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Anyone have any experience with PHP|Architect?
Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:47 am
by nielsene
I recently ordered the new PHP Patterns book by Jason Sweat from PHP|Architect. Received the confirmation immediately, but no notice of shipping after over a week. CC was charged immediately. An email to their info address hasn't received a response in a few days. (got the automated, we're busy, we'll respond when we get a chance type email).
Does anyone know how long is a normal waiting period on the book order?
Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:50 am
by theda
I'd think any respectable shopping source would easily be done with the actual order on their end within the first three to four days... shipping is different depending on what you chose... But in all, it shouldn't take longer than two to three weeks. (Hell, my mother buys HSN products all the time and we get them the next day)
Edit: I also think it's a bad marketing design to use email to handle anything relating to status of products. Rather, they should have had a feature on their website to track your order.
Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:06 am
by nielsene
Well I wasn't getting any negative vibes from them until now...
Most sites I deal with do offer the two emails: one on order confirmation and one on actual shipment. Some sites offer order tracking, but many smaller sites do not. Most large sites don't charge the payment until shipment -- however that means they are keeping the CC number for a longer window. So I'm not too surprised when smaller sites charge immediately.
It could very well be that my order has shipped, and is just taking a day or two longer than expected to arrive; but without knowing the shipment status at this point, I start to wonder a little.
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:07 am
by nielsene
Just got the shipmnet notice so maybe everything is going to work out after all. Its a little wierd though, the shipping notice shows that the book shipped at 11AM EDT today and expected delivery is today. (Coming from Toronto, ON, CA to Boston, MA, US in half a day seems very optimistic, but if it works, great! )
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:25 am
by timvw
I think i've read somewhere there was an issue with the printing of the book.. Anyway, i think even the author just got his copies recently..
http://blog.casey-sweat.us/index.php?p=62.
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:28 am
by nielsene
Yeah I bugged Jason earlier this week, asking if he knew what as going on as none of the contact addresses at php|a were responding. Its nice to know that the book is done and shipping, but php|a is leaving a slightly bad impression... making me wonder about the php|works conference they run.
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 9:46 am
by mtabini
Just wanted to drop a note here and apologize for not getting back to you. Here's what happened: the first printing of the book came back from the printers looking more like a Picasso. It was on time... it just wasn't the book we ordered. So, we had to reorder another printing, which took a couple of weeks. By then, we had hundreds (literally) of orders awaiting shipment--and that meant a heck of a lot of picking and packing!
In any case, everything's been shipped out, so you should receive your copy soon. There's a little coupon in the package as a small thank-you for your patience.
Apropos e-mail--it's a mess. Our server receives in excess of 100,000 messages a day (and there are only about 5 or 6 mailboxes), so we have had to implement some truly insane filters and, sometimes, the wrong mail gets discarded into the spam bucket. Best bet is to give us a ring; you can also check the status of your order directly from your account page.
Cheers!
Marco Tabini
php|architect
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 9:53 am
by nielsene
Thanks for the reply. I'm still looking forward to the book.
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:00 am
by Grim...
mtabini wrote:so we have had to implement some truly insane filters
/me pictures little goblin like creatures running round with special mail bashing hammers, gibbering and shaking uncontrollably...
Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 11:02 am
by nielsene
Looks like the shipment must have gotten caught up in the shipping strike up in CA.... or that's the only explanation I can think of that would explain why its just sitting for the past three days in CA.....
Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 2:37 pm
by nielsene
Yeah book finally arrived.

Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:31 pm
by onion2k
nielsene wrote:Yeah book finally arrived.

Is it any good?
Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 6:03 pm
by nielsene
Only into chapter 3 so far, but it seems good.
Its perhaps a little "underkill" for me. If you've been using GoF and PoEAA its not a lot of new material. Jason does do a good job with explaining how to implement some of the harder to implement patterns in PHP (harder due to language limitations) and its very nice the equal empahasis on PHP4 and 5 versions when needed. The emphasis on testing is good. This book would make a great book for anyone trying to understand what MGruff and I talk about in the testing forum all the time
The quality of the prose is good as are the examples. The quality of the printing/typesetting is slightly disappointing, but the book is about $15-20 cheaper than most computer books so its still "worth it" -- I'ld still rather pay more for higher quality paper/typesetting, but that's just a personal thing.