Shipping
All books are shipped from Arizona using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Because of customs delays, orders are accepted only from customers in the United States. The two delivery options from which you can choose are Economy (Media Mail) and Priority Mail. Both ship at a flat rate:
- Economy (Media Mail), $4. While inexpensive, Media Mail is the slowest class of mail. Depending on your distance from Arizona, delivery typically takes between 2 and 15 business days. During holiday season, it can sometimes take up to four weeks for a book to reach the east coast. Media Mail does not include a tracking ID. Each book for which you select Economy is shipped for a flat rate of $4.
- Priority (Priority Mail), $6. Except in unusual circumstances, Priority Mail shipments usually arrive in 2–3 business days. Shipments within Arizona often arrive the next day. Note that Priority Mail is only available for books under 500 pages on length. Every Priority Mail shipment includes a free tracking ID. Each book for which you select Priority is shipped for a flat rate of $6.
Note that the rare books have insurance added because of their rarity and a few of the larger books—typically those over 500 or 600 pages—have higher postal rates due to the extra weight.
Prices
The prices for signed and unsigned copies of a given title are shown at the bottom of the book's web page as Siliconwasteland price. When selecting an option from the Buy Now drop-down menu, the price listed is the total of the signed or unsigned book and the selected shipping method (Economy or Priority).
Payment
To make it easy and convenient for you to place orders, Siliconwasteland is a PayPal merchant. PayPal accepts most major credit cards, and orders are securely processed through their web site. You don't need to join PayPal to make a purchase; you just enter your credit card info as you would for any other online shopping site. (In case you aren't familiar with PayPal, it's also how most customer payments for eBay auctions are processed.)
Refunds
All sales are final. Returns are available only for books that are damaged during shipment. If another copy is available, it will be shipped to you at our expensive on return of the damaged copy. Titles listed on the Rare Signed Books tab are automatically insured because they are frequently one-of-a-kind and cannot be replaced.
Signed books
Signed books are signed by Steve Schwartz on the title page.
Software and hardware version numbers
Software books are generally written for a specific version of software. Although you’ll still benefit from a book whose software version is close to the one you have, you’ll receive the most benefit from a book written specifically for the version you own.
Similarly, when purchasing a smartphone book (such as one in the Samsung Galaxy S series), be sure to choose the book that’s for your specific model of phone.
Operating system
Most of the computer books are written for Windows or Macintosh computers, but not both. When ordering any computer title, be certain that the title or description states that it is for your particular computer.
Like computers, each smartphone also ships with a particular operating system—in the case of the Galaxy S line of phones, a specific version of Android. Samsung phones are typically updated to a newer version of the operating system about six months after they ship, which can change the look of screens and the specific ways some settings and apps work. Luckily, even if you buy a smartphone book after an operating system update or two, much of the original information will still be relevant.