While browsing my hardcover Professional ASP.NET 2.0 book, I noticed a generalized error with apostrophes in listing titles. They are printed as "Õ". Since I cherish that book, I thought I'd let the editor know about this.
So I go to wrox.com, and search about how to submit errata on their support section:
"To submit errata for a particular book, navigate to the book's information page, click the Errata link, and then click the Errata Form link. Fill out the form as completely and accurately as you can, and click Submit."
Fair enough, makes sense. So I search the book and click on the Errata tab. Mine isn't there, so I click on Errata Form. I'm a little confused by what I see since I'm welcomed by a "Ask a Question" tab. The "Category" combo gives me "Product Information", "Order Information" and "Wrox Press". I try the last one, and bingo, I see a second combo appear magically, which contains, among other things, a "Text Correction Spelling/Grammar" item.
Hiding controls is always a dangerous game, as you prevent your users to get a good first view of what awaits them.
Selecting this item reserves me a second unpleasant surprise: I have to fill in the book's title and ISBN. Hun? You just asked me to go to that book in the first place to submit errata, and now I have to type the information?
Don't ask for what you should already know. Or at the very least, pre-fill the information for your users.
Ok, I see. You wanted me to check the known erratas before submitting one, but your submission system isn't connected with the current book browsing. I won't complain just yet. I fill the rest of the fields, including my email address, and click on the submit button, expecting the usual "Thank you for submitting your question or comment". Noooooo, it could not be that easy. Instead, I'm faced with a huge form I must fill in, with many sensitive fields that seems required:
As you can see, nowhere is written WHY I must enter this information. What? You don't want my comments? You don't want your readers to help YOU improve your products? The errata I want to submit may have impacts in other books, as it's a font problem with special chars. Nooooo, it couldn't be so simple!
It's because I really like Scott Hanselman (book's co-author) that I decide to not stop there, and go all the way. But wait, I recall creating a Wrox account! I press Ctrl-Win-B to browse my passwords, and type "wrox". Yes! I already have an account! Oh joy, I'll be spared the huge form! So I click on "My Account" at the top.
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<censured>... I open Windows Live Writer and write this post. Much easier. Feels better too.