I hardly think this book deserves a rating of "8". The reviewer is correct, that the organization is poor, but that is an understatement.
It tends to organize in a most-global to most-local fashion, but in doing so, it highlights the least frequently used information before the most frequently used info.
The section called "User Reference" is arguably the most frequently used. But it is placed at the end, and is difficult to get to. It starts by listing all the environment variables that might apply to CVS, rather than describing the common commands and options. Furthermore, once you finally get to the description common commands, it is little more than a printout of typing cvs --help [command].
The first 2/3 of the book covers server-side tasks and focuses on one-time setup issues, like compiling and installing the program.
If someone wants to use this book as a quick reference, that organization is completely backwards.
Even the layout is lacking. There are many places where a page break would greatly help the readability. But instead, the layout is one long flow. (Even the major sections listed in the TOC don't start on a page break.)
Overall, I am disappointed with the quality of existing CVS documentation, and this book is no help. It doesn't present common tasks in a clear and enlightening fashion. It has little information on some of the more interesting use cases that show the power of CVS. I now rarely use the book because it takes to long to flip through to the section I want. Instead, I rely on CVS's online usage info. Hopefully a revised version will improve on these weaknesses.
Why doesn't Slashdot/Andover get together with the EFF and other interested parties and execute their own press conference/release?
We need to be on the ball on these issues and attacking back on the same playing field that the RIAA uses - namely being active in mainstream press and political circles.
On this specific occurrence, we are forced to be reactive, but in the future we can be proactive and beat the RIAA to the punch. Let's publish the truth before the spin hits the press.
Slashdot Mirror
I hardly think this book deserves a rating of "8". The reviewer is correct, that the organization is poor, but that is an understatement.
It tends to organize in a most-global to most-local fashion, but in doing so, it highlights the least frequently used information before the most frequently used info.
The section called "User Reference" is arguably the most frequently used. But it is placed at the end, and is difficult to get to. It starts by listing all the environment variables that might apply to CVS, rather than describing the common commands and options. Furthermore, once you finally get to the description common commands, it is little more than a printout of typing cvs --help [command].
The first 2/3 of the book covers server-side tasks and focuses on one-time setup issues, like compiling and installing the program.
If someone wants to use this book as a quick reference, that organization is completely backwards.
Even the layout is lacking. There are many places where a page break would greatly help the readability. But instead, the layout is one long flow. (Even the major sections listed in the TOC don't start on a page break.)
Overall, I am disappointed with the quality of existing CVS documentation, and this book is no help. It doesn't present common tasks in a clear and enlightening fashion. It has little information on some of the more interesting use cases that show the power of CVS. I now rarely use the book because it takes to long to flip through to the section I want. Instead, I rely on CVS's online usage info. Hopefully a revised version will improve on these weaknesses.
Why doesn't Slashdot/Andover get together with the EFF and other interested parties and execute their own press conference/release?
We need to be on the ball on these issues and attacking back on the same playing field that the RIAA uses - namely being active in mainstream press and political circles.
On this specific occurrence, we are forced to be reactive, but in the future we can be proactive and beat the RIAA to the punch. Let's publish the truth before the spin hits the press.
Are there any PR firms we could enlist?