Comments on: How to write a computer book https://gregladen.com/blog/2014/08/27/how-to-write-a-computer-book/ Thu, 04 Sep 2014 15:26:49 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.6 By: Tim https://gregladen.com/blog/2014/08/27/how-to-write-a-computer-book/#comment-481666 Thu, 04 Sep 2014 15:26:49 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/?p=20224#comment-481666 Mrs. Conclusion
“We’llo, Mrs. Premis”

Premis
“Hello, Mrs, Conclusion.”
.
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Mrs Conclusion
“we are going to have to have our Foo Bar put down.”
.
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Premis
“Tell me? how do you put Foo Bar down?”

Conclusion “It’s funny you should ask that because I’ve just been reading this great big book How to Put Your Foo Bar down… And, apparently, you can either hit them with the book or you can stick an extra pipe ‘|” character on the Man page…”

]]> By: Brainstorms https://gregladen.com/blog/2014/08/27/how-to-write-a-computer-book/#comment-481665 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 15:18:10 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/?p=20224#comment-481665 And a chapter on “Alternative uses for this book” — doorstop, booster chair, shelf support, etc.

]]> By: Pete A https://gregladen.com/blog/2014/08/27/how-to-write-a-computer-book/#comment-481664 Fri, 29 Aug 2014 13:20:58 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/?p=20224#comment-481664 I forget to mention that printed versions of the book must include:
Guidelines on recycling this book.

]]> By: Brainstorms https://gregladen.com/blog/2014/08/27/how-to-write-a-computer-book/#comment-481663 Thu, 28 Aug 2014 20:26:50 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/?p=20224#comment-481663 Forgot the section that details “How many trees were killed to publish this book” and “How many tons of CO2 were added to the atmosphere in the making of this book”.

(Note that the second one applies even if its an e-book: Consider the coal being burned to run the blades & HVAC in all the datacenters that provide the on-line version…)

]]> By: Greg Laden https://gregladen.com/blog/2014/08/27/how-to-write-a-computer-book/#comment-481662 Thu, 28 Aug 2014 18:36:15 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/?p=20224#comment-481662 Help chapters added!

]]> By: Donal https://gregladen.com/blog/2014/08/27/how-to-write-a-computer-book/#comment-481661 Thu, 28 Aug 2014 18:02:24 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/?p=20224#comment-481661 Foo Bar for Dum Ees?

]]> By: Dave X https://gregladen.com/blog/2014/08/27/how-to-write-a-computer-book/#comment-481660 Thu, 28 Aug 2014 14:33:11 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/?p=20224#comment-481660 But what about the chapter on searching for help on foo bar which points to google or a dead wiki or spam-filled listserve?

]]> By: Pete A https://gregladen.com/blog/2014/08/27/how-to-write-a-computer-book/#comment-481659 Thu, 28 Aug 2014 13:01:46 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/?p=20224#comment-481659 Indeed, the meat-dross ratio of many publications often approaches zero from a practical point of view. IMHO the ratio often drops far below zero: trying to find the few needles in the huge haystack.

Very well crafted indexes work, but only when the crafter truly wanted the readers to maximally benefit from the publication. This concept applies especially to the art and craft of database design — Web search engines are not crafted to assist their users; they are crafted to maximally assist the provider of the engine.

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