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Re: Re: Re: Happy Birthday Mathematica!

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg90104] Re: [mg90051] Re: [mg89996] Re: Happy Birthday Mathematica!
• From: Andrzej Kozlowski <akoz at mimuw.edu.pl>
• Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:34:44 -0400 (EDT)
• References: <g3nh81$dl$1@smc.vnet.net> <g3t70t$inb$1@smc.vnet.net> <200806260840.EAA20783@smc.vnet.net> <200806271017.GAA24214@smc.vnet.net>

I certianly have no objection to the existence of a printed version of  
"The Mathematica Book", even if it is 11000 pages long. What is  
important to me (since I definitely have no use for such a  
monstrosity) is that I should not be required to subsidize other  
people's preferences in this respect. I may of course be wrong, but  
judging by the posts in the MathGroup, I doubt many people would wish  
to pay for such a book (it certainly won't be free) if they had a  
choice. In view of that,  I don't think it would be a very wise of WRI  
to print a large number of copies and hope that enough buyers will  
be found later. The only sensible approach would be to allow those who  
want a printed copy to custom order it, and pay for the full cost of  
printing, binding and sending themselves. Given that an electronic  
version already exists I can see no great problems in making suitable  
arrangements right away; in fact WRI could even sell license the right  
to print "The Mathematica Book" on demand basis to Kinko's. This seems  
to me an ideal solution to which I can't see how anyone could object.

Andrzej Kozlowski

On 27 Jun 2008, at 19:17, Murray Eisenberg wrote:

> Have you noticed the subtle (?) propaganda against a printed Version 6
> of "The Mathematica Book" that appears in "Mathematica: The  
> Scrapbook" at
>
>   wolfram.com/company/scrapbook/page09.html ?
>
> Click the next to last image there to see it enlarged on the right,  
> with
> legend, "Stephen Wolfram's Mathematica Book grows and grows...(almost
> beyond printability...)"
>
> (Actually, somewhere on the WRI site I also saw a stack of copies of  
> the
> Version 5 book showing how tall the pile would have to be for a  
> printed
> copy of a Version 6 book; but I cannot find that again now.)
>
> So what about a compromise (he said, only half in jest)?  "The
> Mathematica Book, Version 6" but an e-book for the Kindle?  It would
> still be electronic (thereby satisfying the anti-print folks among
> Wolframites) yet readable in bed, in a non-wired cafe, in the bathtub,
> ... (thereby satisfying those of us who still like to read away from a
> computer).
>
>
> AES wrote:
>> In article <g3t70t$inb$1 at smc.vnet.net>, Nazdrovje <nazdrovje at gmail.com 
>> >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I think I started in 1993. Must have been either 1.2 or 2.0 on the
>>> Mac. Probably 1.2. I'm such a nerd that I can't imagine working
>>> without it (or choosing a job which wouldn't require it). Had the
>>> manuals on my bedside table for a decade.
>>
>> <sarcasm mode on>
>>
>> "Had the manuals on my bedside table for a decade."
>>
>> Manuals?!?  Manuals on a bedside table?!?
>>
>> Why in the world would anyone do that?
>>
>> Next thing you know people will be wanting  to read
>> manuals on a plane flight.   Or on a porch, or in a cafe,
>> or in a clinic waiting room.
>>
>> How times have changed.
>>
>> <sarcasm mode off>
>
> -- 
> Murray Eisenberg                     murray at math.umass.edu
> Mathematics & Statistics Dept.
> Lederle Graduate Research Tower      phone 413 549-1020 (H)
> University of Massachusetts                413 545-2859 (W)
> 710 North Pleasant Street            fax   413 545-1801
> Amherst, MA 01003-9305
>
>

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Re: Re: Re: Happy Birthday Mathematica!
    • From: Murray Eisenberg <murray@math.umass.edu>

• References:
  • Re: Happy Birthday Mathematica!
    • From: AES <siegman@stanford.edu>
  • Re: Re: Happy Birthday Mathematica!
    • From: Murray Eisenberg <murray@math.umass.edu>