Saw that. It looks awesome in nice, glossy, hi-res print B) . I ordered a couple of copies about 6 weeks ago when I saw it on amazon (I got the amazon UK version, still called 'Digital Hotrods').
Reading through this thread, I have to comment: no I wasn't asked about changing the colour of Orac on the cover. In fact, I had no idea it was even going to be in this book - It looks like Ben Hardwidge has used pics I supplied CustomPC mag when I wrote Orac up for them. First I heard about this book was the bit-tech book review. No email or asking me anything (or offer to send me a copy). As a former pro photographer I'm pretty conscious of usage, copyright on images and so on (especially as I also shot the Orac pics), and get annoyed at people making money out of my hard work without asking. I usually say 'no problem', when I'm asked first (as I was by Paul Capello for his book, Maximum PC Guide to Extreme PC Mods (recommend it!) and Joel Durham for PC Modding for Dummies).
DFI even used the Orac pic as part of a banner advertisement on another website, once again without asking me (or paying me a cent), airbrushing the bit-tech logo off while they were at it (besides the mod having no DFI components in it lol).
While publicity is nice (as it helps attract sponsorship, or business for the pros like mnpctech), I figure that's what the internet already gives us modders anyway. It seems a few people have so little respect for modders as to even ask permission, and regard anything on the internet as free content for their ads, mags, books or whatever. Seems to happen a lot to modders, with many modders seeming to be so pleased to get the publicity they let it slide, so the people doing it carry on doing it.
It doesn't take much to ask someone if you can use their pics, does it?
Don't get me wrong Gordy, I don't mind the colour on the cover at all (I've had a lot worse done to my pics before), or not getting a copy of the book, etc.:) I just mind not being asked to use my pics first, and finding out about it after the fact, by reading a review on bit. Fair enough if they took the pics and owned the copyright - but I took the pics used in the book, and only supplied them to customPC for the purposes of illustrating one particular article I wrote for them, not for any other purpose.
I would've said no probs if asked, however, and the book was well done, so its no biggie: more the professional photographer (rather than modder) in me being protective of his work. :)
I seem to remember asking everyone whose mod was featured for their permission to feature their mod, as well as the photographs if they supplied them themselves. I'm almost positive that I asked G-Nome for permission for this, but it was a long time ago and I really can't remember now. We did a similar thing with Gert Swolf's Hyper-Cube mod, where we credited him separately for the photography.
As for the purple cover, all I can say is that it wasn't up to me and the first I saw of it was when I saw the book cover myself.
Anyway, accept my apologies if I really didn't ask your permission first. My intention was never to sneakily use other people's work without their permission, but to give some publicity to really good mods. If there's ever another revision of the book then I'll make sure any acknowledgements are made. In the meantime, please PM me your address and I'll send you one of my remaining two copies. :)
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Building Extreme PCs: The Complete Guide to Computer Modding
My dedication to Pink Floyd's The Wall PC made the book! WOOT!
Reading through this thread, I have to comment: no I wasn't asked about changing the colour of Orac on the cover. In fact, I had no idea it was even going to be in this book - It looks like Ben Hardwidge has used pics I supplied CustomPC mag when I wrote Orac up for them. First I heard about this book was the bit-tech book review. No email or asking me anything (or offer to send me a copy). As a former pro photographer I'm pretty conscious of usage, copyright on images and so on (especially as I also shot the Orac pics), and get annoyed at people making money out of my hard work without asking. I usually say 'no problem', when I'm asked first (as I was by Paul Capello for his book, Maximum PC Guide to Extreme PC Mods (recommend it!) and Joel Durham for PC Modding for Dummies).
DFI even used the Orac pic as part of a banner advertisement on another website, once again without asking me (or paying me a cent), airbrushing the bit-tech logo off while they were at it (besides the mod having no DFI components in it lol).
While publicity is nice (as it helps attract sponsorship, or business for the pros like mnpctech), I figure that's what the internet already gives us modders anyway. It seems a few people have so little respect for modders as to even ask permission, and regard anything on the internet as free content for their ads, mags, books or whatever. Seems to happen a lot to modders, with many modders seeming to be so pleased to get the publicity they let it slide, so the people doing it carry on doing it.
It doesn't take much to ask someone if you can use their pics, does it?
I do know they were very tight on budget and ben himself didnt get more than a couple of free copies.
Can't for the life of me see why they change the colour of orac on the cover the green looked much better.
I would've said no probs if asked, however, and the book was well done, so its no biggie: more the professional photographer (rather than modder) in me being protective of his work. :)
As for the purple cover, all I can say is that it wasn't up to me and the first I saw of it was when I saw the book cover myself.
Anyway, accept my apologies if I really didn't ask your permission first. My intention was never to sneakily use other people's work without their permission, but to give some publicity to really good mods. If there's ever another revision of the book then I'll make sure any acknowledgements are made. In the meantime, please PM me your address and I'll send you one of my remaining two copies. :)