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

> Hello,
>
> I just joined this list and am getting into the middle of this thread,
> but I did go back and read the archives.
>
> Just a few comments.
>
> To answer a previous question, I like PDFs.
>
> I like the approach that Bruce Eckel has taken to writing his last
> couple of books. It was somewhat of an opensource approach. He wrote the
> book and kept it on his site in PDF format and released regular updates
> based on either his additions to the book or corrections of errors and
> such by readers. It helped him to develop a good rapport with his
> audience. I do not believe the book being available on the web really
> impacted the sales of the published book that much. I know I printed one
> copy and purchased one copy.
> http://www.BruceEckel.com/

Yes, I would like to do that, and the publisher I was talking to today
seemed to think it was fine. He said it helps sell books. I would be
very unhappy if the book could not be put on the web. In fact, he is
subscribed to the hackers list, so he may be reading this.

> One thing to consider when writing the book is keeping it on target
> about PostgreSQL. I was browsing Amazon and SQL books and was reading
> about the MySQL book by O'Reilly. It got some really bad reviews based
> it being to general on databases and not specific about MySQL. Many said
> great db book, poor MySQL book.
> Read about it at, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1565924347 .

Good point. I will keep it in mind.

> Their are many books which cover the basics of databases and database
> design and you list a few below. What is needed is a PostgreSQL book.
> Their will be overlap, but the emphasis should be on database
> development with PostgreSQL. That is what will differentiate it from
> others.

Good. And I will show actual PostgreSQL examples in the book, with
PostgreSQL output from psql, etc.

> Addison Wesley is an excellent publisher as is O'Reilly. I would
> recommend trying the above approach when writing the book and find a
> publisher friendly to the idea. Bruce's Thinking in Java was published
> by Prentice Hall. I don't know about any of the other publishers.

Yes, I am a big Addison Wesley fan. I realized this when I found most
of the books I like were from them. I am not a big O'Reilly fan, though
I have a few of their books.

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