rlg@desktalk.com (Richard L. Gralnik) (01/08/91)
Does anyone know where I can get a copy of "Elements of Network Style" (or is that Networking ?). Many people have heard of it, a lot have read it, all who know of it recommend it, but no one seems to know where to get it. If it's out of print, and would not violate copyrights, would anyone be willing to get it xeroxed? I will reimburse you. Thanks, Richard Gralnik (rlg@desktalk.com)
rstevens@noao.edu (Rich Stevens) (01/08/91)
Padlipsky, M. _The Elements of Networking Style_, Prentice Hall, 1985. I don't see it in their current catalog; the P-H phone order number used to be 201-767-5049. Rich Stevens
romkey@ASYLUM.SF.CA.US (John Romkey) (01/08/91)
It's an excellent book, and its author frequently reads this list. I got my copy at Steacy's bookstore in Palo Alto (CA). - john romkey Epilogue Technology USENET/UUCP/Internet: romkey@asylum.sf.ca.us FAX: 415 594-1141
LVARIAN@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU ("Lee C. Varian") (01/08/91)
On Mon, 7 Jan 91 08:25:51 PST Richard L. Gralnik said: >Does anyone know where I can get a copy of "Elements of Network Style" (or is >that Networking ?). Richard, I am not positive that "The Elements of Networking Style" is still in print, but I think so. I bought my last (paperback) copy through our campus bookstore about 2 years ago. The details: Padlipsky, M. A., "The Elements of Networking Style and other essays and animadversions on the art of intercomputer networking", Prentice-Hall (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1985, ISBN 0-13-268129-3, 0-13-268111-0 (paper). A thoughtful and witty book, with chapter titles like "Slaying the 'TCP-on- a-LAN' Woozle" and with most chapters starting with Prefatory Afterthoughts. A classic defense of the ARPANET Reference Model against the onslaught of the ISO Reference Model. Lee Varian, Princeton University, lvarian@pucc.princeton.edu
jqj@DUFF.UOREGON.EDU (01/08/91)
Since Lee styles MAP's "Elements of Network Style" as "thoughtful and witty", I'd like to reiterate the comments on made on this forum when it first was published: I found the book nearly impossible to read because of the pompous and pretentious style. Although I agreed in 1985 with MAP on most technical issues, I was unable to recommend the book. Anyone who titles a book "The Elements of ... Style" has, I believe, an obligation to the shade of Will Strunk to omit needless words. Had MAP done so, his book would have been the length of a magazine article. Vigorous writing is concise. This isn't. Conclusion: MAP's preface would have led one to believe that his book was substantively inflamatory or contentious. Few readers of this list would find it so, but many (certainly not all) would find the style unacceptable.
PADLIPSKY@A.ISI.EDU (Michael Padlipsky) (01/09/91)
jqj--
You are, of course, entitled to dislike my prose style. As They say,
"There's no accounting for lack of taste." However, your appeal to
the late Professor Strunk is doubly a non sequitur. In the first place,
I was playing on _The Elements of Programming Style_, and turn out to
be eminently entitled to do so, for reasons Brian might explain to you if
you ask him nicely. In the more significant place, though:
The whole duty of a writer is to please and satisfy himself, and the
true writer always plays to an audience of one. [_The Elements of Style_,
p. 85--which is, as it happens, the last page, if memory serves]
But, then, perhaps that sentiment was engrafted by Mr. White....
natheless, cheers,
map
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