8I - Beginwork part 2

[Viking]

Has any of you been able to get a reply from the author as to when the %$# part 2 would be out? As of now, all my e-mails were'nt answered and I think it is the same for pretty much everyone, but just in case someone would know about it...

I'm getting tired of waiting and looking at his website last updated July 22...

:evil:

Thank god we have Actuarybert's study manual. Thanks again...

[chica]

I'm at 8F person and we haven't received out 2002 updates yet. Of course, I was under the impression that I had ordered a 2002 version, but they lied. I have emailed them a number of times and have yet to get a reply.

I don't think they can say they've "walked a mile in our shoes" until they've been blown off like this. So frustrating. I guess it's all a lesson in capitalism. Maybe if there was some competition around, they wouldn't be able to #@*% us around!!

:swear:

[mayreeh]

Actuarybert's manual - on time, delivered as promised, and not only that, it is pretty good .....

Plus she didn't charge out the wazoooo.......

[Viking]

Just went on his web site which was updated yesterday, and apparently the editor experienced a personal tragedy that would explain the huge delay. 2002 update for 8F is now complete and part 2 of 8I is 90% complete and he expects to finish it in the next 7 days...

I'll believe it when I'll hold it in my hands...

[Abducens]

I just hope that the cutting-edge "wire-bound, lies flat" design won't have to be sacrificed to get it out.

[chica]

I just got an email saying the 8F updates have been mailed. Yes, that's right, I got an email from the beginwork guys!

They also attached a portion of the update so that we will have something to keep us busy while it ships...

[annabel lee]

should we be worried that the Actuarial Bookstore no longer lists Begin Work in their catalogue?

[August]

Can someone please post their web site? Thanks.

[annabel lee]

www.beginwork.net

I just called the Actuarial Bookstore, and the woman there said that although the BW people had told them (and us) that they'd mailed the 8F updates two weeks ago, they actually just mailed them out yesterday. She said that the Actuarial Bookstore provided the BW guys with students' names and addresses, so they are mailing them directly to us. She thinks that people in the US should be receiving them Mon/Tue of next week.

[chica]

I was wondering why I received another email from them yesterday saying they had sent them. That's what they had said the last email. Once again they are LIARS!

[Viking]

Don't want to bug everybody with this, but has any of you received their part 2? I received an e-mail last Monday that the manuals would be sent by UPS on Wednesday August 28, but there is still no part 2 on my desk...

As far as I know, it doesn't take 5 days to send a book by UPS...

[Abducens]

From the e-mail I got:

"Part II of the 2002 BeginWork Manual for 8I will ship on Wednesday, August 28th. >>>US orders will ship via UPS ground<<<. International orders will ship via USPS international express.

"In the meantime, >>>since e-mail is much faster than the _US postal service_<<<, attached is an electronic copy of the detailed outline of Part 2, Section III for your convenience. This material will also be included in the paper version."

Maybe these morons don't even know how they sent it.

[RedSoxFan]

Just wondering if any of you received your supplement. I'm taking 8F and got mine on Aug 24.

[Viking]

Well, we received sections 3 and 4 by e-mail and he says it has been shipped, but I think he's so cheap he used regular mail instead of UPS. Worst part is he updated his website and all of a sudden, all mentions of sample problems in his manual disappeared, so I think we'll be surprised when we receive his manual...

One of the reason I bought the manual was those sample problems...

:swear:

[RedSoxFan]

I just think it's all kind of shady. First, nowhere do any of the authors reveal themselves. We all know Bensics wrote the Actex, but the only BW name we have is "Jeff Alm", and he's not in the SOA directory, so it appears he's not one of the authors (unless, I suppose, he took exam 8F without passing 6). Note I wrote "took".. as we don't have any names we can associate with SOA letters, we can't tell if anyone who wrote it actually passed the exam.

Another thing is that I can't find either of the BW manuals for sale at the Actuarial Bookstore. Is it possible that they decided to de-list the manuals because of customer complaints? If so, I applaud them. On their website, BW claims the AB "sold out" but maybe its just that the AB won't sell it anymore. Now you have to buy it directly from them, and I'd be a little leery of sending them money.. heck, you might not get your manual until November.

It just seems like a case that the author(s) got in a little over their head. They thought it would be easy to just compile their personal study notes from when they took 8F (and 8I) last sitting, but of course its more difficult than it sounds. But selling the manuals for nearly $300 requires them to have the responsibility to get the product they promised out to us on time. They say they've "walked a mile in our shoes" but if they had, we would've had the entire outline finished in June.

Plus, I don't think the manual is of very high quality. There are countless errors. If they were just typographical ones I could deal with that, but there are a number of times where they attempt to summarize something, but they write something completely wrong. I will give them credit for taking the time to create cool mnemonics for the stupid due diligence study note, but come on, who's really going to memorize all those?

I think its evident that under the time pressure they just decided not to do the sample questions. It's pretty disappointing that they rescinded on something they promised for the purchase price. They should give everyone partial refunds.

Has anyone written scathing remarks directly to Jeff Alm? Has he replied? (Has he actually personally replied to anyone?) I'm really curious what they'd say in their defense. Short of attempting to return the manual, I'm not sure there's much we can do other than urge 8F takers next fall to stay away.

[RedSoxFan]

Still no supplement?

Does your edition have an outline of your case study? Ours doesn't.. how can I be surprised? All the corners that have been cut.....

[Viking]

Still no paper version received by mail....

I sent an e-mail to the guy last week asking when it was sent, but other than his general e-mail to everybody, I haven't received a reply. The worst thing is that in his firt general e-mail of apology, he says to not hesitate to contact him for any questions or plaints.....

And we have no way of getting a partial refund or revoking his right to sell a manual...

I don't expect an outline of the case study.

[mayreeh]

I read a line the other day about walking a mile in someone else's shoes that seems relevant....

if you walk a mile in someone else's shoes, then you are a mile apart and you now have their shoes......