User Tools

Site Tools


chaosbook:intro

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

chaosbook:intro [2009/02/12 15:13]
predrag
chaosbook:intro [2010/02/02 07:55]
Line 1: Line 1:
-<- [[:​chaosbook]] 
- 
-====== Chapter: Overture ====== 
- 
-(ChaosBook.org blog) 
- 
-===== Desiderata ===== 
- 
- Enter latest posts at the top, blog-style. ​ 
- 
-{{gtspring2009:​pc.jpg }}  **Predrag to Damon Lamb**: Specifics? 
- 
-  - **Appendices**: ​ 
-      * __appendix of terms__: good idea, will start compiling one (currently the main index is supposed to take care of that, but you get to use it only if you are looking at hyperlinked [[http://​chaosbook.org/​chapters/​ChaosBook.pdf|ChaosBook.pdf]] or [[http://​chaosbook.org/​chapters/​OUPbook.pdf|OUPbook.pdf]] 
-      * __appendix of symbols__: will start compiling one (currently there is no way to look up symbols) 
-  - **Additional material**: ​ 
-      * __derivations/​proofs__:​ please be specific, I need to know what is unclear in a particular derivation in order to be able to improve it. Currently I place links on the margin to where a more detailed discussion can be found. 
-      * __Explicit algorithms__:​ a killer - I have no resources for the programming needed. The best I can do is [[http://​chaosbook.org/​projects/​index.shtml|ChaosBook.org/​projects]],​ where I will edit in whatever specific contributions or comments I get. 
- 
-Thanks! Whenever you can, please be specific, I need to know what is unclear in a particular in order to be able to improve it. 
- 
- --- //​[[predrag.cvitanovic@physics.gatech.edu|Predrag Cvitanovic]] 2009-01-16//​ 
- 
- 
-:-O **Damon Lamb  to Predrag**:​ Some general thoughts 
-  - **Jargon**: As some chapters make fairly heavy use of jargon, some of which is used in other fields but with different definitions or assumptions,​ it may be useful to have an __appendix of terms__ and their specific definitions as used in this book. 
-  - **More explicit algorithms**:​ Perhaps as an addendum or an instructor resource, it would have been of great utility to have more explicit algorithms in several instances. ​ Newton-Rhapson springs to mind, as many of us had problems with the particulars of the implementation - although, to be fair, this may have been problems on our end with fully understanding the nuances of the problem. ​ 
-  - **Derivations/​Proofs** of the more advanced formulae: ​ While the first half (or so) of the course time, we covered material which, for me, followed from what I had seen in the past.  The leap to the trace formulation,​ as well as some of the other more significant results we were presented with later in the course, were (and, to some extent, still are) far less clear. ​ While I can say 'I trust that these are right',​ and apply them, I cannot derive them at will.  This, for me, impedes my ability to apply them.  I understand and appreciate the motivation to keep the proofs and mathematical minutae to a minimum, I strongly feel that they could greatly expand the utility and effectiveness of the book.  Perhaps, as a compromise with efficiency and elegance in the main text, they could be __relegated to appendices__. ​ Very, very useful appendices :) 
-  - **Symbol uniformity**:​ Several times my classmates and I found that the __symbols used__ in a formula were unclear or __inexact__. ​ This likely led to some of the aforementioned confusion or difficulty. ​ It would be very helpful to have a single uniform symbolic set (especially if such a set of symbols was clearly defined prior to use, as well as gathered in yet another __appendix of symbols__). ​ For me, having variables defined ahead of time is natural and expected. 
- 
-All of these would broaden the impact of this book.  I, for one, would be far more inclined to buy it if I could pick it up, quickly find the topic I wanted to review, and not need to re-read the entire book up to that point to understand the pages which apply. ​ By pushing some of the additional material to an appendix, while slightly refining the primary presentation,​ I believe a balance can be struck which enables retention of the style of the book while rendering it more accessible and useful as a reference. 
- 
- --- //​[[damon.lamb@gmail.com|Damon Lamb]] 2009-01-15//​ 
- 
-~~DISCUSSION~~ 
  
chaosbook/intro.txt ยท Last modified: 2010/02/02 07:55 (external edit)