09-13-2008, 04:51 PM
Shlama all--
Okay, a little more detail! Baruch just told me that next week is the critical week. Here is what is happening:
1) Sept 13th-14th: Last detailed errata search. The things that still come up are spacing things that happen when the pdfs are made but considering Mari's immense size, these are very, very small considerations indeed. It is a normal process to go from a regular hard copy print, to a digital print pdf and from there to have these printers, who are extremely detail oriented, look for the last bit of issues and generate lists of affected pages. I spoke with Baruch about something I saw too, and it will be corrected in time along with all the other minor things. Bottom line, between now and Monday morning is the absolutely, positively last, final utterly over part of the editing process. What stands on Monday morning is what will be published.
2) Sept 15th: On Monday, the printers will send Baruch a sample cover (not the text). He already knows what it looks like and will approve it immediately. Their process demands that he send the physical cover back with an approval form. While that is going on, these same printers will be loading FINAL TEXT for print, at which point the errata pages will be checked off, one at a time, and replaced for final edition.
3) September 16th-17th: Sometime in the following 48 hours, with the physical and textual approvals finalized, the printers will THEN say the job is finally scheduled. There are no other real specifics to give, except to say that Baruch was told they are a little backlogged on cover processing. Baruch does NOT think this represents a major delay. We are currently trying to figure out how to get "smaller runs" out first for the small amount of time that they need to catch their breath. The printers are going into busy season; there is nothing out of the ordinary about this or their process to date. Baruch insisted to me these folks could not be more professional or efficient, and I have to take him at his word.
4) After Sept 17th: We will know the unit price, the amount of copies coming and when, how to order, and when to expect physical delivery. No one will buy Mari without a clear understanding of the timetable or what it entails.
Finally, just a comment I have made before on several occasions. On the one hand there is always a slight worry that in any work of Mari's size a few things may get by you no matter how often and extensively you check. The level of attention detail on this way exceeds anything I have ever done or been involved with. It is simply so huge that you wonder if it will ever really be done, but it is done, so on the other hand we MUST let it go out there and soon. Baruch and I know this and are committed to having as high a quality product as is humanly possible.
Overall though I remain extremely encouraged and excited. As frustrating as the delays have been, each one, and I know I sound like a broken record, has made Mari better. That includes issues just dealt with 30 minutes ago as well as what has been going on contunuously for years now.
Stay tuned!
Shlama w'burkate
Andrew Gabriel Roth
Okay, a little more detail! Baruch just told me that next week is the critical week. Here is what is happening:
1) Sept 13th-14th: Last detailed errata search. The things that still come up are spacing things that happen when the pdfs are made but considering Mari's immense size, these are very, very small considerations indeed. It is a normal process to go from a regular hard copy print, to a digital print pdf and from there to have these printers, who are extremely detail oriented, look for the last bit of issues and generate lists of affected pages. I spoke with Baruch about something I saw too, and it will be corrected in time along with all the other minor things. Bottom line, between now and Monday morning is the absolutely, positively last, final utterly over part of the editing process. What stands on Monday morning is what will be published.
2) Sept 15th: On Monday, the printers will send Baruch a sample cover (not the text). He already knows what it looks like and will approve it immediately. Their process demands that he send the physical cover back with an approval form. While that is going on, these same printers will be loading FINAL TEXT for print, at which point the errata pages will be checked off, one at a time, and replaced for final edition.
3) September 16th-17th: Sometime in the following 48 hours, with the physical and textual approvals finalized, the printers will THEN say the job is finally scheduled. There are no other real specifics to give, except to say that Baruch was told they are a little backlogged on cover processing. Baruch does NOT think this represents a major delay. We are currently trying to figure out how to get "smaller runs" out first for the small amount of time that they need to catch their breath. The printers are going into busy season; there is nothing out of the ordinary about this or their process to date. Baruch insisted to me these folks could not be more professional or efficient, and I have to take him at his word.
4) After Sept 17th: We will know the unit price, the amount of copies coming and when, how to order, and when to expect physical delivery. No one will buy Mari without a clear understanding of the timetable or what it entails.
Finally, just a comment I have made before on several occasions. On the one hand there is always a slight worry that in any work of Mari's size a few things may get by you no matter how often and extensively you check. The level of attention detail on this way exceeds anything I have ever done or been involved with. It is simply so huge that you wonder if it will ever really be done, but it is done, so on the other hand we MUST let it go out there and soon. Baruch and I know this and are committed to having as high a quality product as is humanly possible.
Overall though I remain extremely encouraged and excited. As frustrating as the delays have been, each one, and I know I sound like a broken record, has made Mari better. That includes issues just dealt with 30 minutes ago as well as what has been going on contunuously for years now.
Stay tuned!
Shlama w'burkate
Andrew Gabriel Roth