On Tuesday, January 13, 2004, 10:31:37 AM, Phil wrote:

>> 
>> Is there any plan to update the pickaxe book in the future?  The 1.6.1
>> version is a bit out of date now (but still very handy!)
>> 
>> 

> The computer book industry has had three years of declining revenue now.
> Perhaps the improving economy in 2004 will help, but it seems that most
> of the publishers are still being very conservative about new projects.
> Since the first edition of the Pickaxe book didn't exactly fly off the
> shelves (that's my understanding anyway) you can imagine that AW would
> be reluctant.

> Perhaps a letter writing campaign to Addison-Wesley is in order?

I doubt the few hundred letters they might receive would make much
difference.  They are surely capable of measuring the market.  Ruby
advocacy in a general sense (e.g. killer apps/websites) would help
their measurements to be more positive, and would cause any letters
they do receive to be more "interesting".

Cheers,
Gavin

P.S. The declining revenue is not surprising, or a bad thing,
considering the amount of dross out there.  Positive spin: after the
shake-out, people are more likely to spend their money on *good*
books.  Maybe.

P.P.S. The momentum in the mailing list (new users) and the maturity
of 1.8 are genuinely positive indicators that must eventually have an
effect in the market.