Customer Reviews

Mathematics for the Analysis of Algorithms (Progress in Computer Science and Applied Logic (PCS))

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I downloaded the Kindle Edition sample of this book. The text has been mangled in conversion to Topaz format in such a way as to be effectively unusable - words in sentences are dropped out, variables in formulas are missing, etc. I've noticed this with other Topaz versions of technical text. See, for example, locations 71-75 (dropped words), 75-79 (dropped variable in what appears to be a combinatorial function), locations 111-114 (who know what power x was taken to?).

I can't believe

a) Amazon continues to sell defective products like this - their QA of Kindle Editions appears to be non-existent
b) that Donald Knuth knows about this (given his work on mathematical publishing, I think he would have a cow over this disaster)

Full disclosure, I work for Adobe, so I have some skin in the game. That said Amazon really should be ashamed of themselves for this and Jeff Bezos should send another letter out. Charging $29.99 for a useless book seems tantamount to banker-like behavior. I see lots of typographical errors in Kindle Edition fiction - I'm reading "The Help" on a Kindle, and fortunately the writing is good enough to to allow these to be overlooked - but in technical literature, this sort of thing could lead to really bad mistakes. I overstate the case, but what if a civil engineer built a bridge using a formula in a Kindle Edition and the bridge later fell down?

This book is a gem of problem sets AND solutions, in the field of algorithms. The problems were from actual examinations given at Stanford in various computer science classes. About half the book is good descriptive text about the ideas that the problems probe. Certainly, well written, as befits Knuth's contribution.

But I would suggest to you that the best use of the book is in tackling those problems. In the spirit of Knuth's classic Art of Computer Programming series, where he gives extensive questions and answers.

I realise my suggestion may have appeal to only some of you. But I'm addressing my remarks to the smartest amongst you glancing at this. Test and improve your understanding of algorithms.