Printed Documentation

[dr.floob]

On Jan 8, 9:48 am, "Tim Arnold" <tim.arn... at sas.com> wrote:
> "floob" <floob.s... at gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:0af87074-6d9c-41a8-98ec-501f6f37bf9a at s1g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> >I have been searching for a way to print the official Python
> > documentation into some kind of book (for my own uses).  I don't
> > really care if it'sprintedon newspaper and bound with elmer's
> > glue ... any way I can get relatively recent _official documentation_
> > in print form will do.
>
> > I'm on the go a lot, and can't read for long periods of time on LCD
> > screens anyhow (so having a laptop is not my solution).  Until eBook
> > readers grow up a bit, I'm stuck trying to print the documentation
> > that I REALLY need to read and absorb.
>
> > Lulu.com is an option, but it would cost something around $100 US
> > before shipping to get everythingprinted.  Also, I would have to
> > split up some larger documents into Volumes, which I'd rather not have
> > to do.
>
> > Has anyone tried this before?  Is the documentation already available
> > in print?
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > drfloob
>
> just a datapoint, but I used lulu.com to print the latex sources (525 pages)
> hardbound for a cost of $25 US.
> --Tim Arnold

That sounds about right for 525 pages.  But the current A4-sized
library reference pdf is 1207 pages alone, and I'm hoping to print /
most/ of the docs.

I managed to get a lot of the documentation (all but some howtos) fit
into 3 books on Lulu.  Python Docs LaTeX sources don't seem to be
available anymore, and I haven't dug into reStructuredText yet, so I
massaged the A4 pdfs to fit into 5.5" x 8.5" to drop the price.
Choosing only the most inexpensive options (5.5x8.5, publisher grade
paper, paperback perfect bound, etc.), the numbers came out as
follows:

Total Pages:  2024
Book Cost:  $37.87
Shipping:  $12.87 (MediaMail, untrackable)

Total Cost:  $50.74

All in all, it's the least expensive option I've found, and about as
comprehensive a set as you can get.  It probably wouldn't work for
people who can't read small print, though.  A letter-sized (8.5" x
11") set would cost maybe 1.5x as much, roughly $75.00.



P.S. At two Kinko's near me, double-sided b/w printing was $0.59 per
page, compared to Lulu's $0.015.  40x as expensive.  THOUSANDS of
dollars.