techrecovery | Jan. 22nd, 2005

While I was out and about on Thursday I had the opportunity to pop into a local bookstore (a large one). As there's a few Linux-related O'Reilly books I'm interested in at the moment, I thought I'd have a look to see if they were on-shelf. They weren't, but I remembered that there's a book that we're after -- Linux iptables Pocket Reference -- but, because I didn't think I was going near a bookstore, I'd left the ISBN at home. I couldn't see it on-shelf, either, but I went to ask at the customer services point about the book, just to make sure. Here's roughly what happened:

Me: "I'm looking for a book, but I can't remember the ISBN or author. The title is something like iptables Pocket Reference."

FA (Female Assistant): "Let's have a look." *types into screen "eye pea tables pocket ref"*

Me: "Erm... No, it's i-p-tables. All one word. I as in the letter, P as in the letter, tables."

FA: "Oh. Okay." *types in "iptables pocket ref"* "Hmmm, nothing's coming up on our system. Let's try the book database. It lists all titles ever printed."

Me: *knowing this isn't actually true, as I've worked in a bookstore, but I leave it* "Okay."

FA: "Ah, here we go. Actually it's called LINUX iptables Pocket Reference."

Me: "Oh, I'm sorry. I knew it was something like iptables Pocket Reference, but I wasn't sure. Anyway, that's the one."

FA: "Well, you could have been more specific. It could have been Microsoft iptables or something."

Me: "Erm, no, it couldn't -- iptables are unique to Linux."

FA: "And how do you know that?"

Me: "I work in the internet industry."

FA: "Even so... "

MC (Male Customer behind me in queue): "No, she's right, I'm a software engineer."

FA: *looks pissed* "Okay. Well, we don't have it in stock. I could order it, but I don't know how long it'll take."

Me: "No, s'okay. It was just a case of if you already had it."

FA: "Do you want the ISBN?"

Me: "No, thanks. I've got the ISBN at home."

FA: "Why couldn't you give me that then?"

MC: *to FA* "S'no good love, if her brain's wired for computers, it won't be wired for books."

Me: *ignoring MC, he's not to know I have a BA in English too* "I don't have it on me. I didn't think I was coming into a bookstore today... But I did, so I thought I'd just check."

FA: "Well, when you come into order it, bring the ISBN or get the title right."

Me: "I'll probably order it from amazon.co.uk or something."

FA: "You won't get them as quickly that way."

Me: "Actually, if I go back, order it now, I can probably have it by Saturday. I know how bookshops work; I used to be a bookseller."

FA: *sniffs at me*

Me: "In any case, there's some other Linux books I'm after too, but I was just checking to see if you had them on-shelf. Thanks for your time."

FA: "Linux is not well known, so we don't stock that many Linux books."

MC: *trying not to laugh behind me*

Me: *thinking, "WTF? You have a full bay of Linux books."* "Okay. Erm. Thanks." *starts to walk away*

MC: *trying to keep a straight face as he addresses the FA* "I'm looking for a book, don't know the author or the ISBN but I know the title perfectly."

FA: "Okay, what is it?"

ME: "PHP and MySQL Web Development."

FA: "And how do you spell PHP?"

MC: *goggles at FA*

Me: *pauses, then says --* "It's in the PHP section. Third shelf, right in the middle. Big purple spine, white cover. Can't miss it."

MC: *to me* "How'd you know that?"

Me: "I have a copy at home, and I recognised it here while I was browsing."

FA: *to MC* "Let me check that for you. How do you spell --"

MC: *to FA* "Erm, no, thanks. I think I'll just go browse for it." *to me* "Thanks."

See, this is why I believe it's better to have a bookseller who's knowledgeable about their subject area running a section (e.g. Computer Science geek overseeing Computer Science books). The world would be a better place if bookstores did something really radical like that! :p