[PLUG-ANNOUNCE] OSCON Pass Book Review Contest Official Rules

Michael Dexter dexter at ambidexter.com
Fri Jul 4 01:33:13 UTC 2014


Dear active PLUG members,

OSCON is coming and one of you will head there with a full sessions pass
courtesy of O'Reilly Media!

You'll have to work for it though but it will make you a better person
and is a GREAT alternative to giving a PLUG talk should you still find
that too intimidating.

The contest: Write a public book review of any O'Reilly title.

Who is eligible: Active PLUG members defined as those active on the
mailing list, attending meetings or attended the Torvalds Q&A where this
was announced. Hint: Not being on the mailing list could cause you to
miss this very message!

The winning review will be chosen based on:

Depth - Do you fully appreciate the strengths & weaknesses of the book?

Clarity - Do you communicate that fact and help people make a decision?

Sincerity - You're allowed to be funny or passionate!

Relevance/Timeliness - It is a new release? Is it a hot topic?

Effort - Is this your first review? The book's first review?

Venue - Will anyone see your review? Amazon is good. Print? (with proof)

A review should help make (and at times break) a buying decision. There
ARE crap books out there but rarely, if ever from O'Reilly. I LOVE
thoughtful negative reviews but they probably won't win you the pass.

HOW: Simply post a link to your review to the PLUG mailing list or a
verifiable form of proof that it will be printed in a future publication.

HELP: I will have free e-book coupons at the meetings up through OSCON

DEADLINE: "Before OSCON" but I am open to a fixed, earlier deadline if
it risks ruling out an active list contributor who lives outside
Portland and would have to make travel arrangements.

Even I took a stab at it last year:

http://www.amazon.com/review/R24J5P38R9ZAVV

Good luck!

Michael Dexter
PLUG Volunteer




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