The more books the better, in my err... book. (pun intended.)
What follows is just my opinion.
<rant>I think that books are really very helpful for a number of reasons, not least of which because they give you a chance to think more conceptually, away from the screen. That is a double-edged sword, however, because many books are not very useful away from the screen (e.g. "for dummies" books) and they soon become obsolete.
There's a second-hand book store in Bristol where all the computer books are £1. The rationale is that demand for a book on, say, Photoshop 5.0 is low. I think it's very important that printed books retain a conceptual element.
For something like GridFlow, I think it would be really, really great if there was a book which spent some time explaining how it works. I'd certainly buy that. I'd find it very hard to justify the purchase of a printer set of help files on their own.
In my experience, books tend to be used where a student seeks further explanation on something that was covered superficially; when they really struggle with a concept and need a different and more detailed explanation; and when I point them specifically to a chapter or section of a book. The book becomes a resource in the learning process, rather than a compendium of knowledge.
</rant>
- martin
On 21 August 2010 18:25, Mathieu Bouchard matju@artengine.ca wrote:
On Sat, 21 Aug 2010, Martin Dupras wrote:
In my opinion, published books dealing with open-source subjects also
contribute a perception that it is not just a fringe curiosity.
What would you think of a book form of something such as the help files of GridFlow ? If only to achieve the double goal of having one more book about Pd and having a set of helpfiles polished enough and proofread enough to become something we'd be proud to call a book.
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