Run, don’t walk, down to your local high end nerd bookstore, and pick up at least five or six copies of Introducing and Mastering Civil 3D. Mastering should be in your hands by now if you preordered, but Introducing has just begun shipping. Thanks to all of you that offered comments, support, and criticism of last year’s Mastering 2008 book. We tried to incorporate as best we could, and look forward to hearing your comments on this year’s titles.
One change this year is that all the data files will be availabel from Wiley’s website, so no CD in the bookback. And yes, that’s my personal ragged and flagged copy of 2008. Are you using yours or is it on the shelf collecting dust?
What is in the ‘Introducing’ volume that would not be in the “Mastering Civil 3D” volume that would justify buying both?
They’re really different audiences, Bob. Intro is the book I’d hand to an intern or my PM that wants to understand enough C3D to be able to get around in the app without feeling dangerous. Mastering is what I’d pick up for most daily users and designers. They use generally different data sets, and explore somethings in different ways. The Introducing text is part of the Publisher’s menu, and they generally offer Intro for every Mastering segment. Honestly, I’m quite curious who buys which, and what their take on the subject is.
Oh, and if you buy both, I get a $1.50 for my kids’ college funds instead of just $1. Gotta start early on those savings accounts. Compounding rocks!
Congrats on getting them both out.
And congrats to all how worked to make it so.
ps How do I get a freeby? 🙂
Some of the files and chapter folders seem to be missing on the Sybex site. I looked specifically at chapter 5, but the doesn’t seem to be folders for chapters 7,8,9,16. Are they missing of just supposed to be self made files?
They should be uploading/uploaded by now. There was a breakdown in communication between the 16 people involved in getting those files posted.
Hello James,
My name is Brian S. Miller, the Computer/CAD Systems Manager for the Lucas County Engineers Office in Toledo, Ohio. I’ve recently put together a user group (Civil AutoCAD Users Group of Northwest Ohio – C.A.U.G.N.O. – a local chapter of A.U.G.I.). Our group consists of surveyors, cad techs., designers, and engineers from state/local governments and engineering consultants. The goal of our group is to establish a standardization model , to learn what we know from one another, and to be an influence on software code and development at AutoDesk. Lucas Co. Eng. has a standards model of Civil 3D in place, but we continue to struggle with the deeper more difficult aspects of Civil 3D in relationship to roadway and pipe design. We had our first meeting yesterday and are 45 members strong and growing. Geoff Wilkie of AutoDesk, along with some members from Imaginit are part of our group. Based on my conversation with Geoff, as an external source of information for learning Civil 3D, I asked him about your Mastering Civil 3D series, and he said that would probably be the best resource we could have at hand. Where would you recommend getting these books from?
Thank you.
Brian,
Sounds like a great group to pull together. I know of two groups like this on the west coast, but this is the first I’ve heard of in the Ohio area. Congratulations on getting it off the ground!
In terms of purchasing books, we actually buy them from Amazon ourselves. While we (EE) get a discount as part of our contract, by the time we pay shipping, etc, from the publisher, we’re actually better off to buy from Amazon and use the free shipping. Nine hundred pages weighs a lot, and 10 or 15 at a time turns into a real postal cost! We do ask that you use the link here on the blog or http://www.masteringcivil3d.com as that actually kicks in a small referral fee to us. That money helps cover the cost of the blog, webcasts, and a lot of the other things we do for free here at civil3d.com.
Thanks James! I just got the ok to make the purchase for both the 2008 and 2009 books and, after I get a chance to review them, I’ll probably make a recommendation to the group about making this same purchase. In the future, my hope is that if our group grows as I think it will, I’d like to invite guest speakers to our group meetings, even if we can do a web conference or something on that level. It’s really important for our group to get the full potential out of this software, so they can look at this software as more than just another CAD program. Thanks again for all your help and well wishes.
Brian S. Miller
Computer/CAD Systems Mgr. – A+ C.P.
Lucas County Engineers
Toledo, Ohio
419-213-4540 x2074
bsmiller@co.lucas.oh.us
Hey James,
Geoff Wilkie told me to tell you that Jeep Wedding is much better looking!
Brian
i got the new book, but i am disappointed, it looks and reads just like the old book 08 (similar text) and there is no mention of the new features of 2009, things like mass haul diagrams and the points (vertical lines) that show up on profiles. maybe i am unable to find it or it is not included.