ubuntu-manual team mailing list archive

[Benjamin Humphrey <humphreybc@xxxxxxxxx>]

Kevin has hit it bang on the head, fantastic. That's what we'll do :)

On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 11:24 PM, Kevin Godby <godbyk@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Here's some background on how the publishing history information
> typically works in books.  The publishing history is included on the
> copyright page of the book. The following information is taken from
> the Chicago Manual of Style:
>
> ``Publishing History. The publishing history of a book, which usually
> follows the copyright notice, begins with the date (year) of original
> publication. If a book is reprinted, the number and date of the
> current impression are usually indicated. Corrections are sometimes
> made in new impressions, but if significant revisions are made, the
> result may be a new edition. The number and date of the new edition
> become part of the publishing history. The copyright dates of all
> editions may be accumulated in the copyright notice, but usually only
> the original edition and latest editions are reflected in the
> publishing history.
>
> ``Edition versus impression.  `Edition,' as opposed to 'impression,'
> is used in at least two senses. (1) A new edition may be defined as
> one in which a substantial change has been made in one or more of the
> essential elements of the work (e.g., text, notes, appendixes, or
> illustrations). As a rule of thumb, at least 20 percent of a new
> edition should consist of new or revised material. A work that is
> republished with a new preface or afterward but is otherwise unchanged
> except for corrections of typographical errors is better described as
> a new impression or a reissue; the title page may include such words
> as `With a New Preface.' (2) `Edition' may be used to designate a
> reissue in a new format---for example, a paperback, deluxe, or
> illustrated version---or under the imprint of a different publisher.
>
> ``Edition number. A new edition is best designated on the title page
> by its number: Second Edition, Third Edition, and so forth. Such
> phrases as `revised and expanded' are redundant on the title page,
> since the nature and extent of the revision are normally described in
> the prefatory material or on the cover.
>
> ``Impression.  The impression is usually identified by a line of
> numerals running below the publishing history.  For example:
>
>     07 06 05 040 03 02 01 99    1 2 3 4 5
>
> The first group of numerals, reading from right to left, represents
> the last two digits of succeeding years starting with the date of
> original publication. The second set, following a space of an em or
> more and reading from left to right, represents the numbers of
> possible new impressions. The lowest number in each group indicates
> the present impression and date.  In the above example, therefore, the
> impression is identified as the first, and the year of printing as
> 1999.  The following example indicates a sixth printing in 1998.
>
>     04 03 02 01 00 99 98     6 7 8 9
>
> This method involves minimal resetting in each new impression, since
> the typesetter merely deletes the lowest number. Indicating a new
> impression not only reflects the sales record of a book but also
> signals that corrections may have been made.''
>
> ---
>
> Whew!  Okay, so the basic concept are that there are two levels of
> revisions of a book: editions and impressions.  An impression is just
> for fixing minor typos while a new edition indicates more substantial
> changes.
>
> I would say that Getting Started with Ubuntu 10.04 is the first book
> in a series of books.  The series would contain the following books:
>
>  Getting Started with Ubuntu 10.04
>   Getting Started with Ubuntu 10.10
>   Getting Started with Ubuntu 11.04
>  Getting Started with Ubuntu 11.10
>  etc.
>
> When we release Getting Started with Ubuntu 10.04 in April, that will
> be the first edition (and first impression/printing) of the book.  We
> don't need to indicate this on the title page.
>
> Ideally, we won't need multiple editions or impressions.  However,
> since we'll probably find typos after April or programs have changed a
> bit, we'll want to keep the manual up to date, and that will require
> new impressions.  I think that information about new impressions can
> be safely relegated to the copyright page -- a notice shouldn't be
> placed on the front cover.
>
> If we make major revisions to the manual -- add a new chapter, for
> instance -- then that may qualify as a new edition.  If this occurs,
> then we should place a 'Second Edition' notice on the cover of the
> manual.
>
> Now as to how this information should be presented on the copyright
> page:  The reason they used the line of numbers (explained above) is
> because they used to generate metal plates for printing the books.
> When a new impression was created, it was easy to scratch off the year
> and impression from the existing copyright page plate and reuse it
> without making an entirely new plate.  Since we're all electronic
> here, we don't have that problem.  Further, very few people know what
> that line of numbers means anyway.  Therefore, I would recommend that
> we use a versioning system similar to what's used for software, e.g.,
> Version 1.1 for the first impression of the first edition.  (The year
> is less important, given the timeliness of our manual.)
>
> So here's what I would recommend:  We will (hopefully) have rare need
> to generate a new edition of the manual.  If we do, though, we'll
> place the edition number on the front cover.  On the copyright page,
> we should include the manual's version.  The major version number (the
> number to the left of the decimal) shall refer to the edition and the
> minor version number (to the right of the decimal) shall refer to the
> impression.  We can also include the date the impression was generated
> (in YYYY-MM-DD format).
>
> Are there any objections to this?
>
> --Kevin
>
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-- 
Benjamin Humphrey

Ubuntu Manual Project Leader
Dunedin, New Zealand

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-manual
www.interesting.co.nz