write me from time to time wanting an update on when
> the
> > > HPB
> > > > > material was to be published.
> > > > >
> > > > > So maybe you were unaware of this material but it was publicized
> even
> > > on
> > > > > Theos-Talk.
> > > > >
> > > > > An outline of how I discovered the manuscript, etc. can be found
> at:
> > > > >
> > > > > http://secretdoctrinecommentary.net
> > > > >
> > > > > Daniel
> > > > > http://hpb.cc
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>  
>


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