Computer programming books

JoshLessard · 08-08-2010, 04:48 PM

I've noticed that Amazon has a surprisingly large number of computer programming books available for the Kindle. However, given that these books tend to contain a lot of code samples, I'm wondering how good they would look on a 6" screen. I'm sure they'd look a lot better on a 9", but I'm wondering if they're readable at 6".

Has anyone with a 6" screen tried out such books as Clean Code, Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code, or Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (or anything like it)? Would appreciate some opinions.

Also, do any other eBook sellers (preferably ePub) exist that offer books like this? So far, Kindle store is the only one I've found that carries these types of books.

Thanks.

AndrewLB · 08-08-2010, 05:23 PM

I'm curious about this too. Love having code books available in electronic format, but eg, buying the O'Reilly iphone books has made a lot of knowledge available very cheaply, but in a very difficult to absorb format. Hoping Kindle will be better.

tovare · 08-08-2010, 05:24 PM

Hi,

I purchased R in a nutshell for Oreilly and was pretty impressed with it, however a couple of glitches is worth mentioning. I'm reading it using my Sony PRS-600, but I also downloaded the pdf and mobi and tried those out on the PC. (The mobi version seems very similar to the EPub), here's my impression of the EPUB, snce I've spent most time with that one.

1. The font size looks slightly larger than the default-font on the PRS-600, the book is very readable on the small setting.

2. The epub is 3.7 Mb and it bundles two fonts (one of them monospaced) and many images.

3. All equations and graphs are images and high enough resolution to zoom in a bit on them. The equations was a bit oversized and one of the tables with equations was broken (The table called Distribution Funcion Families) all the graphs and figures looks great.

Despite the flaw with the table ... which really should have been fixed prior to publishing, the book works really well on my 6" reader. (I really don't want a larger reader, unless they can put a 7" screen in exactly the same form factor).

I'm seriously considering buying more epub's from oreilly ... the purchase is multiformat so you get epub, mobi and pdf in the same purchase.

And buying it using the 4cast code got me a 50% ebook discount.

tadhgadams · 08-08-2010, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshLessard

I've noticed that Amazon has a surprisingly large number of computer programming books available for the Kindle. However, given that these books tend to contain a lot of code samples, I'm wondering how good they would look on a 6" screen. I'm sure they'd look a lot better on a 9", but I'm wondering if they're readable at 6".

Has anyone with a 6" screen tried out such books as Clean Code, Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code, or Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (or anything like it)? Would appreciate some opinions.

Also, do any other eBook sellers (preferably ePub) exist that offer books like this? So far, Kindle store is the only one I've found that carries these types of books.

Thanks.

I can't attest to the usability(I use Safari Books Online with an iPad for this sort of thing) but O'Reilly sells DRM free ebooks in PDF/Mobi/ePub.

NogDog · 08-08-2010, 05:45 PM

I've only looked at a couple. One had the code samples as images, which was not so great on my K2 (probably not bad on a DX). Another had the code as simple mono-space text, which was more readable though the lines tended to wrap on the medium font sizes I prefer. However, both were fine using Kindle for PC on my notebook, which is normally all I need most of the time for coding reference books (as opposed to maybe more general books that I'd just want to sit back with and read cover-to-cover).

TallMomof2 · 08-08-2010, 05:46 PM

I bought a couple of Windows Home Server books and one was good but the other wasn't. If the publisher takes the time to include good jpgs it makes a huge difference because when you zoom in there is actually something to see instead of a bigger blur.

Try inkmesh for your books. For example I found Clean Code at many sites including sites that sell ePub.

tovare · 08-08-2010, 06:08 PM

OK, since the topic was brought up it reminded me and I hopped along and purchased JavaScript: The Good Parts. The discount code still worked so it ended up being $11.99.

It's a smaller book, weighing in at 1.5 Mb it has lots of images and code examples. The fonts used appear to be the same as in R in a Nutshell with excellent readability.

Browsing quickly through the first 100 pages of the book, looking for flaws. I noticed wrapping in a couple of places, but as far as I can tell doesn't interfer with the readability in those i discovered.

The book uses lots of images to illustrate syntax (reminds me of the Borland Turbo Pascal manual) and they are easily readable for the most part, but look even better when zoomed in slightly.

From my two samples, I'd say Oreilly is a good place to buy computer eBooks (Not really a surprise)

(A counter example is schaum's outline of discrete mathematics which i purchased from mobipocket.com, i just never got into it due to the poor production value)

08-08-2010, 04:48 PM	#1
JoshLessard Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook or Kindle 3???	Computer programming books I've noticed that Amazon has a surprisingly large number of computer programming books available for the Kindle. However, given that these books tend to contain a lot of code samples, I'm wondering how good they would look on a 6" screen. I'm sure they'd look a lot better on a 9", but I'm wondering if they're readable at 6". Has anyone with a 6" screen tried out such books as Clean Code, Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code, or Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (or anything like it)? Would appreciate some opinions. Also, do any other eBook sellers (preferably ePub) exist that offer books like this? So far, Kindle store is the only one I've found that carries these types of books. Thanks.

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08-08-2010, 05:23 PM	#2
AndrewLB Senior Wrangler Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2006 Device: iPhone 3GS, want Kindle 3	I'm curious about this too. Love having code books available in electronic format, but eg, buying the O'Reilly iphone books has made a lot of knowledge available very cheaply, but in a very difficult to absorb format. Hoping Kindle will be better.

08-08-2010, 05:24 PM	#3
tovare Addict Posts: 221 Karma: 1133312 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Oslo/Norway Device: PRS-600, Kindle kb Wifi, new Kindle NT, PW2, Kindle Oasis	Hi, I purchased R in a nutshell for Oreilly and was pretty impressed with it, however a couple of glitches is worth mentioning. I'm reading it using my Sony PRS-600, but I also downloaded the pdf and mobi and tried those out on the PC. (The mobi version seems very similar to the EPub), here's my impression of the EPUB, snce I've spent most time with that one. 1. The font size looks slightly larger than the default-font on the PRS-600, the book is very readable on the small setting. 2. The epub is 3.7 Mb and it bundles two fonts (one of them monospaced) and many images. 3. All equations and graphs are images and high enough resolution to zoom in a bit on them. The equations was a bit oversized and one of the tables with equations was broken (The table called Distribution Funcion Families) all the graphs and figures looks great. Despite the flaw with the table ... which really should have been fixed prior to publishing, the book works really well on my 6" reader. (I really don't want a larger reader, unless they can put a 7" screen in exactly the same form factor). I'm seriously considering buying more epub's from oreilly ... the purchase is multiformat so you get epub, mobi and pdf in the same purchase. And buying it using the 4cast code got me a 50% ebook discount.

08-08-2010, 05:45 PM	#5
NogDog Noggin (1998-2011) Posts: 63 Karma: 42 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ankh-Morpork Device: Kindle 3	I've only looked at a couple. One had the code samples as images, which was not so great on my K2 (probably not bad on a DX). Another had the code as simple mono-space text, which was more readable though the lines tended to wrap on the medium font sizes I prefer. However, both were fine using Kindle for PC on my notebook, which is normally all I need most of the time for coding reference books (as opposed to maybe more general books that I'd just want to sit back with and read cover-to-cover).

08-08-2010, 05:46 PM	#6
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	I bought a couple of Windows Home Server books and one was good but the other wasn't. If the publisher takes the time to include good jpgs it makes a huge difference because when you zoom in there is actually something to see instead of a bigger blur. Try inkmesh for your books. For example I found Clean Code at many sites including sites that sell ePub.

08-08-2010, 06:08 PM	#7
tovare Addict Posts: 221 Karma: 1133312 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Oslo/Norway Device: PRS-600, Kindle kb Wifi, new Kindle NT, PW2, Kindle Oasis	OK, since the topic was brought up it reminded me and I hopped along and purchased JavaScript: The Good Parts. The discount code still worked so it ended up being $11.99. It's a smaller book, weighing in at 1.5 Mb it has lots of images and code examples. The fonts used appear to be the same as in R in a Nutshell with excellent readability. Browsing quickly through the first 100 pages of the book, looking for flaws. I noticed wrapping in a couple of places, but as far as I can tell doesn't interfer with the readability in those i discovered. The book uses lots of images to illustrate syntax (reminds me of the Borland Turbo Pascal manual) and they are easily readable for the most part, but look even better when zoomed in slightly. From my two samples, I'd say Oreilly is a good place to buy computer eBooks (Not really a surprise) (A counter example is schaum's outline of discrete mathematics which i purchased from mobipocket.com, i just never got into it due to the poor production value)

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