From: Jeremy McAnally <jeremymcanally@...>
Date: 2007-10-09T02:57:40+09:00
Subject: Re: considering writing a book on Ruby/Rails?

That's the beauty of self publishing; for example, with the Humble
Little Ruby Book, I can update it, send it to Lulu, and have a fresh
paper copy next week (or PDF copy immeidately).

That sort of setup is far more agile than a "stock and ship" setup
like most traditional publishers.

--Jeremy

On 10/8/07, Philip Hallstrom <ruby@philip.pjkh.com> wrote:
> >> Far better suggestion is what topics to write books and chapters about!
> >>
> >> I suggest a GUI focused Ruby book that covers Qt, Tk, Wx, etc...
> >> A game / graphics focused Ruby book... (could easily be integrated or
> >> connected with the GUI book)
> >> A whole host of Ruby topics could be entire books based on one or two
> >> classes or modules or gems.
> >> What we have enough of are books that are broad but not deep.
> >> As an example: Pro ActiveRecord is a nice one, but an Expert ActiveRecord
> >> would be better...
> >>
> >> Lots of topics to suggest.
> >
> > Agreed ... then again, there are some other good books that don't even exist:
> >
> > "Up and Running with Nitro and Og"
> > "Up and Running with Iowa"
> > "Pragmatic RSpec" (although I hear that's due in beta by the end of the year)
> > "ZenTest and Heckle Primer"
> > "Selenium ..."
> > "Watir ..."
> > "Cerberus ..."
>
> One problem with these though is that they change pretty fast don't they?
> So by the time you'd finish publishing it would it be out of date?
>
> The only thing worse than a book on how to install Nitro/Og is a book on
> how to do it that is out of date and no longer applies :)
>
> Some of those smaller PDF booklets (mongrel has one, ferret has one, etc.)
> might be more realistic though and are at a price point that is low enough
> that it's not that big a deal if it's not accurate in 4 months cause by
> that point you'll be "following along" some other way.
>
> -philip
>
>


-- 
http://www.jeremymcanally.com/

My books:
Ruby in Practice
http://www.manning.com/mcanally/

My free Ruby e-book
http://www.humblelittlerubybook.com/

My blogs:
http://www.mrneighborly.com/
http://www.rubyinpractice.com/