Re: Do USA bookstores look like this nowadays?

On 6/23/26 21:57, rbowman wrote:
> On Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:20:57 -0400, jayjwa wrote:
> 
>> Today there's just a small spot. I'd imagine most people are getting
>> their computer science information online rather than buy expensive
>> books.
> 
> When we started the Angular project I bought 'ng-book The Complete Book on
> Angular 6' 6 was May 2018. By the time I became involved a year the
> project had moved to Angular 8. One of the programmers gave me the ebook
> version. It's up to 22 now, with even more changes. My calculus text from
> 60 years ago, if I still had it, would still be pertinent. A software book
> from last year, not so much.
> 
> 
>> My Java book is around $50+,
> 
> I bought 'Java in a Nutshell' in the 2nd edition. It was a fairly slim
> book to match the slim, lithe Java of '97. Like the high school hottie
> that turned into a 350 pound harridan I lost interest about the time Swing
> reared its head.


   I think I had JIANS too ... it went into the trash
   when I retired because by then I realized I'd never
   use Java.

   Still have "Algorithms In 'C'" (Sedgewick) and a few
   other 'right down to it' guides - and, of course, my
   K&R book.


>> The "for dummies" series was pretty popular for awhile. Last time I
>> checked the physical store, there were only a couple books about games
>> in Python, something non-trivial to do with C, and maybe a few about
>> specific applications in the Microsoft orbit.
> 
> I've got 'Flute for Dummies' and it's pretty good. I can play an Irish
> flute/tin whistle but they only have 6 holes and do D and G. I bought a
> cheap Boehm flute and it has a lot more moving parts to figure out. An
> Irish flute has zero moving parts so that's a low bar.

   Despite the degrading, off-putting, names ... some
   of the "For Dummies" books weren't all that bad.

   Books writ by/for academics can be VERY bad - better
   to get the 'translations' for the more practical folks.