Skip to content

In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters Paperback - 2006 - 2nd Edition

by Merrill R. Chapman


From the publisher

In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters, Second Edition is National Lampoon meets Peter Drucker. It's a funny and well-written business book that takes a look at some of the most influential marketing and business philosophies of the last twenty years. Through the dark glass of hindsight, it provides an educational and entertaining look at why these philosophies didn't work for many of the country's largest and best-known high-tech companies.

Marketing wizard Richard Chapman takes you on a hilarious ride in this book, which is richly illustrated with cartoons and reproductions of many of the actual campaigns used at the time. Filled with personal anecdotes spanning Chapman's remarkable career (he was present at many now-famous meetings and events), In Search of Stupidity, Second Edition examines the best of the worst marketing ideas and business decisions in the last 20 years of the technology industry.

This second edition includes new chapters on Google and on how to avoid stupidity, plus the extensive analyses of all chapters from the first edition. You'll want to get a copy because it:

  • Features an interesting preface and interview with Joel Spolsky of "Joel on Software"
  • Offers practical advice on avoiding PR disaster
  • Features actual pictures of some of the worst PR and marketing material ever created
  • Is highly readable and funny
  • Includes theme-based cartoons for every chapter

Details

  • Title In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters
  • Author Merrill R. Chapman
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition number 2nd
  • Edition 2
  • Pages 373
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Apress, Berkeley, CA
  • Date 2006
  • Illustrated Yes
  • ISBN 9781590597217 / 1590597214
  • Weight 1.13 lbs (0.51 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.96 x 6.1 x 1.02 in (22.76 x 15.49 x 2.59 cm)
  • Library of Congress subjects Business failures, Computer industry - Management
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2006029296
  • Dewey Decimal Code 338.470

About the author

Merrill R. (Rick) Chapman is the author of the first edition of In Search of Stupidity. He has worked in the software industry since 1978 as a programmer, salesman, support representative, senior marketing manager, and consultant for many different companies, including WordStar (really MicroPro, but no one remembers the name of the company), Ashton-Tate, IBM, Inso, Novell, Bentley Systems, Berlitz, Hewlett-Packard, and Ziff-Davis. His first computer was a Trash One (you antiques out there know what that is), and he began his career writing software inventory management systems for beer and soda distributors in New York City. He is the author of The Product Marketing Handbook for Software, coauthor of the Software Industry and Information Association's U.S. Software Channel Marketing and Distribution Guide, and periodically writes articles about software and high-tech marketing for a variety of publications.
Back to Top

More Copies for Sale

In Search of Stupidity : Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters

In Search of Stupidity : Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters

by Merrill R. Chapman

  • Used
  • Acceptable
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$6.18
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Apress L. P., 2006. Paperback. Acceptable. Disclaimer:A readable copy. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. Pages can include considerable notes-in pen or highlighter-but the notes cannot obscure the text. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$6.18
FREE shipping to USA
In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters

by Chapman, Merrill R. (Rick)

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$7.70
$3.99 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Apress. Used - Good. Good condition. 2nd edition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
Item Price
$7.70
$3.99 shipping to USA
In Search of Stupidity : Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

In Search of Stupidity : Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters

by Chapman, Merrill R

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$9.16
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Apress L. P. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
$9.16
FREE shipping to USA
In Search of Stupidity : Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

In Search of Stupidity : Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters

by Chapman, Merrill R

  • Used
Condition
Used - Like New
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$9.16
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Apress L. P. Used - Like New. Used book that is in almost brand-new condition.
Item Price
$9.16
FREE shipping to USA
In Search of Stupidity : Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

In Search of Stupidity : Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters

by Chapman, Merrill R

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$9.16
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Apress L. P. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
$9.16
FREE shipping to USA
In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters

In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters

by Chapman, Merrill R.

  • Used
  • very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$12.03
$10.94 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Very Good.
Item Price
$12.03
$10.94 shipping to USA
In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters

In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters

by Chapman, Merrill R.

  • Used
  • Paperback
Condition
Like New
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$12.03
$10.94 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Like New.
Item Price
$12.03
$10.94 shipping to USA
In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High

by Chapman, Merrill R.

  • Used
Condition
Used - Very Good
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$9.99
$14.99 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Springer-Verlag New York Inc. Used - Very Good.
Item Price
$9.99
$14.99 shipping to USA
In Search Of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years Of High
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

In Search Of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years Of High

by Chapman, Merrill R

  • Used
  • very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Bellingham, Massachusetts, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$11.50
$4.58 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Apress, 2006-09-26. Trade Paperback. Very Good. Trade Paperback. Very GoodFREE Media Mail Shipping on all U.S. orders over $ 25.00
Item Price
$11.50
$4.58 shipping to USA
In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

In Search of Stupidity: Over Twenty Years of High Tech Marketing Disasters

by Merrill R. Chapman

  • Used
  • Paperback
Condition
Used: Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781590597217
ISBN 10
1590597214
Quantity Available
1
Seller
HOUSTON, Texas, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$13.20
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Apress, 2006-09-26. Paperback. Used: Good.
Item Price
$13.20
FREE shipping to USA