I remember when I got my first computer. It came with a basic (literally BASIC) how-to book, but nothing else. If you wanted more information, you went to the library or a bookstore. I chose the latter.
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\nIn 1981, when I purchased my first PC, computer books were abundant, occupying a great deal of space in both bookstores at the mall. (Imagine: Two bookstores in a mall!) Yet, the books were over-priced crap. By 1982, the selection was down from a dozen racks to two shelves of books.<\/p>\n
The computer book publishing industry crashed in the early 1980s, but it was from overproduction and not lack-of-demand. Eventually the big New York publishing houses left the business and smaller publishers took over, offering a great selection of informative titles, many of which I still have.<\/p>\n
This book-learning paradigm died in the early 2000s, not because of quality but because of “free” information on the Internet. The quality isn’t there, so books still exist just not as abundantly. And the publishers are aware of their competition, but they still ignore a big chunk of the market that’s eager for solid information, well-formatted and edited on paper.<\/p>\n
Case in point: I’m learning some new software and brushing up my skills on programs I already use but use poorly. My first choice is to find a good book on the subjects that interest me. Problem: There are no<\/em> books on the subjects.<\/p>\n