New dead tree edition of Star Trek Encyclopedia—too late?

[Professor Moriarty]

How quaint. A new $112 edition of The Star Trek Encyclopedia has been announced. The last edition was published in 1999; i.e., the pre-wiki era. Never mind that they're asking nearly $100 more than the '99 edition—what will a dead-tree version of Memory Alpha have that I can't find online?

Ten years ago I would have eagerly paid for an updated encyclopedia that included the end of Voyager, the final TNG movie, and all of Star Trek: Enterprise... but that was then. Seems to me this edition of the Encyclopedia is about ten years late and way, WAY overpriced... have the authors missed their window of opportunity here?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Also, this version still does not (AFAIK) include the animated series.

 

[Idran]

It was actually announced months ago, and yeah, Laser Beam's right. Outside the lack of TAS recognition, though - which many people here were disappointed with - the general reception by the TrekLit subforum was interest and excitement.

 

[Myko]

I wonder if they fixed all the cast errors they copied from the Star Trek Concordance.

 

[Avro Arrow]

It was actually announced months ago, and yeah, Laser Beam's right. Outside the lack of TAS recognition, though - which many people here were disappointed with - the general reception by the TrekLit subforum was interest and excitement.

Yes, this exactly. I'm still disappointed TAS isn't going to be in it... but still getting it anyway! And yes, it's expensive, but they announced it far enough in the future that I can make sure I save up enough for it.

what will a dead-tree version of Memory Alpha have that I can't find online?

The ability to still read it post-EMP?

Seriously, though... things online can be ephemeral. Sure, no one expects Wikia to fold... but who knows?

If you don't want a hardcopy Star Trek Encyclopedia, that's your choice. No one's going to force to you buy it. But personally, I'm glad I'm going to be able to!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Seriously, though... things online can be ephemeral. Sure, no one expects Wikia to fold... but who knows?

Now let's be realistic here. Wikia, by its very nature - an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit (and moderate) - is as near to bulletproof as can be expected. So the likelihood that the entire Wikia system will suddenly go belly-up is, shall we say, not very likely.

Wikia is no more likely to fold than the entire Internet would be.

 

[Avro Arrow]

^ Wikia is a company. Companies can fail. I'm not saying they will or they won't, but it's not outside the realm of possibility.

Sure, MA could find a new host and people could start writing the articles there instead. Or maybe they don't. Either way, it won't affect the copy of the Encyclopedia on my shelf.

 

[Galileo7]

If it does not include TAS , then it is incomplete.

 

[BillJ]

The ability to still read it post-EMP?

If there's an EMP event, I'll probably have more important things to do than read the Star Trek encyclopedia.

I was excited, but that price is tough to swallow. Especially considering I already have the last paper edition they did.

 

[Idran]

^ Wikia is a company. Companies can fail. I'm not saying they will or they won't, but it's not outside the realm of possibility.

Sure, MA could find a new host and people could start writing the articles there instead. Or maybe they don't. Either way, it won't affect the copy of the Encyclopedia on my shelf.

To be fair, given that MA is under Creative Commons, there's probably at least a dozen forks across the internet by others already. You'd need to have every copy of MA that everyone has made go under at the same time for it to be gone.

 

[Rekkert]

Yeah, unless it includes more information not available anywhere else (good luck doing that on the Internet age) and incredible new graphics for things as ships, uniforms and bridges (the original Encyclopedia had some great original artwork for its time), I definitively don't see any reason to get it.

 

[Avro Arrow]

If there's an EMP event, I'll probably have more important things to do than read the Star Trek encyclopedia.

Touché. But it's probably going to be a fairly hefty tome, so it may also make an effective ad hoc weapon in post-apocalyptia!

To be fair, given that MA is under Creative Commons, there's probably at least a dozen forks across the internet by others already. You'd need to have every copy of MA that everyone has made go under at the same time for it to be gone.

OK, I didn't realize there were other copies of MA out there. I'm still getting the book, though!

 

[Tosk]

I'll probably pick it up. For me, a book can still be a worthwhile addition to the shelf without "having something that isn't on the internet".

 

[Therin of Andor]

Ten years ago I would have eagerly paid for an updated encyclopedia that included the end of Voyager, the final TNG movie, and all of Star Trek: Enterprise... but that was then. Seems to me this edition of the Encyclopedia is about ten years late and way, WAY overpriced... have the authors missed their window of opportunity here?

Ten years ago, Simon & Schuster's number crunching informed them that not enough people were willing to buy such a revision in hardcopy form, having already bought three editions - nor did bookshops wish to stock it. There are now plenty of new fans that have never owned a "Concordance" or "Encyclopedia", so at this higher pricepoint, the 50th anniversary, and a different publisher, the time is again right. For the targeted demographics.

 

[vegaslover62]

But it's probably going to be a fairly hefty tome, so it may also make an effective ad hoc weapon in post-apocalyptia!

What was that Doctor Who quote?

"You want weapons? We're in a library! Books are the most powerful weapons in the world! Arm yourselves!"

 

[Therin of Andor]

"You want weapons? We're in a library! Books are the most powerful weapons in the world! Arm yourselves!"

Throw the book at 'em?

 

[JonnyQuest037]

$112?!? I was interested in a new edition of the Encyclopedia, but not at that price. I'd be willing to pay maybe half that.

Guess I'll either buy it used or wait and see what the eventual paperback is going for.

 

[Kor]

The price is ridiculous.

Kor

 

[DimesDan]

The price seems more than fine.

 

[BillJ]

The price seems more than fine.

As big a Star Trek fan as I am, I just can't see paying that much for the Encyclopedia.

Unless I hit the Powerball!