wjt@psc90.UUCP (Bill Taffe) (05/29/90)
I think a discussion of comp sci books would be excellent. I'm not interested in publishers blurbs but a selection of mini-reviews and comments. And it's great that Rich Pattis has volunteered to head it up! Thanks Rich. Bill Taffe Plymouth State College wjt@psc90.uucp billt@psc.bitnet
deogun@unocss.unomaha.edu (deogun) (05/29/90)
In article <1355@psc90.UUCP> wjt@psc90.UUCP (Bill Taffe) writes: >I think a discussion of comp sci books would be excellent. I'm not >interested in publishers blurbs but a selection of mini-reviews and >comments. And it's great that Rich Pattis has volunteered to head it >up! Thanks Rich. > >Bill Taffe >Plymouth State College >wjt@psc90.uucp >billt@psc.bitnet I think Rich should issue a formal call for discussion for the new newsgroup. Maybe some more knowledgeable netter can point out the rest of the procedure to start the new newsgroup. Certainly, comp.edu.books will help us select the books based on other people's experience with similar environments. Sanjiv -- Sanjiv K. Bhatia Department of Computer Science sanjiv@fergvax.unl.edu University of Nebraska - Lincoln (402)-472-3485 Lincoln, NE 68588-0115
thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu (Thom Gillespie) (05/30/90)
I think that the idea of a comp.edu.book is a good idea but I'm wondering what the definition of a computer science book will be. I review technical books and software for a couple of magazines and I have about 200 hundred books that I've been sent in the last 3 months. They range from more than I ever want to know about wordperfect-dbase-123 through DOS system programming and The Printer Bible all the way to Programming in C++ & Computer Security Risk Management. There is a lot out there and it isn't clear to me what belongs where. I have no problem with discussing what ever anyone wants whether it's Assembler or macro programming in wordperfect -- assembler is easier -- but I wonder what everone else feels. I was very happy to see PH's catalog on the net. I have a file cabinet drawer which is bursting due to all the catalogs I'm sent. There is also the funny line between books and books with disks and disks with books and disks without books. It all has to do with information or education but the format varies along with the usefulness for different people. --Thom Gillespie
carolh@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Carol Hutchins) (05/30/90)
thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu (Thom Gillespie) writes: >I think that the idea of a comp.edu.book is a good idea but I'm wondering what >the definition of a computer science book will be. I review technical books and >software for a couple of magazines and I have about 200 hundred books that I've >been sent in the last 3 months. They range from more than I ever want to know >about wordperfect-dbase-123 through DOS system programming and The Printer >Bible all the way to Programming in C++ & Computer Security Risk Management. >There is a lot out there and it isn't clear to me what belongs where. I have no >problem with discussing what ever anyone wants whether it's Assembler or macro >programming in wordperfect -- assembler is easier -- but I wonder what everone >else feels. If you think you're confused, consider the plight of the librarian faced with all these so-called "computer-science" books. I view the "wordperfect-dbase-123 through DOS system programming" books as one category of not much interest. I would, on the other hand, like to hear what books on C++, computer security, databases, parallelism, architectures, ..., Those With Foresight regard as of lasting importance. Tough assignment? Anyway, that's what comp.edu.books should be about. --Carol Hutchins Swain Hall Library
manis@cs.ubc.ca (Vincent Manis) (05/31/90)
In article <46117@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> carolh@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Carol Hutchins) writes: >I view the "wordperfect-dbase-123 through DOS system programming" >books as one category of not much interest. I would, on the other >hand, like to hear what books on C++, computer security, databases, >parallelism, architectures, ..., Those With Foresight regard as of >lasting importance. As I mentioned in an earlier article, I find most catalogues not very useful. Even less inspiring is a typical dialogue with a publisher's rep: Me: What new books have you got in the pipeline? Rep: What are you interested in? Me: How about operating systems? Rep: How about _OS/2 For Idiots_? Me: I see...you think I'd be interested in it. Actually, I'm more interested in theoretical topics. Rep: Oh, I see. How about _How To Write An OS/2 Program_? Me: No, actually, I was interested in new textbooks on the theory of operating systems. Besides, we don't use OS/2 much around here. Any good texts on UNIX, or TCP/IP, or distributed systems? Rep: Well, we're just coming out with _UNIX For Idiots_. Me: (represses urge to scream) Look, let's try another area. What about AI? Rep: (face lights up) Yes, we've got lots of those. How about _Artificial Intelligence in QuickBasic_? Or _Artificial Intelligence for Realtors_? Me: No, actually, I'm looking for computer science books. Do you have any? Rep: Yes, we're one of the most extensive computer science publishers in the business. Me: OK, then how about programming languages? Rep: _The Compleat Turbo Pascal For Sheep Farmers_? Me: Data bases, especially logic programming? Rep: _The Moron's Guide to dBASE IV_? Me: Software Engineering? Rep: _The Engineer's Guide to 1-2-3_? Me: Computer architecture? Rep: _WordPerfect in the Architect's Office_? Me: Functional programming? Rep: I don't know what that is. I do, however, have a nifty new book on laptop computers. Me: AAARGHHHH!!!! (any resemblance to the Monty Python `Cheese Shop' sketch is purely coincidental.) It seems pretty clear that publishers don't seem to have much of an idea of what computer science academics find interesting, or they don't train their reps. Maybe there's just no profit in CS books nowadays (there seem to be a lot fewer in the pipeline). I dunno. -- \ Vincent Manis <manis@cs.ubc.ca> "There is no law that vulgarity and \ Department of Computer Science literary excellence cannot coexist." /\ University of British Columbia -- A. Trevor Hodge / \ Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1W5 (604) 228-2394
spencer@eecs.umich.edu (Spencer W. Thomas) (06/01/90)
Actually, most of the publisher reps I've dealt with (as a CS faculty member) are pretty good. They usually have a good idea what I need and what they might have that I'd be interested in. -- =Spencer (spencer@eecs.umich.edu)