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01/04/2002 Entry: "4-Jan-2002 -- WebWord Comment"

WebWord Comment -- I just read Designing from Both Sides of the Screen: How Designers and Engineers Can Collaborate to Build Cooperative Technology by Ellen Isaacs and Alan Walendowski. I did not think the book was very good. While there are a few things I liked, overall it was not a good book in my opinion. Here is my dilemma: Do I spend time writing a review that tells you not to buy the book? On the one hand, if I write the negative review at least I can explain why I didn't like it. I can also explain some of important and useful points so that you can get the good information without buying the book. On the other hand, by writing a review, I will be using up precious time and energy. I could be reading something else, doing something that I actually enjoy. What do you think? What is the best way to handle writing a negative review? If you were in my shoes, what would you do?

Replies: 7 comments

Write the review. A negative review is still a positive contribution. Even though you are not recommending the book, you are providing information about its scope and content. Your readers will learn about the book and what it has to say. In addition, you can you use your comments about the book to develp some positive points. If the book is flawed, explain the flaw and sketch what a proper treatment of the subject would be. Some of my best columns have started as criticisms.

Posted by Stephen Downes @ 01/05/2002 06:16 AM EST

Please write up bad reviews and explain why you don´t like a book, apart from being informative, it helps us understand your criteria for the books you do like, and besides, you don´t want your reviews to be a long list of books to buy at Amazon, right? It´s good to know you don´t like *everything*!

Posted by Laurel @ 01/05/2002 06:18 AM EST

Write the negative review...it's simply an aspect of the service you provide, and does what you love to do: inform and influence and offer choices for us to consider...with well thought out reasons for or against. If you only painted a rosy picture you wouldn't be very interesting, and might even be suspect as to the level of your discernment. And you do see very clearly!

Posted by Lynne Lightowler-Buck @ 01/05/2002 12:39 PM EST

Write the review. I hate to think how much money I have wasted buying books that start out good and then don't go where I was expecting. You didn't waste your time reading the the book unless you don't write a review. Should YOUR readers waste their time too? In some cases it may stop poor authors from getting any more published, which is a good thing.

Posted by Jeff Justice @ 01/05/2002 12:45 PM EST

Write a short review outline some of the short-comings. Suggest a good alternative.

Posted by Mark Levison @ 01/07/2002 06:08 PM EST

I wrote the review...

Book Review: Designing from Both Sides of the Screen

Posted by John S. Rhodes @ 01/07/2002 07:05 PM EST

I've rarely found negative reviews to be useful. The chances that they were going to dissuade me from purchasing in the first place are usually quite remote. I can make a good enough judgement about your sensibility from your positive reviews. There's too much good stuff out there to waste time on the not so good stuff.

Posted by patrick breitenbach @ 01/08/2002 02:29 AM EST

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