Praise for Naked Mentalism

Permit me a bit of a brag here, because I feel rather good today after reading Bob Cassidy's good thoughts about Naked Mentalism on the Magic Cafe:

"Finally started reading Naked Mentalism 3 (and the first two as well), and I must say this is refreshingly good and amazing material. Well thought out routines with the kind of presentational subtleties that are the hallmark (or should be) of professional mentalism.

Highly recommended."

Documentation Is Part of the Project Too!

Over the years, I've used a lot of open source software, and during that time a common theme has emerged. Open source developers are great coders, but overall, the standard of the user documentation can leave much to be desired!

True story: I was once commissioned to write an article for a magazine showing how to install an open source personal automated IP telephony package. The software itself had lots of dependencies, which I dutifully downloaded, complied and installed. Then, at around 4am and about 75% of the way through, the documenter seemed to have become bored. He ended the documentation with a phrase like: "There are a bunch of other things you'll probably need to do to get this running..." What the f**k...? That's not documentation; it's a joke.

Much more common are user guides and other documentation that are simply out of date. When a new release means changes to the way you install or use the software, the instructions need updating. They are a VITAL part of that release. People do not have time to plough through your code trying to work out what the hell you mean. We are not mind readers. We are your users. Trying to get software to run is not the object of the exercise: using it to complete a task is.

I fully realise and applaud the fact that the open source business model involves allowing the software to get to whomever can benefit from it, and to charge for consultancy, customisation and books showing how to go deeper, but come on: basic documentation is the difference between an enthusiastic user buying your time or books and thinking your stuff is the worst piece of digital excrement ever to stink up a hard drive.
 Thank you.

Naked Mentalism 3 - RELEASED TOMORROW

At long last, Naked Mentalism 3 is finally released tomorrow. It'll be available from Books By Tomo and also from some rather lovely magic dealers. They're also carrying the other two books in the series. Here's what splendid things people say about these books:

"I have no problem standing behind this material 100%. I use it. I used it tonight at the Living Traditions Festival in SLC. It was a hit all night. I booked the gig by performing the Naked Book Test for an agent over the phone" - Jerome Finley

"I am now able to accurately describe people's thought processes. The impact of this cannot be overstated. It really feels like the 'real deal' because, essentially, it is." - Matthew 'Malchat' Schouten.

"This book is immensely powerful and potentially dangerous in the wrong hands" - Thomas Korelin (Naked Mentalism beta tester).

"Clearly you love our art, Jon, and that’s truly shown in your new book. Very valuable information and great approaches. My good energy and blessing for you and your future Naked projects!" - Pablo Amirá

“This book, I believe, takes Paul Brook's 'Alchemical Tools' and shafts it, which is a compliment! I absolutely adore the credit/debit card effect. Simple, yet brilliant. And the approach to readings in chapter 11? Fantastic!” – Chris Beard

“I can talk about this book for hours on end but suffice to say that whomever buys it will be launched from the realm of Mentalist to the realm of Psychic, and the beauty is that whatever Jon says can be checked and proved correct." - Roni Shachnaey, mentalism and bizarre magic guru

Seeding the Torrents

I've started to place corrupt versions of Naked Mentalism 1 & 2 on P2P networks. Such larks...