According to Apple’s web site, we know that Mac OS X Tiger (version 10.4) will be coming sometime in the first half of next year. Of course, that means that I’ll be swamped until Tiger releases as we work on revisions for our books, and start to work on new titles for all you Macheads out there.
So, I know what’s on my Mac radar (Macdar, if you will) for Tiger. What’s on yours? What would you like to see us publish a book on? Is there something we might have missed in one of the Panther editions that you’d like to see us work into an update?
Here’s your chance to let me know what you’d like to see us publish, revise, update, add, delete, tweak, or just let be if everything’s copacetic. If you don’t feel like posting something here, send me an email.
What would you like to see us cover in the Mac books we’ve published, or what new titles would you like to see O’Reilly publish?
Quicktime and Streaming
While OS-X and the Mac is great as a desktop workstation, I find it a waste of a great computer to do just simple web serving or streaming. I like to use a simple Linux box as my web, database, streaming server. I use the Mac for all my production, creation, editing and encoding. Then I deliver the results to a Linux server. Why stick a G5 desktop out in a data center?
However, to deliver streaming media content to the masses, one needs to select a media format that can be enjoyed by all users, Mac and Windows alike. Since there is no low cost solution to creating Real and Windows Media on the Mac, Quicktime is the choice for me. You can produce a Quicktime file that both Windows and Mac users can view.
It would be nice to have a book on Quicktime for the Masses, and how to use Macs, for delivering streaming media to the majority of the Windows world. Of course streaming Quicktime is another issue, unless you want to place your expensive Mac in a data center.
So in answer to your question, regarding what to update in your books on OS-X, consider more information on Quicktime and it's use in achieving the above.
Mac CD Bookshelf
Once you get all of those Tiger books done, how about a Mac CD Bookshelf?
Mac OS X Server!
I've requested this in every upcoming book survey I've taken, and nobody's done it yet. Apple's OS X Server manuals are fine and dandy, if not vague at times, but it would be nice to have some real-world reference on things like OpenDirectory, Workgroup Manager, NetBoot, NetInstall, ACLs (10.4) and client management. Something that would be suited to a corporate environment and not just some *nix commands or running Apache.
And QTSS could be covered in it as well.
CoreAudio, CoreImage, Automator, Dashboard
What about some *developer* books to "demystify" those new implementation coming with Tiger like Core Audio, Core Image, Automator, Dashboard, ...
Thanks.
Mac OS X Server!
totally second this!!
re: Mac OS X Server!
We have Managing & Using Mac OS X Server in the works right now, so look for this book later this Fall. The book, IMHO (as its editor), is very detailed and will most likely cover everything you're after (maybe with the exception of QTSS; we may have to wait for the 2nd Ed for that).
The lead author on the book is Michael Bartosh, and he's enlisted some help from his friends, Joel Rennich (of AFP548-fame), Andre LaBranche, and Will Iverson to nail this down.
Again, look for this book later this Fall.
re: Mac CD Bookshelf
As much as I'd like to see one of these myself, O'Reilly no longer produces the CD Bookshelf titles. :^(
re: CoreAudio, CoreImage, Automator, Dashboard
Yep, yep, yep, yep, and yep. All on my Macdar, and all things that I totally agree we need to cover. Look for a mix of coverage on these topics, but mostly Developer Notebooks. I'm also looking for authors on some of these things, too, so if you're interested in writing, drop me an email.
Applescript Studio
More on Applescript Studio would be great. Dashboard projects would also be great.
WebObjects, Xcode Missing Manual
An O'Reilly book for getting started with WebObjects would be great. And how about an Xcode Missing Manual?
WebObjects, Xcode Missing Manual
I'll second the request for a book on Xcode, although I'm hoping 2.0 doesn't suffer from editorrhea (an excess of editors) like 1.5 does.
-- Richard
Migrating from Windows
How about something for those of us converting to Mac OS X from Windows. I know there was the "Crossing Platforms" book a while ago, but that was for OS 9, wasn't it?
My wife is getting tired of her innumerable BSODs on her Windows box, and may just be getting ready to jump ship. I think she'd be more comfortable with OS X than any Linux desktop.
What about something about HOW to switch from one to the other? What does it take to get everything from one box to the other side?
"Which Mac should I buy?"
"Do I need to install Classic?"
"I was using Outlook for mail, now what do I use?"
"How are games going to work?"
"Do I have to re-buy all my software again?"
"Should I use iChat or go back to AIM that I'm comfortable with?"
"I'm used to using IE, but is there something better?"
Migrating from Windows
AND, what can I do now on OS X that I couldn't do before? For example, the Network Preferences selection doodad trumps anything on any Windows OS.
X to Aqua
How about an article on porting X-based apps to Aqua?
re: WebObjects
In regard to the idea of doing a WebObjects book, I've looked at this a number of times since taking over our Mac program, and our feeling is that the market for a WebObjects book is too small. I'll agree that there needs to be good information for WO developers, but I wonder whether a book is the right approach. If you look at the books out there from other publishers, they're pretty much the same: mediocre entry-level books with lots of code errors.
I think the better way to serve WO developers is through online articles, either through our own Mac DevCenter, or some other site. I think online articles would better serve WO developers in that the information could be kept current, and go to deeper levels than what most books would offer.
re: Xcode {Missing Manual} book
Ask and ye shall receive!
re: X to Aqua
If you're looking for online articles, you should direct email to Derrick Story; he's the editorial keeper of the Mac DevCenter.
re: AppleScript Studio
I've been watching traffic on the AppleScript Studio mailing list, and traffic there looks pretty light. I have been talking with an author about possibly writing an ASStudio book, but we've put that on hold for a little while to see if the audience picks up for that book.
WebObjects, Xcode Missing Manual
I agree. However there are many beginner WO books out there how about something deeper. Especially a WebObjects Java Client book and Enterprise Objects book
Mac OS X for Python Geeks
I'd like to see an O'Reilly book on Python for Mac OS X, including in-depth info on PyObjC, wxPython, using Python's Carbon libraries, etc. Also maybe a chapter on setting up Zope on Mac OS X.
Mac WebServer
I use an old G3 iMac for my WebServer for about 10 domains. It's been handling the load just fine, though there's a customer database approaching 1 million records, with about 5,000 new records per day that could really use a faster processor. It's been sitting at SprocketData in Dallas for a little over two years with very little intervention other than a power supply died earlier this year. I'd really like to see a book that would expand MacOS X Web Server details. I know David L. Hart's book is out there, but I'm under the impression it's outdated (published May, 2001).
Additional Carbon and low-level coverage
I'd like to see another, more in-depth, title on Carbon programming. I'm the maintainer of several open-source projects, two of which (Alpaca and Clotho) are OSX-specific. All my projects are written in Lisp, and Carbon is in some (though not all) ways an easier target than Cocoa for writing Aqua apps in Lisp.
Something with more coverage of some lower-level bits would be good, too; I'd like to see some more extended coverage of Mach message ports, threads, CoreFoundation, kernel extensions, and the like.
re: WebObjects - not too small! CATCH-22
If this was a flagship, best-of-breed effort (maybe even subscription-oriented), your book could jump-start the critical mass required.
I know that this is ont of those 'build it and they wil come' propositions - but isnt that the underlying optimism of orielly that distingishes it from so much of the slop done by other so-called technical publishers?!
Please do this.
You wont regret it.
Do not be detered by the fact that Apple does not put serioud resources into either Cocoa or Web Objects (formerly a Cocoa app!) ... the community is willing to pay money for rock-solid treatments of these core technologies.
thanx.
Still a need for a good WebObjects book
I'd like to make a plea for a book, not just online resources. There are many good online resources for Cocoa, and I successfully picked up bits and pieces from them.
However O'Reilly's Learning Cocoa book made all the difference in letting me feel I finally "got it". Being able to take a book away from the computer - browse, reread, skim and study - this is a different experience from using online material.
Admittedly I have only played with some of the online WO stuff so far, and haven't made a serious effort to work through it. (I must admit I didn't even realise there were other WO books out there, though I'm sure an O'Reilly one would be better!)
If a book is not financially viable for O'Reilly, maybe online is the best we can do. But here's hoping :-)
re: Mac OS X Server!
Will this server book cover 10.4? Has there been enough released about 10.4 server for the book to address the version?
Coreaudio
Coreaudio, coreaudio! I could find no book anywhere on Coreaudio!
l.
re: Mac OS X Server!
Oh God yes please. Apple Manuals aren't goo. Lets have Some DNS stuff in there too please and QTSS
Where is it?? its nearly Christmas!!
WebObjects, Xcode Missing Manual
Dear chuckdude: I too would very much like to see more WebObjects information, however I'm of the same feel that you are in terms of a "book." I think that you would drive a huge number of people into WebObjects if you published a book, HOWEVER you are correct in your assertion that it would be better to put online articles up on the MacDev area or such as it would be more recent, more easily digested more quickly and could offer quick and powerful tips all the way from beginning to advanced... again being bite-sized, which I think is key for something so large as WO. Please do something though! I just found your comments while searching for WO information on google and definitely felt the need to plead for more from reputable folks such as yourselves.
Server Tiger, QTSS
The docos for Server assume the user already understands and can use server technologies, systems, and applications. There is no First Time Newbie help for OS10 Server.
Are you guys aware there is only ONE after market book for OS10 Server Panther? Just one. It's from those bunny rabbit people. Helpful but disappointing and incomplete.
This is a market O'Reilly could completely own.
david boise ID
Server Tiger, QTSS
I see below that O'Reilly has been promising us that a book is coming for OS10 Server. That's been an unfulfilled promise for more than six months.
QTSS is supposed to be the streaming technology for the rest of us yet Apple offers zip in the way of assistance. Another high demand market you could simply own.
david boise ID
> We have Managing & Using Mac OS X Server in the works right now, so look for this book later this Fall. The book, IMHO (as its editor), is very detailed and will most likely cover everything you're after (maybe with the exception of QTSS; we may have to wait for the 2nd Ed for that).<