Ditto to Dre2dre2. I don’t think Koichi owes it to Textfugu members to provide the E-book for free or even at a discount. It seems, from looking at the ToC and reading the Tofugu post, that the book covers less about the language specifically and is more about learning strategies and motivation. A lot of that is already on this site anyway. I’ll probably buy the book since it’s only $10 and give it a read. It’s nice to know that I’ll be buying something that is actually finished. If it seems like a good value, I’ll be satisfied.

And Andrew, I’m taking your advice.

We should thank Koichi for all the hard work he has done instead of being impatient. I’m sure he’s worked hard for all of us. :) I’m going to support him by buying the e-book.

@ Missing – not too many people are complaining about it being too slow, I think the complaints are that it is going slower than promised. For example, on the last page of the new chapter it is mentioned that the kanji (7.3) will be up in a few days. It took 8 days. I’m not saying that 8 days is too long, but it’s more than a few. It’s these little delays and broken promises that lead to all the complaints of things taking too long or going to slow. If something is going to take a week, say it will take a week. Don’t say things like “we add a couple more chapters every month” if you’re only adding one a month. If it takes a month, say so.
(I don’t know when texfugu started exactly but I signed up early 2010, if things were coming at the pace a even one chapter a month, there should be over 100 as opposed to the current 64.)

Textfugu used to have an e-books link on the download page(that led nowhere, of course) that said coming soon. I assumed that I was going to have the books that he was writing with my Textfugu membership. That being said I completely understand Koichi needing rent money and/or money to live off of. I was just expecting the e-books to be free for Textfugu members. Maybe it has something to do with the split between lifetime and pay-as-you-go members. If so maybe he can find a way to offer it free to only lifetime members?

I will buy the e-book if Koichi personally states that he will not offer if for free to Textfugu members. Only waiting because I am a poor college student and don’t want to pay for something that will be free. Otherwise I will buy it if it is not going to be free. I respect Koichi and his decisions for the company that he has made. I just really want to read his book. I’m currently having a hard time finding motivation to study. Maybe he could offer it to Textfugu’s members for a reduced price?

(Edit)
Also, to people complaining about Koichi taking his time or reneging on promises. He is a human. He has Hashi as the only person working with him in his office(as far as I know). Humans go through uncountable struggles everyday. I am sure he is as dedicated to his supporters as ever. Otherwise he would not even bother to update us on anything like so many other companies. Give him the benefit of the doubt. You obviously purchased access to his website based on faith. He’s an admirable guy and he won’t let you down in the long run. One person trying to keep many satisfied is very difficult.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 9 months ago by  Nick.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 9 months ago by  Nick.

@Nick: It’s not so much that he’s slow, it’s that he doesn’t deliver what he promises sometimes (e.g. “a couple new chapters each month”). If he said “chapters appear whenever I’m not doing something else” or “when the planets align”, then fair enough, he’s being honest, but I guess that wouldn’t get many customers. I think he’s just spreading himself too thinly, taking on too much at once, really. Also, he has Hashi, John and Viet to help (though not with the writing of TextFugu), but instead of hiring people to *lessen* the current workload, he just starts many other little side-projects and features, effectively leaving himself with the same workload as before. Obviously this is just the opinion of the outside observer and not actual fact.

I have a question to those who bought the book already. What’s the 30daysebookepub.epub and the .ds_store files in the download for? I’m probably going to just read it on my android using Adobe Reader but was curious as to what those extra files are for.

@kanjiman8: You can’t forgive him for not sticking to the timeframe. Yes, it takes a while to write lessons, but that doesn’t make the waiting any less annoying or acceptable.

Time for another analogy (man, I love thinking these up) :D
Say you go to a restaurant. You order some kind of fish dish and the waiter says “That should take about 20-30 minutes” (because that’s what waiters say), “Is that ok?”. “Sure is!” you reply, “Sounds delicious!”. The waiter asks “Would you mind paying for it just now, before it’s ready?”. You look at him, puzzled, but agree nonetheless; you’ve heard the fish here is pretty good.

One hour later, you call the waiter over to ask if something is wrong and why it’s taking so much longer than expected. “Oh, our chef Boris is still out catching the fish; shan’t be long now.” “Out catching the fish!? You told me it would be half an hour…” “Sorry sir, we underestimated how long it takes to catch a fish; please sit tight.” “I think I’ll dine elsewhere, this is ridiculous; now about that money I paid earlier…” “Oh, sorry, no refunds. You’ll just have to wait, I’m afraid *trollface*”.

Several hours later, Boris comes in the door, looking exhausted. “What the !@##!?&*, Boris!? Where have you been?! It feels like I’ve been waiting on this fish forever!!” “I had to take a shift at my other restaurant on the way back: the income from the this place isn’t enough to keep us going, so I have 3 other jobs to make ends meet.” “Could you not have cooked my fish and THEN went to your other restaurant?” “…no.” “Well, it’s been so long since I ordered, I’ve eaten several dozen breadsticks already; I’m not hungry for fish any more.” “But you’ve paid for the fish already!” “Then serve it to the next customer, I don’t care, I’m outta here.”

As you exit, you turn back to take one last look at the restaurant, one that had been so promising to begin with, a single tear rolling down your cheek. This music plays: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6vek6NRU3s#t=0m28s

THE END

Yup, the streak sheet is explained a few days later, I think!