©1993 by Lawrence I. Charters
Washington Apple Pi Journal, Vol. 15, no. 5, May 1993, pp. 31-32.
Once upon a time, there was a book. Not just any book, but an almost perfect gem of a book with inspired layout and graphics and text so spare that every word served a purpose-the loss of even one would have been tragic. What was most amazing about this fairy tale perfect book was the subject: it wasn’t a fairy tale. It wasn’t a novel. It wasn’t an autobiography or history book. It was a computer book: The Little Mac Book, by Robin Williams.
As gems go, this one was as precious as it was improbable. Computer books BRW (Before Robin Williams) were, by decree, deadly dull. You read a computer book for one of three reasons: 1) It was assigned for a class; 2) You didn’t know any better; or 3) You were desperate and willing to try anything (except, probably, read the manual). In addition to being dull, computer books also suffered from some curious design requirements: all of them appeared to be laid out by road surveyors, and the publishers thought that Courier, or some other monospaced font, was the Only Proper Typeface for Computer Books. Additionally, if the book was written by IBM, all blank pages had to be marked with the oxymoronic phrase: This Page Left Intentionally Blank.
Robin Williams changed all that. The Little Mac Book really was little, but only in size. It had one focus: tell the reader everything they really need to know about the Macintosh-and nothing else. If necessary, include a picture. Include several pictures. Make the pictures small, so they illustrate, rather than just take up room or show off. Add a touch of wit so dry that the reader will need a drink when it finally dawns on them what you really said. And make the book cheap.
I loved the book. If people asked me a question about the Mac, quite often my answer was: “get a copy of The Little Mac Book.” After a while, my user group, the San Diego Macintosh User Group, decided to sell copies, at cost, to our membership. We ordered 50, bu tended up selling hundreds. Several dozen people have told me they bought a Macintosh because of The Little Mac Book.
Then the second edition came out. I tracked down a copy and, in all fairness, the second edition was excellent: an outstanding introduction to all things Macintosh. But somewhere along the way the book had acquired a new author, with a different, somewhat chatty style. Excellent, yes, but not quite the same grade of diamond it was before. Perfection can’t be repeated, I guess.
I guessed wrong. While the East Coast was suffering from ”The Storm of the Century” and two feet of snow was exhausting even the neighborhood kids from any love of the white stuff, the U.S. Postal Service managed to overcome some very real obstacles (and a formidable drift) to bring The Little Mac Book, Third Edition to my mailbox. And listed as the author was Robin Williams.
Is it as good as the original? Yes. In fact, it may be better, in all respects but one.
So let’s compare the first and third editions. The first edition was 104 pages, including a four page index, and cost $12.95. The third edition is 330 pages, including a sixteen page index, and lists for $16.00. The first edition covered Macintosh System 6.0, and the world of Macintosh as of 1990. The third edition covers System 7.0 (there is no coverage of System 6.0), and the much richer world ofMacintosh in 1993. There are even special chapters on the Performa (which has its own unique software) and At Ease.
Williams is the first to recognize that both The Little Mac Book and the Macintosh have changed in three years. On the first page of the introduction, titled ”Read Me First,” she notes, ”This book used to be very little. It’s gotten bigger because the Macintosh has gotten more complex.” So complex, in fact, that she’s included an entire chapter-ten pages-as a Tutorial. It is one of the best tutorials I’ve ever seen, and certainly the only one that came with a great book thrown in as a bonus.
Who should buy this book?
- If you have either the first or second edition, and are using System 7, you should get this book
- If you have a Macintosh, you should get this book
- If you’ve thought about getting a Macintosh, you should get this book
- If you’ve thought about writing a book, particularly a computer book, you should get this book. Reading it will be humbling, but you’ll emerge a better writer
- If you want to learn about layout, get this book. It is a masterpiece.
Who shouldn’t buy this book? Basically, there are two classes:!) those that can’t read English; 2) those who don’t have the money. (Of course, there is an intersecting class that could fall into both 1 and 2.) Are you a power user and have no need of such fluff? Read Chapter 36, Jargon, and you’ll learn otherwise; her definitions of ”baud rate” and “dialog box” were revelations, and I already knew the proper meaning of both.
Ah, yes, I did say this edition “may be better, in all respects but one.” So what is the exception, the longer length? No-it still is a “little book,” a lean guide without an ounce of fat. Is it the higher price? Not hardly; among other things, Peachpit Press has an aggressive discount schedule for user groups. The one thing the book lacks: what did Robin’s aunt do to her uncle to get even?
Notes: Yes, my name appears on the back cover, but I’ve never been paid a dime for my endorsement. Sigh. No, this Robin Williams is not the same person as the comedian; the other Robin Williams is male, whereas this Robin Williams is the mother of three children. No, the book with the same name by Que Corp. is not the same book. Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation shouldn’t be surprised, as “Q” is always irritating and deliberately confusing.
Title: The Little Mac Book, Third Edition
Author: Robin Williams
Publisher: Peachpit Press, 1993
ISBN: 1-56609-052-0
SRP: $16.00