[jaycfields]

I can't speak for softcover or mhartl, but I made the jump to self publishing via leanpub for http://wewut . I haven't sold enough copies to make an impressive amount of money, but I've sold enough that I don't feel like writing the book was a complete waste of time.

1) I've found that supplementing material makes a massive difference in sales. However, when you see a larger percentage of the revenue, you definitely feel more inclined to create supplementing material

2) wewut isn't tied to fast moving software at all. I wouldn't consider that a necessity, though it does help ensure future editions

3) For some reason, self published materials seem to pop up less on piracy sites. Google a professionally published book and it's easy to find a free copy. The same hasn't been true for the leanpub books I've searched for.

4) Is it even worth the effort these days?

5) There's a bunch of stuff out there on this topic already - a quick search should get you plenty of pointers. Screencasts have been around awhile. Don't skimp on audio equipment has always been the #1 advice I've seen.