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Which Computer Books For Prisoners?
Brian D. writes "I've recently begun working with a group that sends books to prisoners in federal and state prisons. We try to match their requests as well as we can. One request that we consistently have trouble filling is for computer books. This is not for lack of books, but because the prisoners' requests tend to be vague and their computer resources are obviously severely limited. Keep in mind that we send prisoners all types of books — from gardening and landscaping to cooking and sailing — about topics they don't have the resources to experiment with. With basically one shelf devoted to books on computing, what types of books should I tell them we should keep? What are the best types of books to send a prisoner who requests a book on 'computer repair?'"
Send them certification books, i.e. Network+, A+, Security+ study books, as well as theoretical computer science books. These materials rarely require access to an actual computer.
If it's "computer repair" books that they really want, Mueller's Upgrading and Repairing PCs is one of the best books. I've not used it in a long while, but I think it's not as much hands-on stuff. I know it covers a ton.
Colin Dean Go a year without DRM
At random:
Offline Outlaw In Texas
is looking for any books Unix/Linux I can get my hands on. Also very interested in privacy in all areas. If you can point me in the right direction or feel like teaching an old dog some new tricks, drop me a line. I'll answer all letters. Props to those who already have, you know who you are. William Lindley 822934, 1300 FM 655, Rosharon, TX 77583-8604.
On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
I typed "etymology props" into Google and came away with "shorthand for 'proper respect'."
Decay! Decay! Decay! -Helium
I agree. A book on programming the latest version of java or something will get out dated. It would be better to have other types of books.
Too true. A few months ago I was given a 10-year-old C++ programming book. I thought I needed some files from the missing CD because the examples wouldn't compile. $100 later (bought C++ Primer Plus), I find out that the syntax has changed in the past decade, and #include <iostream.h> is no longer valid.
regarding which books they will accept. as a former 'guest' of the state of texas, i had books sent in from family... html reference books, networking, linux, etc. this was in the late '90s, and i read these books for several months before i was finally able to get into a business computer information systems class, which was mostly just learning windows office apps. the stuff i learned from the books, however, i was able to apply in free time in class. i ended up talking the teacher into letting me teach a series of lessons on html, it was kind of cool. the guidelines on the books aren't really consistent, as long as it's not 'black hat' flavored or have the word hacking in the title, it will probably make it through. the prison folks don't want to teach hacking to their charges, however... can you say identity theft? 2600 is probably out, as well... kudos to you for the book sharing, though. i received books from a program out of california, can't recall the name right now, and gave the address to several people i knew in there that didn't have family to send them things. you'd be surprised at the number of people in there that genuinely want to learn and better themselves.
I don't think the issue was his analogy ... it was the fact that he didn't know what the F he was talking about.
If a professor (or I guess a first grade teacher, really) was referring to the method by which data got from one place to another via "electronic tubes", yadda, yadda, yadda... ok. But Ted Stevens' "Internets" tubes were clogged because of online gaming - and someone sent "an Internet" to him and he couldn't get it because of online gaming (quoting from memory here, so I may off a bit). The tubes was just the easiest part to make fun of.
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