Hello:
I am sorry to hear that you found the book disappointing. On the issue of new content, I think we offer a good balanced coverage of the critical features. We make sure that all the material is current to the latest release and add new content for new features. Conduit was the major new feature in the 2011 release, so it got new attention, but many of the other features we cover in the book did not change all that much in the software.
On the issue of the CD, the files are available online at both the publisher's site and my website. Most publishers are going to online delivery of dataset files. I think we were actually a little late in switching to this method. The feedback I have gotten seems that most folks prefer downlaodable files.
On the matter of cost, the 2012 edition is now being published under new management and imprint. and we have actually reduced the cover price this year. Its about 20% lower than last year's edition.
Thanks for your comments.
We're always open to feedback... if there is something in particular you would like to see more coverage on that is MEP specific... please let us know!
The AutoCAD MEP books have been updated to include changes to the software that affect the material covered in the book and we have been limited to a maximum page count while keeping the lessons consistent from year to year to allow you to better understand the changes based on the workflow presented in the book. If you have any suggestions on what you would like to see in the upcoming books, please let us know. We are always happy to get feedback.
Thank you
Gregg Stanley
Hi Joey:
Thanks for the input. So it sounds like the cost in your area is really high. I am not sure how they determine pricing in other areas. I do know that with the current edition, we have much more control over this because we are publishing it ourselves. Also, as Gregg noted, we are now limited in page count. We therefore had to remove the plotting chapter this year. We thought it was more important to update and keep all the other material.
Layer Keys is certainly an interesting topic. I covered this years ago in my Advanced Implementation Guide for AutoCAD Architecture. It was last published in the 2007 version. We don't have any current plans to cover implementation and CAD standards at the moment, but are certainly open to more feedback in this area. If many folks think this is needed, we may reconsider it.
Finally, there is a group working on a Chinese version of our book. I believe they are doing it for 2011. This would make a metric dataset available. Granted, not a DACH one, but perhaps something we can work with and possibly include in the next edition. No promised, but these are discussions we are having internally here.
Thanks again.
Just a thought, but if you are limited on page count is there anyway you could offer as bonus chapters to people who purchase the book extra information as pdf's?
We have certainly discussed this among the team. And we will certainly do this if we cannot fit what we need to cover in future editions. The current edition just made it under the page count.
If you want to get a better understanding of the AutoCAD MEP book for 2012, please check out Google books.
http://books.google.com/books?printsec=frontcover&id=piu5eS2ILMkC#v=onepage&q&f=false
This provides an in depth preview of the book and you can review up to 20% of the book
Thank you
Gregg Stanley
By limited pages, you have removed several chapters from the previous editions of the book. Even after taking that into consideration, they are almost word for word from the 2010 and 2011 editions. So my question is, what is the main difference from 2011 to 2012?
Maybe offer a whats new in AutoCAD MEP 20?? version. Instead of needing to buy the entire thing again.
Hi,
You can try a new book in the market with the name
AutoCAD MEP 2014 for Designers by Sham Tickoo. (it is also in Kindle version)
May be it can help you find new material.
Hey!!
Here is a new book on AutoCAD MEP 2014. This book is what we need. Good theory and then tutorials to understand. After that exercise to practice. I bought the kindle version. The book is AutoCAD MEP 2014 for Designers by Sham Tickoo.