The editors mailing list at O'Reilly is the place where we discuss incoming proposals, book ideas we dream up ourselves, and the general direction of technology. Sometimes we argue over issues that may be useful to our readers, and we highlight them here. Remember that technology choices are rarely cut-and-dry, and our editors are opinionated.

Error Checking

Edited by chromatic
March 2005

Should error checking be included in printed books that cover code? Is it worth adding an extra 10% of text in order to ensure that programmers will not forget to check for error conditions? And ultimately, who's responsibility is it to check for errors? These questions bear a multitude of implications. In a recent discussion on the Editor's List, four editors contemplated the pros and cons of including error checking in print texts.

Read this discussion.

Dear Scott/Dear Max

Edited by chromatic
December 2004

If there's one constant in the publishing world, it's the give-and-take relationship between editors and authors. A recent thread on the Editors List discussed this relationship among famous authors and editors as captured in their own words.

Read this discussion.

The State of Java

Edited by chromatic
October 2004

Is the Java revolution over? Has the big business-friendly approach turned Java into the new COBOL? Is the momentum behind .NET and Mono stealing away the cool factor that Java once enjoyed? Are those even bad things? In a recent discussion on the Editors List, several editors--programmers themselves--debated these questions.

Read this discussion.