Softpanorama (slightly skeptical) Open Source Software Educational Society

May the source be with you, but remember the KISS principle ;-)

Softpanorama CD Bookshelf

O'Reilly is the most active in publishing collections of books on CD, although he tries not to include most popular and most profitable books. Still with more than 30 books in HTML format O'Reilly CD bookshelf series has a lot of value. Older versions are dirt-cheap.  For full and up-to-date list of O'Reilly open source books see O'Reilly Open Source Center

Some books from Que's Platinum series also contains CD with several books (historically Que was the first publisher to include full text of the book on CD).  At one time Que and Mcmillan published more then 100 books at Inform.it. Now it's down to 6, although some of those older books are still available from other Internet sites (books once put n Internet never disappear completely)

Safari Bookshelf is a subscription service that contains most of books available from CDs. The first two weeks are free.

See also Free Online Web Development Books

Dr. Nikolai Bezroukov

Old News ;-)

[Oct 15, 2003] On Sale !

  The UNIX CD Bookshelf, version 3.0

By O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.

January 2003 

Series: CD Bookshelves

0-596-00392-7, Order Number: 3927

614 pages, $59.95 US

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/unixcdbs3/ 

2.  The Networking CD Bookshelf, Version 2.0

By O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
Version 2.0 May 2002 
Series: CD Bookshelves
0-596-00334-x, Order Number: 334x
 752 pages, $49.95 US

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/netcd2/

The Web Design CD Bookshelf CD-ROM

Paperback - 640 pages Bk&Cd-Rom edition (December 15, 2001)
O'Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 0596002718 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.55 x 9.28 x 6.18

The Linux Web Server CD Bookshelf CD-ROM

Our Price: $55.96

Paperback - 812 pages 1st edition (October 15, 2001)
O'Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 0596002084 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.56 x 9.50 x 6.04
 

Java Enterprise Cd Bookshelf : Version 1.0
by O'Reilly, et al (Paperback - September 2000)
Avg. Customer Rating:
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 *** [July 3, 1999]  Java Power Reference: A Complete Searchable Resource on CD-ROM Author David Flanagan. See ERCB review:  Java Power Reference

Assorted O'Reilly CD Bookshelf series

The Oracle Pl/Sql Cd Bookshelf : 7 Bestselling Books on Cd-Rom
by O'Reilly, Inc. Associates (Editor) (Software - July 2000)
Avg. Customer Rating:
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 The Web Programming CD Bookshelf, Version 1.0

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly; 1 edition (April 14, 2003)
• ISBN: 0596005105
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds. (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: based on 5 reviews. (Write a review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank in Books: #328,554

The XML CD Bookshelf

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly; 1 edition (November 15, 2002)
• ISBN: 0596003358
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds. (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: based on 2 reviews. (Write a review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank in Books: #242,213

My goodness, this one is a whammy!!, April 28, 2003   Reviewer: "taserian" (Columbia, SC United States) - See all my reviews My goodness, this one is a whammy!! Aside from a hard copy 2nd edition of XML in a Nutshell, the CD contains the complete editions of the same book XML in a Nutshell (2nd Edition), XSLT, XML Schema, SAX2, Java & XML (2nd Edition), Java and XSLT, and Perl & XML. Each one of these books is deserving of its own review, but suffice it to say that having them all on CD just makes it more convenient to carry around. (I already have reviews on XML in a Nutshell and Java and XML.) Developing a hernia by carrying the hard copy editions of these around is not my idea of a good time, so having the CD takes the cake. Of course, you'll need a laptop to actually be able to make use of the CD, and that'll leech battery power if you don't have a socket handy, so it's a toss-up either way. Still, the CD edition is searchable, so that you don't have to wiggle through the index of 7 books just to find that reference you needed. All in all, a great deal!

Linux Web Server

**** The Linux Web Server CD Bookshelf CD-ROM

Our Price: $55.96

Paperback - 812 pages 1st edition (October 15, 2001)
O'Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 0596002084 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.56 x 9.50 x 6.04

UNIX CD Bookshelf

***+  UNIX CD Bookshelf, 3.0

• Paperback: 616 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates; ; 3rd edition (February 2003)
• ISBN: 0596003927
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: 61,450

The Unix CD Bookshelf packs a stack of six books: one excellent, two good and three semi-useless/obsolite.  Version 3 provides convenient online access to seven books. It also includes the hard copy of Unix in a Nutshell, Third Edition.

**** Unix Power Tools, 3rd Edition;

??? Learning the Unix Operating System, 5th Edition;

??? Learning the vi Editor, 6th Edition;

??? Mac OS X for Unix Geeks;

**** Learning the Korn Shell, 2nd Edition;

*** sed & awk, 2nd Edition;

*** Unix in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition.

The CD has a master index, a powerful search engine, and all the text is extensively hyperlinked, so you'll find what you're looking for quickly.

 

The UNIX CD Bookshelf, 2nd Edition (w/ CD-ROM)
by Arnold Robbins, et al (Paperback - February 2000)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Out of Print--Limited Availability

 

***+ Unix Cd Bookshelf (Contains 6 books and software) 

Daniel Gilly(Editor) / Paperback / Published 1998
Amazon price: $55.96 ~ You Save: $13.99 (20%)

The UNIX CD Bookshelf contains six decent books from O'Reilly plus the software from UNIX Power Tools.

A bonus hardcopy book of UNIX in a Nutshell: System V Edition, is also included. The CD-ROM contains one excellent, two good and tree average books:

• *** UNIX in a Nutshell: System V Edition; -- average, see UNIX in a Nutshell: System V Edition, 2nd Edition

• **** UNIX Power Tools, 2nd Edition (with software); -- good, see UNIX Power Tools, 2nd Edition

• *** Learning the UNIX Operating System, 4th Edition; -- average, see Learning the UNIX Operating System, 4th Edition

• *** Learning the vi Editor, 5th Edition; -- average, see Learning the vi Editor

• **** sed & awk, 2nd Edition; -- good, see sed & awk, 2nd Edition

• ***** Learning the Korn Shell. --  excellent, see Learning the Korn Shell

Perl CD BookShelf

***+ Perl CD Bookshelf, Version 4.0

Six books: the second editions of Perl in a Nutshell, and Mastering Regular Expressions; the third editions of Learning Perl and Programming Perl; and two new titles: Learning Perl Objects, References, and Modules, and the long-awaited second edition of Perl Cookbook.

A paperback version of Perl in a Nutshell is included too

*** The Perl Cd Bookshelf, Version 3.0- 7 Bestselling Books on Cd-Rom

• Paperback: 800 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.49 x 9.86 x 5.88
• Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates; Book and CD-ROM edition (October 2002)
• ISBN: 0596003897
   
• Average Customer Review: Based on 3 reviews. Write a review.
   
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: 74,344  

The electronic versions of 7 pretty average Perl books (only Cookbook is decent):  the second edition of Perl in a Nutshell (paperback version included), the third editions of Learning Perl and Programming Perl, the Perl Cookbook, and 3 new titles: Perl & XML, Perl & LWP, and Mastering Perl/Tk.

Overpriced and with bad selections, buy previous version or version 4.0 instead.

Perl Cd Bookshelf v 2.0 -- 6 books including Cookbook

Our Price: $55.96
CD-ROM - 654 pages Bk&Cd-Rom edition (May 15, 2001)
O'Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 0596001649 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.35 x 9.26 x 6.20

Amazon.com Sales Rank: 7,075
 

Six O'Reilly books on one CD-ROM in HTML format. Only one book is really good (cookbook) though. CD includes:

Perl programmer alert! Six bestselling O'Reilly Animal Guides are now available on CD-ROM, easily accessible with your favorite Web browser: Perl in a Nutshell; Programming Perl, 2nd Edition; Perl Cookbook; Advanced Perl Programming; Learning Perl; and Learning Perl on Win32 Sytems. As a bonus, the new hardcopy version of Perl in a Nutshell is also included.

Related O'Reilly Titles:

Advanced Perl Programming
Perl Cookbook
Learning Perl, 2nd Edition
Learning Perl on Win32 Systems
Perl in a Nutshell
Perl 5 Pocket Reference, 2nd Edition
Perl/Tk Pocket Reference
Programming Perl, 2nd Edition
Perl Resource Kit -- UNIX Edition
Perl Resource Kit -- Win32 Edition
Web Client Programming with Perl

The Networking Cd Bookshelf

 

The Networking Cd Bookshelf : 6 Bestselling Books on Cd-Rom ~ Usually ships in 24 hours

Paul Albitz, Cricket Liu / Software / Published 1999
Our Price: $71.96 ~ You Save: $7.99 (10%)

Network administrator alert! Six bestselling O'Reilly Animal Guides are now available on CD-ROM, easily accessible with your favorite Web browser: TCP/IP Network Administration, 2nd Edition; sendmail, 2nd Edition; sendmail Desktop Reference; DNS and BIND, 3rd Edition; Practical UNIX & Internet Security, 2nd Edition; and Building Internet Firewalls. As a bonus, the new hardcopy version of DNS and BIND, 3rd Edition is also included.

Related O'Reilly Titles:

TCP/IP Network Administration, 2nd Edition
sendmail
sendmail Desktop Reference
Building Internet Firewalls
Practical UNIX & Internet Security, 2nd Edition

Java in a Nutshell, Deluxe Edition, brings together on CD-ROM five volumes for Java developers and programmers, linking related info across books. Exploring Java, 2nd Edition, covers Java basics. Java Language Reference, 2nd Edition, Java Fundamental Classes Reference, and Java AWT Reference provide a definitive set of documentation on the Java language and the Java 1.1 core API. Java in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition, our bestselling quick reference, is included both on the CD-ROM and in a companion desktop edition. This deluxe library is an indispensable resource for anyone doing serious programming with Java 1.1.

Webmaster in a Nutshell

*** Webmaster in a Nutshell - A Desktop Quick Reference.  

See also Web Reference Library

For $69.95 you get a single 356-page book and a CD with 4 books in electronic format ("HTML: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Ed.; JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Ed.; CGI Programming on the World Wide Web; Programming Perl, 2nd Ed."-- a rather weak book and  "WebMaster in a Nutshell") 

Definitely NOT a bargain when you check on what else is out there. Further, WebMaster in a Nutshell is an tiny book that really isn't much good. I think O'Reilly had to package it in this kit just to try to get rid of the thousands of copies filling up their warehouse.

In the same price range, you can probably can find better values. One of these values is Web Publishing Unleashed Professional Reference Edition. It contains a 1500-page book that is not equal to HTML Sourcebook (Graham), but still decent. The CD ROM for the book is also packed with goodies which includes 2 books in electronic format and dozens of great applications. Street price for the book is $69.95 and you can get at at Amazon for about $48.95. .

Another title that you may want to consider is (slightly outdated) the Web Publishing Electronic Resource Kit with 2 CDs which includes 14 books ( over 10,000 pages in searchable CD-ROM format) and a hard copy of the 1500-page book, Web Publishing Unleashed Professional Reference Edition. Street price is $89.95 and you can get it at Amazon for $71.99. 

*** Webmaster in a Nutshell - A Desktop Quick Reference.  

See also Web Reference Library

For $69.95 you get a single 356-page book and a CD with 4 books in electronic format:

*** HTML: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Ed.;

**+ JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Ed.;

*** CGI Programming on the World Wide Web; Programming Perl, 2nd Ed.

Definitely NOT a bargain when you check on what else is out there. Further, WebMaster in a Nutshell is an tiny book that really isn't much good. I think O'Reilly had to package it in this kit just to try to get rid of the thousands of copies filling up their warehouse.

In the same price range, you can probably can find better values. One of these values is Web Publishing Unleashed Professional Reference Edition. It contains a 1500-page book that is not equal to HTML Sourcebook (Graham), but still decent. The CD ROM for the book is also packed with goodies which includes 2 books in electronic format and dozens of great applications. Street price for the book is $69.95 and you can get at at Amazon for about $48.95. .

Another title that you may want to consider is (slightly outdated) the Web Publishing Electronic Resource Kit with 2 CDs which includes 14 books ( over 10,000 pages in searchable CD-ROM format) and a hard copy of the 1500-page book, Web Publishing Unleashed Professional Reference Edition.

Web Design CD Bookshelf

**** The Web Design CD Bookshelf CD-ROM

Paperback - 640 pages Bk&Cd-Rom edition (December 15, 2001)
O'Reilly & Associates; ISBN: 0596002718 ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.55 x 9.28 x 6.18

Amazon.com Sales Rank: 45,615
 

The Web Design CD Bookshelf delivers six complete books:

• HTML & XHTML: The Definitive Guide 4th Edition
• ActionScript: The Definitive Guide Information
• Architecture for the World Wide Web
• Designing Web Audio: RealAudio, MP3, Flash, and Beatnik Web Design In a Nutshell,
• 2nd Edition Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide.

As a bonus, you also get the new paperback version of Web Design in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition.

Never has it been easier to find what you need to know about designing web pages. Formatted in HTML, The Web Design CD Bookshelf can be accessed with any web browser. The books--all 3126 pages of O'Reilly reference and tutorials--are fully searchable and cross-referenced, so you can either search the individual index for each book or the master index for the entire collection. With the CD Bookshelf, you have a complete library of technical books that you can easily carry with you anywhere you need it.

Java Enterprise

Java Enterprise Cd Bookshelf : Version 1.0
by O'Reilly, et al (Paperback - September 2000)
Avg. Customer Rating:
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O'Reilly Openbook Series

Dr Dobbs Essential Books

Dr Dobbs Essential Books: Algorithms and Data Structures (Release 2 CD Rom)

$69.95 Not available from Amazon.com

NEW! Updated Version

Dr. Dobb's Essential Books on Algorithms and Data Structures Release 2 CD-ROM

There's nothing more fundamental to programming than algorithms and data structures. Your CD-ROM includes nine of the most important books ever written for programmers about the subject. These books give you proven and trusted ways to analyze and solve problems in C, C++, and other languages. Take advantage of the research and testing that went into developing the algorithms and data structures included on this CD-ROM!

Now In HTML! Dr. Dobb's Essential Books on Algorithms and Data Structures Release 2 includes a powerful cross-platform search engine!

Includes These 9 Essential Books:

• Data Structures: From Arrays to Priority Queues by Wayne Amsbury
• Introduction to Algorithms by Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, and Ronald L. Rivest
• Information Retrieval: Data Structures & Algorithms edited by William B. Frakes and Ricardo Baeza-Yates
• Fundamentals of Data Structures by Ellis Horowitz and Sartaj Sahni
• Reliable Data Structures in C by Thomas Plum
• Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in C by Mark Allen Weiss
• Practical Data Structures in C++ by Bryan Flamig
• Data Structures, Algorithms and Program Style Using C by James F. Korsh and Leonard J. Garrett
• Data Structures and Algorithms by Alfred V. Aho, John E. Hopcroft and Jeffrey D. Ullman

Plus more than a dozen articles related to algorithms from Dr. Dobb's Journal!


List Price $ 69.95 

Weight: 120 Grams

Sams and Que

Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days : Complete Compiler Edition (Sams Teach Yourself Books) ~ Usually ships in 24 hours

Jesse Liberty / Paperback / Published 1999
Our Price: $39.99 ~ You Save: $10.00 (20%)

Contains Microsoft C++ compiler v. 6.0 (teaching edition) (there is a similar package from WROX Press as well)

Platinum Edition Using HTML, Java, and CGI, with 2 CD-ROMs; With 2 CD-ROMs

by Jim O'Donnell

Our Price: $70.00

Paperback - (November 1996) 1471 pages

Two CD-ROMs include HTML source code used in the book, and useful software tools for creating and implementing HTML, second CD-ROM includes the full text of at least 10 Que books in HTML format

C/C++

Effective C++ CD : 85 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and Designs (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series) ~ Usually ships in 24 hours

Scott Meyers / Software / Published 1999
Our Price: $29.95

 

Etc

Bruce Perens' Open Source Series -- right now vaporware, but who knows, they might deliver ;-)

I've convinced Prentice Hall PTR to publish a series of books that have their text under Open Source licenses. This is a tremendous departure for a mainstream publisher. The books are sold like any technical book. Two of the titles are in all of the the Barnes and Noble stores right now. But they are legal to copy, modify, and redistribute. The electronic versions of the books are placed on the web a few months after the print versions hit stores. The advantage of these books is that they need never go out of print. The electronic version can be kept up to date by anyone who cares to, and can be printed and sold. An instructor who is using them to teach a class can also tailor them to their particular needs, and a poor student need not buy the textbook to have it. They avoid some of the problems that have kept e-books from working. And this fulfills a long-time dream of mine to get good documentation into Open Source. The books are all about Linux and other Open Source software, so they're directed to a clientelle that cares that the texts themselves are Open Source licensed.

How do we make money? People like paper. We put the paper versions in stores several months before the electronic versions come out. Since the retail channel is filled as soon as the paper versions come out, it removes most of the incentive that a second publisher would have to reprint the books while they are new.

Why did Prentice Hall go with me? I guess they think I have "Open Source credibility". They named the book series after me - it's "Bruce Perens' Open Source Series". I suppose they're trying to make me into the Peter Norton of Linux :-) I swear, I didn't ask them to name it after me, it was their idea. They need my name there to differentiate their line from any other Open Source book series that another publisher creates. I will go along with that, as long as they are willing to help me get good documentation into Open Source. I won't make much money from this, that's the nature of the technical book business - and I'm not the author of the current titles, just the series editor. But it helps me achieve a good cause.

You can see a full-size cover at http://perens.com/Photos/Books/Massa.pdf

You can get a look at the first three books on the Barnes and Noble web site, at

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0130354732 http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bookSearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0130091154 http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0131407333

The first two are available now, the third is coming in March. We expect to have 7 to 9 books on this shelf in 2003.

The books are under Open Publication License 1.0 with no options taken. It is an Open Source license in that form, but would not be if any of the options were taken, as they restrict modification and commercial use.

For background, my Bio is at http://perens.com/Bio.html

The publicist at Prentice is

Justin Somma Prentice Hall Publicity 201-236-7992 justin_somma@prenhall.com

Please copy him if you'd like to schedule an interview. He can also hook you up with the book authors, and my executive editor at Prentice: Mark Taub, mark_taub@prenhall.com , who can speak about some of the business considerations for the publisher.

You can always email me directly at bruce@perens.com, or call 510-526-1165 (US Pacific time zone).