From: Pat Eyler <pate@...>
Date: 2002-04-14T00:39:55+09:00
Subject: Re: Barnes & Noble putting on the squeeze

On Sun, 14 Apr 2002, David Alan Black wrote:

> Hello --
>
> It looks to me like Barnes & Noble (at its actual stores) has cut down
> the number of books in the "Programming Languages" section.  There's
> now a total of about three shelves (i.e., not even a whole bookcase),
> much of it Python.  There are two copies of the Pickaxe at my local
> B&N, but no other Ruby books -- and, as of a few weeks ago, they
> definitely carried "Nutshell" and I think they'd gotten in at least
> one of the others.
>
> Of course, there's also an entire row (with spillover) devoted to C++
> and VB and Java.  Moreover (and this is the part that concerns and
> depresses me the most) they now have a separate "Microsoft .NET
> Resource Center" -- basically an entire bookcase, with its own
> signage.  Something had to go, to make room for this, and apparently
> the miscellaneous non-.NET, non-Micros**t programming languages were
> at the top of the list.
>
> This is more than a symbolic example of .NET infestation; it could
> really make a difference.  I discovered Ruby by browsing at a
> bookstore.  That option is probably on the way out.

Fortunately, this is something we can all do something about.  If you
go to you local Barnes & Nobel and ask for books, complain (nicely) that
you can't find sufficient coverage of areas you are interested in, and
follow up by buying things, the stores will listen.

If this doesn't seem to be working let them know that you have other book
buying options, and follow through.  Let them know when you go in ... 'Oh
by the way, you remember that book I asked you to carry?  I bought it at
bookblah.com, and while I was there, I bought these others.'

-pate


>
>
> David
>
> P.S. The programming techniques and software engineering sections seem
> to be less hard-hit, so there's at least some good news for our crafty
> and/or pragmatic friends :-)
>
>