Hacker News Reader

Comment by masukomi | Hacker News Reader

Copyright note: if this counts as a work of corporate authorship (surely the publisher owns the copyright not the author...but maybe I'm misunderstanding this definition) this book will enter the public domain in 2107. If it counts as a work of the author then public domain will hit in 2082. This assumes they don't extend it any more.

In either case, it's likely that "highly effective people" will have acquired a number of different habits...but maybe our grandchildren will find interest in the comparison.

View on HN

Or you could spend $21 at Amazon and save yourself 71-95 years. I've bought the book, and the advice is actually worth more than $21.

The best tools and information don't always cost money, but sometimes they do.

or $2.69 + shipping, used :)[1]

OR, for free, at your local public library [2]

[1] http://www.amazon.com/The-Habits-Highly-Effective-People/dp/...

[2] http://sccl.bibliocommons.com/item/show_circulation/11771480...

OR, for free, at your local public library

It's not free.

It's a copy that you and others in your area had purchased for you, by your local library, with money collected through the tax mechanism.

Relative to the purchasing options, it's free insofar as the marginal cost is zero.

Yes, technically someone - whether a donor or taxpayers - had to buy the book, construct the building, fund ongoing operations, and so on. But any of your tax money that you might have paid for this is a sunk cost - there's no additional user fee you pay in order to take out Seven Habits (or any other book).

Many public libraries are private in ownership and sponsorship.

No taxes involved.

Such a library is considered private, although such libraries may have public access. Public libraries are considered public by virtue of being publicly funded, partially or wholly, via taxes.

It is also free from the Kindle Lending Library:

http://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-ebook/d...

It is NOT FREE.

There is 0 marginal cost to read the book for prime members.

BetteR?

Considering the list is of the habits are available elsewhere in the comments, what do I get from buying the book?

A quite convincing rationale for the 7 habits and many more bits of advice.

Does he consider contrary evidence or other habits that were considered and excluded?

Not really. This isn't an exact science - it's just a list of practices that can help a person live a happier and more successful life. A lot of it corresponds to common sense, but the way he explains it drills into the 'why' in very clear language.

Oh please. Does every thread on HN need to be a platform for rants about IP?

Yes.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com