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Post by BlueAndGold on Dec 27, 2019 15:30:34 GMT
Greetings, fellow Lulu ex-Forum refugees! I was curious if anyone has accepted the invitation to beta test the new Lulu system yet?
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Dec 27, 2019 16:23:39 GMT
Greetings, fellow Lulu ex-Forum refugees! I was curious if anyone has accepted the invitation to beta test the new Lulu system yet? Not having received an invite I can't accept. I'm also of the mind I wouldn't have enough free-time at this point to do a beta test justice.
However my experience back when I did system support was that if you really want a beta test to show you the bugs then you need not only experienced computer literate end-users but additionally the end-users who can destroy a steel ball with a rubber mallet.
Back in the day I saw some interesting bugs surface after the second category of end-user ran a system through its paces.
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Post by BlueAndGold on Dec 27, 2019 19:06:09 GMT
My intent was to do a trial run today, but I've been overrun with visiting relatives and their baseball team-sized crew of munchkins and can hardly hear myself think. Maybe next week...
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Dec 27, 2019 19:16:59 GMT
My intent was to do a trial run today, but I've been overrun with visiting relatives and their baseball team-sized crew of munchkins and can hardly hear myself think. Maybe next week... I get it. Having been a stay-at-home parent for six years plus I know how munchkins or tiny demons can keep you from focusing.
As for visiting relatives, I haven't had that issue for quite a while and at my age the number of those who would actually care to visit becomes more minute.
I don't lack for duties between helping educate / care for the kids while assisting a disabled spouse -- life is not boring even when it's not fun [though there is some fun involved].
Best of luck with the testing.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2019 1:06:09 GMT
I tested it until the upload file section. I sent a long list of comments to lulu. Never got a response. I had to stop because their was no option to add a PDF Interior from My Files. My father's book is huge and I didn't feel like re-uploading, and besides I wasn't given the ftp option with the beta site.
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Post by tasmanianartist on Dec 28, 2019 3:54:37 GMT
OH, no - really? I feel lucky that I've actually come to the completion of my publishing projects in 2017. It took all my wits to understand that system - and now a new one? Will existing books stay up and available on Lulu as they are - or is there a danger that they might simply 'vanish' into the cyber void?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2019 8:10:11 GMT
I never received an invitation to beta test. I did get one last time. Didn't like the changes of the current site probably won't like the new either. It was made to work with people's smart phones and Ipads. Not really caring that many or most had to use pc. Tas...Our books should fine and showing on Lulu.com. I do know from Paul that there is going to be another publishing wizard along with a new cover wizard. For those who need it. To me the current site was too difficult to navigate. Hope they do something better this time. Sorry for being so negative. Still aggravated that they took our forum away LOL. But this is working great. Thanks Sphinx@
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Dec 28, 2019 10:58:56 GMT
I never received an invitation to beta test. I did get one last time. Didn't like the changes of the current site probably won't like the new either. It was made to work with people's smart phones and Ipads. Not really caring that many or most had to use pc. Tas...Our books should fine and showing on Lulu.com. I do know from Paul that there is going to be another publishing wizard along with a new cover wizard. For those who need it. To me the current site was too difficult to navigate. Hope they do something better this time. Sorry for being so negative. Still aggravated that they took our forum away LOL. But this is working great. Thanks Sphinx@ Ninja,
Got up a little early since my youngest son [almost 2-y.-o.] is a lousy room-mate who hogs our bed, kicks, demands bedroom service, then passes out and pees the bed [as 3T-4T diapers no longer last the night].
On negativity, I'd say don't worry about it because on disliking the function of a software set is more an opinion about user-friendliness combined with ease of function than about being Daniel Downer.
Regarding publishing tools being made to work with smart-phones and maxi-pads or whatever, I suppose there are people who will try to write a long novel on one but it's an exercise in self-abuse. Hence a mod mentioning that removing the fora is about software, in order to develop and maintain two very different sets of publishing tools carrying the expense of fora with declining active users would be seen as a unjustifiable in the corporate mindset.
When it comes to these fora, the direction they go will be more the authors involved helping other authors create better work than a corporate bottom-line, which in a sense does aid the corporate aspect [if that makes sense]. All 'new and improved' publishing tools aside, if the work being run through the wizards is either drivel or dreck new tools won't help crap sell. As well, many people can't afford expensive editing / marketing assist-packages -- with the way the economy has been weaponized to funnel as much money up to the top you can expect even fewer people to be able to afford the extra bells and whistles. In short there is a place for Lulu-centric authors to help other authors navigate the process.
Hopefully some of the above helps aid a different perspective that promotes a tad of relaxation. For now I'm going to go back to my kaffee.
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Post by tasmanianartist on Dec 29, 2019 4:40:18 GMT
New forums are always so 'clean'. No abusive trolls, or downputs by arrogant experts - hopefully this will stay like it. Photograph albums will be my only focus in the future, perhaps a calendar or two - the strictly 'writing' projects are in the past. But I'll never say never. One never knows. I might get to 75 yrs, and decide to start an 800page 6x9 epic. I created all 60-odd covers with the 'old' wizard - the 'improved' wizard of the soon-to-be defunct system did nothing for me - I couldn't make it do what I wanted it to do - like the old one. I'm with Ninja - hopefully 'desktop computer users' will receive a user-friendly interface. I don't even have a mobile/cell phone. The way I made the system work for me was simply focussing on those 'processes' that I needed in order to publish a book (just like the proverbial ram, butting that dam until it cracked) - not learning the whole system with its variants. Then, I wrote the successive keystrokes/tickbox choice/dropdown selections down, and followed that 'cheat-sheet' with each book. I joined in 2008 - 2018 was the first time I needed FTP ... and I'm still hoping that some new system will at last enable the 'insertion' printing of books with colour plates (i.e. normal text paper where text, and inserting colour paper where needed for colour images); the books would lose some of the $$$ weight at checkout. The technology exists ... but ... For the moment it's packing and relocating, the last leg of the 2-year effort will finish end January - thankgoodness.
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Post by benziger on Dec 29, 2019 7:25:59 GMT
... and I'm still hoping that some new system will at last enable the 'insertion' printing of books with colour plates (i.e. normal text paper where text, and inserting colour paper where needed for colour images); the books would lose some of the $$$ weight at checkout. The technology exists ... but ... I hope it too. I proposed it to Lulu in the time ( connect.lulu.com/en/discussion/353555/half-coloured-books). If you speak German and if you don't want to bring your own ISBN, you can do it at epubli, printing costs will drop significantly. NB. I had a look at your storefront (as the nick name is the same). An impressive range.
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Post by BlueAndGold on Dec 29, 2019 19:02:28 GMT
Oh, my... I had a few quiet moments so I thought I'd try the new Beta. I logged in and selected to create a new print book project but it wouldn't even let me type the name of the project in the provided space without looping me back to the point where you type the name of the project. This was using Firefox on Win7. Oh well. I guess I'm done. I created the project with the old, current system. Shoot...
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Post by tasmanianartist on Dec 30, 2019 4:42:26 GMT
benziger - yes, I speak German (Alemannisch by tribe) - I had a quick look at 'epubli' and cannot find an option to make available the book without ISBN on epubli only (like on Lulu - all my books are WITHOUT ISBN, available only on Lulu (personal choice)); however, I think it'll work for my own use - the 'machine' doesn't care what language is in the PDF - although, are there any 'special character' problems?) ... What you encountered in the storefront was less than half of the actual number - I had a second storefront/account, Karl May only. That is no longer - I had a 'sinking feeling' earlier in the year (about Lulu's development going into future technology that I won't be able to readily follow), and have handed all of those translations to a German publisher - now they sell like hotcakes on Amazon ;-) BlueAndGold - when I log in, I still get the old 'create a book' interface - is there a new URL for the beta version? I'd like to have a go, and start panicking.
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Post by tasmanianartist on Dec 30, 2019 5:17:12 GMT
benziger - just did a comparison - I have a 800page 6x9inch tome, hardcover with 25 colour plates - in all colour paper on Lulu that costs me AUD $172 give or take exchange rates. On epubli, the nearest size is 'Wissenschaft' in 17x24cm (just under 2cm larger either side)... (there is not a great choice), hardcover with 800 pages white and 25 colour pages it costs (1 copy) AUD $102. Still a fair chunk of money. Sigh ... one day I'll be able to afford my own book (haste to add that this is the only book out of all of them since 2002, when I started my writing and publishing journey, that I cannot afford to buy - at the same time, it was the last one I wrote and published - no great shakes, it is available with b/w plates on Amazon).
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Post by benziger on Dec 31, 2019 12:47:53 GMT
benziger - yes, I speak German (Alemannisch by tribe) - I had a quick look at 'epubli' and cannot find an option to make available the book without ISBN on epubli only (like on Lulu - all my books are WITHOUT ISBN, available only on Lulu (personal choice)); technology that I won't be able to readily follow), and have handed all of those translations to a German publisher - now they sell like hotcakes on Amazon Das isch aber wiit vo Alemannie bis uf Australie! Und zimli heiss - da bin eus hämmer öppe null Grad. I published even a small booklet in alemanic ( see here - not as I expect you to buy it, but maybe you like to have a look to the preview. Spelling following the reformed Dieth rules. Dialect variant: Lake of Zurich.) You may have good raisons for not using ISBN. Do you know, that books with ISBN (both, from Lulu and epubi) are also available on Amazon? At Lulu, you have to buy first one item and then confirm, that the qualitiy of the priting is OK. (That said: Being on Amazon is not a guarantee for selling like hot cakes. And: with selling directly you ear more.)
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Post by tasmanianartist on Jan 3, 2020 5:53:28 GMT
Doettige isch nit wiit vo Zueri - ich han mis schwizerduetsche Buechli gschriebe mit em 'Idiotikon' uf einere Siite, und eme Basler Alemanne vo Duetschland uf der andere Siite. Gschriebe han ich's wie's grad ueber d'Zunge g'loffe isch - sit 1977 han i kei Schwizerduetsch me g'schproche, und im 2011 wo s'Buechli fertig gsi isch (g'schriebe fuer de chli Sohn vo mim Brueder i de Schwiiz), hed mir min Brueder gseid es toent 'froemd'. Do isch es klar worde wie schnell sich e Schproch aendered - mis 'altmodische' Doettiger Dialekt haed ebe scho anders toent als sis moderne 'Hallwiler' Dialekt. Und no oeppis anders isch mer ufgfalle - bim zuelose chamer die verschiedene Alemannische Variante zwuesched em tiefe Schwarzwaelder Alemannisch und eme Schwizer Dialaekt chum verschtoh (ich ha sicher Schwierigkeite en Nord-Alemannische Spraecher z'verschtoh) - aber sobald's ufgschriebe wird, verschtoht's jede. ...... Din Link isch nid zum Buech gange, nur im Chreis ume wieder zum hiesige Forum.
To stay on topic - I still haven't got an URL or link to have a looksee at the new Lulu Beta website ... and I sent you a PM.
Yes, good reasons for not using ISBN (you hinted at one) - but that story is for another lifetime. Way back when, Lulu had even 6x9 hard covers on Amazon, without ISBN, but that turned into a Shamosl as somehow Amazon didn't gel with that. One of my Lulu Winnetou 6x9 hard cover images/thumnails stayed on Amazon for years - but linked to an old German version. (6x9 hardcover with 'white' inside paper is still not eligible for retail distribution - only the cream is - I don't like cream).
The publisher who owns my Winnetou translations now is very happy with their sales on Amazon - and that makes me happy, too (for reasons not readily apparent - also a story for another lifetime).
Indeed very hot, the past year was the hottest year on record, and there are several disaster areas in Australia's South East, and South West at present, as mega bushfires are sweeping through those regions.
Does anyone know WHEN exactly the new-look Lulu publishing website will be up and available for the broad public?
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