kurt@fluke.UUCP (05/07/84)
I just got a mailing from digital press, the printing arm of digital
equipment corporation. They advertised themselves as a publisher of
timely and interesting books for educators and computer professionals,
so I read the ad. Imagine my surprise and disgust when I discovered
that what they were selling was mostly outdated processor manuals and
catalogs at bestseller prices. Give me a break. If I wanted to know
how to interface to a wide variety of terminals, I wouldn't buy a book
that described only DEC hardware, and if I wanted to interface with DEC
hardware, I would certainly not expect to pay $14.95 for the
privilege. Then there were the books allegedly for use in teaching
operating systems classes that actually were manuals for VMS, RSTS,
etc. I don't know about you, but I don't consider RSTS, RSX, or VMS to
be the quintessential expression in operating system design, and would
greatly prefer a more general, easier-to-read text than a manual.
Stuff like this should be given away free.
Always my own opinion, my company buys DEC stuff and likes it fine.
--
Kurt Guntheroth
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
{uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!kurtminow@decvax.UUCP (05/25/84)
Digital Press performs two functions: first, it publishes and distributes Dec hardware and software manuals for the general public. These manuals cost a fair amount to write, print, and distribute -- and, if a sales engineer gives you a copy, it is in the hope that it will cause you to buy a computer. A more important function it performs is as a publisher of trade books in the computer field. Some of these have become classics; John McNamara's Technical Aspects of Data Communicatins, for example. One of its specialties is a series tracing the history of computing. If you look beyond the processor manuals, you will probably find a solid collection of well-writen and produced books. (Take a look at "Games Computers Play", for example.) Martin Minow decvax!minow