Agreed. I backed an 'alpha' book 3(?) years ago now. First 2-3 chapters were pretty good. Unfortunately, those first few chapters were all I ever got. The book never advanced beyond that... so.. money not well spent.
I'm now in the boring "I give you money, you give me finished product" camp.
Whaa? I know you are not the person who made the book I was talking about.
I was agreeing with the other comment that, having been burned by 'alpha' books in the past, I'm disinclined to use the model again in the future. I similarly feel the way about video games. I'd rather pay for a finished product than a speculative one.