Here's a movement we're happy to support at classy.dk: The Thin Book Movement:
At 213 pages, this isn't the longest technology book you'll buy this year. I'm a big fan of thin books; I'd rather get five thin books' worth of quality information on five separate subjects than spend all that time on one subject, slogging through a massive, 1000-page tome. I purchase dozens of computer books a year for myself and my team, and I've found that fewer and fewer of them are phone-book fat.
The books he doesn't like seem to be Wrox books. I couldn't agree more. And by the way, it's not really their bulk it's their flabbyness. They are in the words of Philip Roth: '10% whale and 90% blubber' (he was talking about 'Moby Dick' if you're confused by the reference).
These books that we don't like aren't just big, they're fat and lack exercise and nutrition.
I think the campaign needs one of those button gif's - like the one we have for the Warnock campaign - so I made one using the button generator. Grab it now!
Relative to thin books, you might check out Cheap Complex Devices, a free download from Wetmachine.com. I only thought you might be amused on account of your comments about my Loebner article in Salon. In the "ain't it a small world department," Steve NetFuture Talbott, whom you cite elsewhere in the Kitchen, was my cubicle mate 1984--86. That current distinction goes to Henry Minsky, son of Dr. Marvin, and to O. Steele, Dr. M's son-in-law.
UPDATE
John, you're bordering on comment spam, as your comment must be said to be of marginal interest relative to this one. That is not OK here at classy.dk - but I liked your Loebner piece, so I'll let this one slide.
Posted by: john sundman on August 9, 2003 5:16 PM