march@m.cs.uiuc.edu (07/27/89)
Well, I have to say I'm disappointed in "The NeXT Book" recently released.
While the first section detailing the port pinouts and other sundry hardware
of the NeXT is rather informative, the rest of the book is of a non-techincal
nature. Basically the rest of the book describes WriteNow, the Digital
Library and all of the other applications which are bundled. Mr. Webster
even goes to the point of describing the use of various UNIX commands (ls,
cp, mkdir, etc). The jacket cover led me to believe that this book would clue
me in on some of the lesser know aspects of the machine. It didn't! Maybe
I was mislead? Anybody ????
I was also disappointed in the amount of release (0.9) specific information.
An expamle being the appendix on system administration. While I doubt that
much of the information on NeXT administration will change or ever has changed,
I did note that they made it quite clear that this appendix was for 0.9. I
see that Bruce Webster feels that administration only merits space in an
appendix. Given the nature of this book I feel it should have either been
a full blown chapter or not have been included at all. I also noted a few
other instances of a 0.9 specific remark (unfortunately, none which I can
recall now). Does this mean that we will all have to go out and buy the
second edition when 1.0 arrives on the scene? I should hope not!!
At any rate ... I recommend the book for those who are planning to use the
NeXT and are new to either UNIX or computing. The book has a complete
OVERVIEW (and only that much excepting the first section on hardware) of
the applications and Workspace. However, I must recommend the online
documentation and most likely (as I have not seen them yet) the NeXT
technical manuals (the $250.00 ones) for the more technical users.
Anyone else care to voice his/her opinion? I would very much like to see
a more technical book ... maybe I should try to get a hold of the NeXT
technical manuals? Anyone got $250.00 they could lend me? :-)
Steve
===============================================================================
Steve March (H) 344-5303
Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois (W) 333-7408
march@cs.uiuc.edu
{uunet,convex,pur-ee}!uiucdcs!march
"Emotions are alien to me. I'm a scientist." -- Spock, "This Side of Paradise"
===============================================================================jmunkki@kampi.hut.fi (Juri Munkki) (07/29/89)
In article <61300011@m.cs.uiuc.edu> march@m.cs.uiuc.edu writes: >However, I must recommend the online >documentation and most likely (as I have not seen them yet) the NeXT >technical manuals (the $250.00 ones) for the more technical users. The technical manuals are well worth the $250. They contain a lot of material that is useful even if I don't get accepted in the NeXT developer program. You get a few Objective C manuals (including a short tutorial) and Display Postscript manuals (you still need the red/blue/green books). >Anyone else care to voice his/her opinion? I would very much like to see >a more technical book ... maybe I should try to get a hold of the NeXT >technical manuals? Anyone got $250.00 they could lend me? :-) The only problem with the technical documentation is that along with the 0.9 books they sent me a registration card. I immediately filled it up and decided to mail it _soon_. Of course I lost the card before I mailed it. Now I'm worried if I'll ever get the 1.0 manuals. I find it funny that after sending $250 and receiving two sets of manuals (0.8 and 0.9) NeXT still wants me to tell them what my address is... Anyone from NeXT care to comment? _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ | Juri Munkki jmunkki@hut.fi jmunkki@fingate.bitnet I Want Ne | | Helsinki University of Technology Computing Centre My Own XT | ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^