mattd@Apple.COM (Matt Deatherage) (02/19/90)
There has been enough discussion on here about technical books for the Apple II family that a clarification of what's going on would probably help. So settle in for a while. (Some of you will have to open your minds to the possibility that Apple is not trying to make your lives miserable. Please make appropriate adjustments.) You can not have perfect technical documentation available when new software or hardware is available unless you delay the hardware or software's release until the books are done. Some components of the system are changing up to the last minute, and it takes time afterwards to get a book done. The current draft of Toolbox Reference Volume 3 is nearly 1,000 pages long, and that kind of writing, editing, artwork and technical effort doesn't happen overnight. Apple chooses to address this with a two-fold approach. The software and hardware we do is released as soon as it's done. While it's in development, the fine folks who write the technical manuals are beginning their work on the documentation for it. If things go exceptionally well, they can have a beta draft available when the software/hardware is available (as happened for GS/OS Reference, volume 1). If it's more complicated, it can take longer. (The Beta Draft of Toolbox Reference Volume 3 followed the release of 5.0 by about three months.) For those who need or want to program with the software before the final manuals are available, we make beta drafts available through APDA. The books are eventually made available through Addison-Wesley when final, where sales will warrant it. A-W doesn't want to publish books that won't sell, so some Apple publications are only available through APDA, and this will probably always be the case. If you don't want to buy the beta draft, you don't have to. A-W versions of both Toolbox Reference Volume 3 and GS/OS Reference are coming this year. You do, however, have to buy Toolbox Reference Volume 3 if you want to use 5.0-specific toolbox features. If you want to program that way now, you have to buy the beta draft. If you want to wait until the final versions are available, that's your perrogative. Using parts of the system for which you don't have the documentation is just plain stupid. I don't feel I'm breaking Apple's policy on commenting on future events when I note that this rule will not change in the future. There are, unfortunately, costs associated with development that Apple can't totally eliminate. $35.00 for a printed (not photocopied) draft of an 800+ page manual is, in the mind of someone who went to college and bought books, fairly reasonable. The only other hole in this issue is that of GS/OS Reference, which has been in beta for nearly 18 months at this point. The reason it seems so stagnant is that it is being totally revised to include 5.0 specific information, as well as pulling some information from Volume 2 that is useful to all programmers (the Console Driver, the Loaders, basic Device call reference). What is now "Volume 2" is planned to become just "Device Driver reference" and should only be needed by those writing device drivers or those using device- level access - this means that lots of people who currently have to buy Volume 2 won't have to buy the new book. For various reasons, there are not drafts of the new books available at APDA, partially because they are not yet in releasable form (they're not solid enough yet, and the new Device Driver Reference isn't done yet - we're talking a good 600 pages of information here). We haven't decided whether or not to release the new Volume 1 to APDA before it goes to A-W; there are good arguments on both sides. DTS is interested in your opinions on the subject. Finally, about availability of A-W books. The shelf life of any book is about a year, and our computer manuals are no exception. We find the sales of the books to be fairly strong in the first year, and then they significantly drop off to very low levels. Both Toolbox Reference Volumes 1 and 2 were published in early 1988, and they don't sell much per month anymore. You will probably have to ask bookstores to special-order them. I hope this clears things up. Now can we get on to something useful? -- ============================================================================ Matt Deatherage, Apple Computer, Inc. | "The opinions represented here are Developer Technical Support, Apple II | not necessarily those of Apple Group. Personal mail only, please. | Computer, Inc. Remember that." ============================================================================
roy@shumv1.uucp (Roy Reter) (02/20/90)
Matt, I would just like to say how much I and many of my freinds who have access to the net appreciate you taking the time to answer questions and field many questions. I realize you receive lots of flames on the part of users who are somewhat disatisfied with Apple. They just need to realize that every company has transitional periods. I think that they just don't want to see a great computer like the whole II line be "leftbehind" so to speak with support, but with you and others like you at Apple who are taking the time, just wanted to say we appreciate it. Roy roy@shumv1.ncsu.edu
greyelf@wpi.wpi.edu (Michael J Pender) (02/21/90)
In article <1990Feb20.000225.12396@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> roy@shumv1.ncsu.edu (Roy Reter) writes: >Matt, >I would just like to say how much I and many of my freinds who have access to >the net appreciate you taking the time to answer questions and field many >questions. I realize you receive lots of flames on the part of users who >are somewhat disatisfied with Apple. They just need to realize that every >company has transitional periods. I think that they just don't want to see >a great computer like the whole II line be "leftbehind" so to speak with >support, but with you and others like you at Apple who are taking the time, >just wanted to say we appreciate it. Same here Matt. I don't even own a "real" apple, I use the Laser 128ex. But the documentation available to me is skimpy and inaccurate. I wouldn't get anything of interest done if I couldn't call on you (and DAve Lyons) to answer the occasional "Why doesn't this work?" Laser Computer makes a nice machine, but they have LOUSY technical support. I've answered more questions for them than they have for me. Luckily I have you guys to answer questions for both of us. :-) --- Michael J Pender Jr Box 1942 c/o W.P.I. W.O.S. is not dead. greyelf@wpi.bitnet 100 Institute Rd. ...its time to get started, greyelf@wpi.wpi.edu Worcester, Ma 01609 there is much to be done. If my next computer isn't a IIgs, it won't be an apple... Me.