I haven't posted as much recently, because...LSS!!!! WOOHOO!

[devildog]

I actually got it about a week and a half ago, and then ceased lp101ing for almost a week because I was just...just...so utterly seduced by it!! Ohhhh, Mr. Tobias, what have you done to me?!?! (that was just utterly wrong...I really hope he never sees that )

It really is THE source for information about, well, locks, safes, and security, as well as an outstanding reference once you've read it all the way through like I plan on doing, oh, 4 or 5 times (I'm really quite serious about that, although we'll have to wait and see just how close to that I get). I'm currently on page 447, which is where Part I of III, Introduction to Locks, Safes, and Security, ends and Part II, Methods of Entry (my favorite ) begins. This is out of 1411 pages, the last 100 or so of which are the enormous index .

It also comes with a LSS+ 'Preview' CD--let me explain PRECISELY what this is, because I know there's been some confusion over this: this is the FULL ENTIRE COMPLETE UNALTERED UNABRIDGED UN-SHORTENED UN-MESSED-WITH FIRST CD out of the Locksmith version of the LSS+ CD collection, which retails for $350 and you have to be a locksmith to get; there are SIX, thats 6, CDs in the Locksmith LSS+ CD collection, and you get the first one of those; you do not get the rest, that's why it's a 'preview', and the software that is NECESSARY (you really can't view Folio .nfo files with anything else, at least not that I'm aware of) only works for THREE DAYS. So, you have precisely THREE DAYS (yes, it takes into account the time of day that it was installed, so you're not going to get shorted by even a second--it works for exactly 72 hours, then) to view the first CD out of the 6 CD LSS+ Locksmith CD collection, and then it stops working. No, you do not have to be a locksmith, what I'm talking about is standard and ships with every order of LSS; I am not a locksmith, neither is digital_blue, and we both have this thing. So, yes, you DO get to sneak a peak at the, *gasp*, ultra-classified top secret locksmith version of LSS. Enjoy. Oh, and you can't copy and paste from within the preview CD, so don't bother trying. Security on it is quite good.

Ok, so here's a picture of everything that comes in the package. I'm not showing anything in LSS, so I think I should be ok, copyright wise, and the little area that's been whited out on the certificate is my registration number; you can still see that I'm number 822, which I don't think is going to help anyone do anything, meaning that I was the 822nd person to purchase LSS--that's NOT very much. You also get the previously mentioned Preview CD, Mr. Tobias' business card (very professional, I liked that), a little booklet telling you how to go about registering if you purchased the full version of LSS+, how to upgrade to the full version if you have the preview version, and other related things.



Say, I noticed that the certificate recommended that you afix it to the inside cover of LSS (I'm guessing that means the front inside cover of the first volume) so I was planning on using some elmers glue and a little paintbrush--anyone got a better scheme that they used with success? I don't want to mess up by beautiful new copy of LSS, but I do like the idea of having your own certificate of authenticity, which has two different codes on it that personally ID YOU as the owner, permanently fixed to the inside cover--I imagine that could help significantly in ID'ing it if it were stolen and someone tried to claim it was theirs.

The Preview CD itself contains the following: ALL of LSS--that is, the entire contents of the book, text and pictures, are on the CD--as well as many additional illustrations, in color instead of the B&W ones in the book, AND the following books, which are COMPLETE AND UNABRIDGED IN FORM and happen to include many additional color pictures and added text inserted by Mr. Tobias, Locks and Safes: The Construction of Locks, Fire & Thief Proof Depositories And Locks and Keys, and The Art of Manipulation . Yes, it is the full version of each of these books. Yes, I know that some if not all of them are rare, sometimes restricted in sale, and almost always extremely expensive. Yes, you did basically get them for free when you bought LSS...You might want to start reading REALLY fast and take some good notes, as you only have 3 days...Maybe learn some shorthand or something before you install the CD

[Chrispy]

So how much did you pay for your package and where from? And also, you mentioned 1411 pages, is there 700 pages or so in each book or is there another book excluded from the photo?

I'm jealous..... I've been thinking of ordering for quite some time now.

[devildog]

I ordered mine directly from security.org's website--I recommend doing this, as it will ship straight from the publisher, and there's a little 'comments' box at the bottom of the order form that, umm..well, I put a 'comment' in there (a nice type of comment, but nothing particularly important) that will get you a prompt email response from Mr. Tobias himself . The total cost, with shipping and handling, was $226.90 U.S. The books were $219.95 and S&H was $6.95, which is VERY reasonable considering the weight. They arrived via UPS Ground (I believe there's also the option of USPS Priority and Parcel Post--go with UPS Ground; it's as fast as Priority, costs about the same, plus UPS's tracking system is SO much better than the USPS, and at $6.95 you won't be saving yourself much by using Parcel Post, just eliminating tracking and adding a week or so to your delivery time) in about 2 days from when I ordered it. It ships directly from the publisher up in Illinois, and I'm in Texas, so that's quite good.

The two volumes approximately split the contents to be almost exactly the same size, weight, and length in pages: Volume I contains 708 pages and Volume II contains the final 703 pages, so very close then.

Like I said, I would definately just order it from security.org, as you're assured of getting the most recent everything (LSS+ is updated on a pretty regular basis, so it's possible that you could get an older version of the preview CD if you order from elsewhere immediately after an update), and, if you recall, digital_blue ordered his from Amazon and ended up with a slightly damaged spine; now, I've never had ANY problems with Amazon, and am quite fond of them, but with something this expensive and personally valuable, I'd really rather not take any chances, and just get it straight from the publisher when it's hot off the press and not have to worry about what's happeneing to it off in someone else's stock room/wharehouse or whatever.

[devildog]

yeah, um, that should be 'warehouse', not 'wharehouse'. I was thinking 'who*rehouse' when I wrote that for some reason ....

[digital_blue]

3M makes a glue stick that, when applied, is exactly like a post-it note. That means that it is non-permanent, non-damaging. That's what I used to keep the certificate in the book.

Also, my copy is number 649 so 173 ppl have purchased this tome since last February.

Congrats devildog! It's a great work and I'm sure it'll be one of your prized possessions. Both volumes sit as coffee table books in my livingroom at all times.

db

[Chrispy]

Do they post international (Australia)?

[digital_blue]

I would imagine that they would. You could send an email to Mr. Tobias. I've found him very approachable and he provides exceptional service. If he does not ship to AU, the books are also available on Amazon.com. I'm not sure if Amazon ships to AU, but it's worth looking into.

db

[devildog]

And, of course, you can always ask a forum member in the U.S. if you could pay them for the cost, have them order it, ship it to you when they get it, and reemburse them for the shipping costs. That is, if you can't get it from security.org or Amazon, and I very highly suspect that both of those sights, definately Amazon, will have no problem shipping international.

Well, the order form on security.org has a blank for 'country', and I don't think there'll be any problem with Australia (I imagine that any countries they won't ship to are the ones on the U.S. State Department's shi$list--someone tell me what the term is I'm thinking of--like Iran, North Korea, Vietnam, China, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, etc.). Currently, I don't think anyway *looks down, flips through clipboard*--nope, we're not planning on invading Australia anytime soon, not that we'd have a hard time of it , so you should be just fine.

[Chrispy]

Coalition of the willing my friend.

If all my avenues are exhausted, I'll take you up on that offer of helping me out. Thanks devildog.

[SFGOON]

Folio View's security is tighter than a ducks posterior - anyone who cracks it get a job with the company, too.

You brag too much devildog, between your falle safes and LSS (which I have but I'm jealous anyway,) I think I might be starting to hate...

[zeke79]

Folio's security huh . OK.

Anyhow take a looksie

[zeke79]

I was not referring to what version anyone had. I was referring to Folio's software security. Their security is good but not great.

[Chrispy]

Is that the full set seke?

*Shudders with jealousy....*

[Chrispy]

Zeke. Not seke.

Sorry.... freakin' keyboard.

[zeke79]

That is the full "locksmith" version. There are still quite a few disks out there such as Harry Sher's DAMES disks and the Government only disks.