Do you like CDs included with programming books?

Miscellaneous Topics
#1

Do people still like having a CD included with java programming books, or do people perfer just downloading stuff instead?

Really i figure this is a dial-up issue.
Assuming you’re starting with a blank slate, is getting ths SDK, and editor/IDE and downaloding a 5MB file of source code too much of a hassle, or would you rather just have it all on CD?

The 1.4.1 SDK plus the Javadocs run about 70MB. An editor/IDE can run anywhere from a couple megs to another 30MB or more.

The downside is the software on the CD can often be out-of-date.

What do people think?

#2

When I was just learning I somehow thought the CD in the back would contain extra insight and digial enlightenment and having or not having a CD mattered. Man that was a load of crap.

Other than out of date crap the CD tends to include the source code. There are two problems with this. First, zipped up the source usually isn’t that much. Second, compiling and running the source someone else typed doesn’t teach me a thing. I have to type the code myself before I truely understand it. Having incomplete source code would actually actually appeal to me, that way I don’t have to type the unrelated but necessary parts and would still learn the good stuff.

Now that I think I’m a good programmer, if there is a choice I buy books usually based on the reputation of the publisher. It’s been at least 2 years since I bought a book that included a CD, maybe more. Currently that means I buy O’Reilly or the Java Series from Sun, and about 1 out of 4 or 5 books is from some other publisher.

From your point of view there is probably a much larger number of people who are begginers which probably looks like more money. Thats fine, to each thir own. So pick one, the larger market or the better reputation, or publish in under two names.

#3

I also used to think it mattered, but rapidly discovered I never even detached the CDs from the back of the book, let alone loaded them up.

The only book I’ve bought that came with a CD that I’ve bothered using was The Blender Book, a book about the free 3D modeller Blender. I used the CD because it contained a load of textures, lots of different versions of Blender, a load of finished renders and all the scenes used in the examples. For an application book that’s invaluable.

When it comes down to Java programming, there’s very little on that scale that would be useful - you could bundle a JDK and the examples with it, but as Leknor says the examples aren’t usually very big anyway. Any JDK you bundle will be out of date very fast - don’t count on a bundled JDK and JavaDocs to be current for more than a month after publication. IDEs are a very personal choice - give people one option and they’ll hate it, give people a wide range and they’ll hate having to choose! ::slight_smile:

I find it hard to think of a really good reason for including a CD with a Java programming book, aside from the advertising value of it. If the cost isn’t too much and it’ll boost sales then yeah, go for it. Don’t expect the reader to find much use in it though!

#4

[quote][…]
The only book I’ve bought that came with a CD that I’ve bothered using was The Blender Book, a book about the free 3D modeller Blender. I used the CD because it contained a load of textures, lots of different versions of Blender, a load of finished renders and all the scenes used in the examples. For an application book that’s invaluable.
[…]
[/quote]
yea… blender… well they make all money with the book therefore the programm is somewhat cryptic :>

@topic

the only thing wich matters is the example source… i downloaded it for 2 or 3 of my books. that was never a problem cuz it’s usually less than one mb.

tools, jre/sdk and stuff on a cd isnt interesting usually (cuz it’s outdated the day it leaves the press) :>