huver@amgraf.UUCP (Huver) (03/09/89)
In article <6142@cbmvax.UUCP>, bryce@cbmvax.UUCP (Bryce Nesbitt) writes: > The first volume of the new ROM Kernel Manual set is now available! > The book is titled "ROM Kernel Reference Manual: Includes & Autodocs". > [rest of the article deleted] I jsut saw this one tonight, and have some comments to make: 1. About 80% of the contents is exactly autodocs/includes, the rest consists of IFF docs, and very brief (1 or 2 pages) intros. 2. The paper quality is VERY VERY BAD. My normal printer papers are better than what Addison-Wesley used. And they list $32.95 for it. True, consider one gets the 1.3 Native Developer Updates for $20, and the IFF disk (if there is one), then prints everything out, the cost would be higher. But for $32.95 + tax, I expect it be printed on decent quality paper. 3. The worst is that it is again printed in 8.5x11 format, with two original autodoc pages reduced and fitted sidways, and the whole thing glued together without any punch holes; no way to keep it lay opened flat on any desk. Nowhere else have I read any reference manuals printed this way. It practically kills the usefulness of the book, where did the common sense in layout editing go? Speaking of which, I can't find any effort of layout editing at all. The intro pages are printed upright, so is the EA '85 IFF paper; all the autodocs, includes, and IFF docs that Carolyn wrote remain fitted sideways. It looks like someone got hold of all computer print-outs and just put them together in sequence, that's it. No consideration was given as to how a human reader is to use the printed information. Of course there's the desire of reducing the volume size, but something as fundamental as how a manual is supposed to be used (note it is not a BOOK that one reads on commuter trains, but a MANUAL that one uses to get some work done) cannot be arbitrarily thrown away. Why not use the smaller size 3-ring binder format, print pages upright (like the Manx, Lattice, SCO Xenix manuals), but split into one volume for Libraries, and another for Devices + IFF, if all-in-one makes the thing too thick? To save money, the binders need not be included, let us buy our own binders. The contents no doubt are useful information, and the effort of creating and providing everything is also to be appreciated; but the poor final execution really wipes all that out. I thought CATS hired an editor to correct the errors made in the old edition, what happened? Did she have no say about this at all? ----- -huver uunet!amgraf!huver
sirius@cup.portal.com (Mike Sirius Stilson) (03/12/89)
> [generally about negative comments about new RKM]
I saw this in a bookstore a few days ago.. I picked it up & walked around the
store with it for a little bit, looking at it.
The format is nicely annoying to read, being printed 2 autodoc pages per
page, and turned sideways. The paper is annoying. It's very low quality.
It's coarse, it's hard to read on. It's off-color, making it even more fun.
I didn't buy it.. Instead, I went home, made up a little script file,
and had my printer dump out all the files in NLQ mode on an ImagewriterII.
In all, it took about 4" of paper, and a few hours. They're now nicely
organized in several binders.. (one for dos & exec, one for gfx & intui, etc.)
If you have the time, I'd __REALLY__ recommend you print it instead of
paying $32 for a same thing.ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) (03/14/89)
[ Eat THIS! ]
I think the recent attacks on the new Rom Kernel Manuals are in
rather poor taste. Here, Commodore tries to update its documents (the first
time since 1.1), and everyone jumps on them for little or no reason.
Poor paper stock: Ok, this is a valid concern, but almost certainly
this is more the fault of Addison-Wesley than Commodore. I hardly think
someone at Commodore told A-W, "Use cruddy paper."
Autodocs printed sideways: You never complained before.
Personally, I like them that way. If they printed them one for one, it
would have been twice as thick, cost you (the buyer) twice as much, and
killed twice as many trees. Do you know how large the UNIX Programming
Manuals are? On a good day, it take about three BIG binders to hold it all.
Think of the parts catalog you see in auto stores. You want *that* much
paper to deal with?
Paperback: Yeah, I would have liked to see a binder format. Bryce
Nesbitt made some comments on BIX about how he arranged stuff in the books.
The IFF stuff is all grouped at one end, and the introductions at the other.
The includes and autodocs are in the middle. Since the includes and
autodocs are used most frequently, the IFF and introductory material act as
weights to hold the book open. Also, he made sure the gutter margins (the
margins toward the spine of the book) were as wide as possible, so you could
read that material without stressing the book. It also means you can take
the book to a printer/binder, have him/her shear off the binding and drill
three holes in it, and reasonably expect that you won't drill through any
valuable material.
Although I have not seen the new book, I have read many descriptions
of it, and it looks like Commodore went back to the original "white book"
format, which I think is superior. And like the guy said, if you don't like
it, print up your own copy from the developers disks. But like I said, I
think complaining about it is kinda in bad taste. It certainly won't make
anyone feel *good* about doing the next set of manuals.
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Leo L. Schwab -- The Guy in The Cape INET: well!ewhac@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU
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