Re: [DOCS] Re: [HACKERS] Outline for PostgreSQL book

Bruce Momjian <maillist@candle.pha.pa.us>

From: Bruce Momjian <maillist@candle.pha.pa.us>
To: Lamar Owen <lamar.owen@wgcr.org>
Cc: Dmitry Samersoff <dms@wplus.net>, Vince Vielhaber <vev@michvhf.com>, Oliver Elphick <olly@lfix.co.uk>, PostgreSQL-documentation <docs@postgreSQL.org>, "PostgreSQL-development"@candle.pha.pa.us, pgsql-hackers@postgreSQL.org, Jan Wieck <jwieck@debis.com>
Date: 1999-10-21T03:49:25Z
Lists: pgsql-hackers
> Bruce Momjian wrote:
> > Actually, I want to make sure the book is accessible on the web.  I will
> > keep your translation idea in mind.  Good point.
> 
> Talk to Philip Greenspun.  Morgan-Kaufman cut him a deal where his book,
> "Philip and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing" is also available free on
> the web (http://photo.net/wtr/thebook).  His e-mail is philg@mit.edu.

I have this from Addison Wesley.  It is online now.

> And you gotta see the quality of his book!  Amazon carries it. 
> (although, I must say, some of his choices for pictures were a little
> over the top....)

Much thanks for sending me this suggestion.

I read it at:

	http://photo.net/wtr/dead-trees/story.html

First, it is very long, so let me give you a quick summary.  He did his
first book for MacMillan, which is like Sams, Waite, etc.  Basically your
fat book for dummies, and had a pretty terrible experience.  You have to
read it to appreciate it.  This reminds me of Thomas's comment that we
need a good, quality publisher for our books.  If the first book that
came out on PostgreSQL was "PostgreSQL for Dummies", Marc would have a
fit.  And I have seen him in fits -- it is not pretty.

He did his second book for Morgan Kaufmann, who is a quality publisher
like Addison Wesley.  Totally different experience, and a different
quality book.

This is required reading for anyone who is interested in the book
writing experience or is considering writing a book.  People, we need to
stay with the quality publishers, if possible.

I am sure there will be a "PostgreSQL Unleashed" book one day, with tons
of graphic arrows and very little content, but let's put it off as long
as we can.

-- 
  Bruce Momjian                        |  http://www.op.net/~candle
  maillist@candle.pha.pa.us            |  (610) 853-3000
  +  If your life is a hard drive,     |  830 Blythe Avenue
  +  Christ can be your backup.        |  Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania 19026