From: JamesBritt <james@...>
Date: 2002-11-15T09:55:49+09:00
Subject: Re: What's your favorite Ruby book?

> > In fact, if other English-language Ruby books were licensed OPL and
> > available on the net, I would buy hardcopy just to show my support-- even
> > if they weren't as useful to me as the Pickaxe.
> >
>
> Good man! I think it's important to keep in mind that if we want publishers to
> publish books about Ruby then we need to be buying books about Ruby. I
> think in general the folks at SAMS and Addison Wesley don't care about the
> OPL as much as they care about the BUX.

Some authors, and some publishers (though not always together), believe that
presenting a book, online, for free, helps sales.  Bruce Eckel seems convinced.

http://www.mindview.net/Etc/Discussions/FAQ.html#BooksOnWeb

Others have varying opinions

http://www.studiob.com/mailinglist.asp?ID=47088
http://www.studiob.com/mailinglist.asp?ID=63009
http://www.studiob.com/mailinglist.asp?ID=70231

The choice of license seems to be an issue, as well as whether the entire book
is available, whether the free version remains available after print
publication, and just how user-friendly is the online version (e.g., can you
search it? Print it?).

James