Re: Book REview

[mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michael Feldman)]

In article <4mmfsu$b30@goanna.cs.rmit.EDU.AU>,
Richard A. O'Keefe <ok@goanna.cs.rmit.EDU.AU> wrote:
>
>Is there anyone besides Robert Dewar who has seen the book
>and would honestly disagree with those points?

Well, I've seen the book (I wrote it) and certainly there is much
homework for me to do regarding the substance of your messages.
Many of your complaints are valid; some are a matter of taste.

There is some validity to your complaint about a US bias in the
text; it is odd, though, that the first edition of this book was
published nearly 5 years ago, and has been used by courses and
individuals around the world (including Australia), but nobody has 
mentioned the US bias.

That said, 

(1) I think the tone of your review is a bit harsh;

(2) I don't think I'd ever write a review as critical as yours without
    at least sending a cc to the author; that would just be courteous. 

I don't read CLA every day (the signal/noise ratio is getting too low
and I've been very busy), and so I was caught quite by surprise when
a CLA acquaintance pointed me to your review. You are, of course,    
entitled to your opinion, and I am thick-skinned enough to handle
a bad review. On the other hand, there's no need to blindside the
author by not even sending him a copy to respond to. Generally you're
a polite CLA reader/writer; I'm quite surprised at your discourtesy.

Indeed, had you been courteous enough to ask me for an errata list,
I would have been happy to send it to you. Not all your reports are
there (yet), but many are.

'Nuff said.

Mike Feldman