[10639] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: O'Reilly book on JavaScript Beta-version (NOT beta book on Java)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jim Warren)
Fri Sep 20 20:50:31 1996
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 18:23:53 -0500 (CDT)
From: Jim Warren <jwarren@well.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I, too, first interpreted O'Reilly's announcement as being of a
"beta-edition book."
But, on more careful reading, it's my understanding that it's a "final
book," but about the beta-edition of Java -- for which, the full definition
of the language/implementation standard is still in process, and is a
"beta" definition of the Java final-standard-to-be. I think. :-)
--jim
Jim Warren, GovAccess list-owner/editor, advocate & columnist (jwarren@well.com)
345 Swett Rd., Woodside CA 94062; voice/415-851-7075; fax-for-the-quaint/<ask>
>O'Reilly press just announced what I believe is the first "beta" book:
>
> "O'Reilly has published the "beta" edition of "JavaScript: The Definitive
> Guide" because JavaScript is evolving so rapidly. The next edition of
> the book, to be released in the fourth quarter of 1996, will contain
> complete information about the 3.0 release of JavaScript..."
>
>This is an interesting development, acknowledging, of course, that book
>publishing just can't keep up with the speed of technology development. At the
>same time, we don't have a viable alternative to commercial hardcopy
>publishing.
>We already see interesting combinations of hardcopy publishing with online
>updates (O'Reilly has done this with some books; Wired magazine uses its online
>site HotWired to follow up on the print version; Time magazine has an online
>daily edition.)
>
>I've been coming to the conclusion that the future of publishing is in
>information services rather than the production of individual information
>objects. Some evolution in this direction seems to be happening.
>
>-------------------------------------
>Karen Coyle <kec@dla.ucop.edu>
>University of California - Library Automation
>http://www.dla.ucop.edu/~kec
