Frank Maas wrote:
well, the (long) wait is now over - "Practical mod_perl" is here.
Geoff, you might be the best person to ask and it might be a worthwhile
extension to the mod_perl-documentation: why would one use this new
book if (s)he has the mod_perl cookbook already.
that's a valid question. the way I look at things is like this.
mod_perl is in a very unique position. of the three substantial books available on mod_perl, all are useful and authoritative, and all overlap very, very little.
for the most part, I would say that the eagle book is best viewed as the main API reference for mod_perl - (almost) all the API functions are explained and illustrated there. it's also a good introductory text on basic Apache functionality and how mod_perl ties into Apache. I think everyone would agree that to do mod_perl you need to own the eagle book.
the cookbook tries to show what having the C Apache API at your fingertips really means to Perl programmers. for the most part, it gives lots of examples of using (and abusing) the mod_perl API as a means to extending (and contorting) Apache. there is very little there, for instance, on running and configuring a server, but lots there on programming the deepest recesses of the server.
practical mod_perl I think is more of an overall guide to deploying mod_perl services - everything from basic setup and coding to advanced configurations and performance techniques. essentially an overhauled, reworked, and polished Guide, this book has been in the works for a long time, and it contains very valuable information you won't find anywhere else.
as I said, you'll find very little overlap between the different books. I know I tried very hard not to duplicate information that you could simply find in the eagle book, and I had advance knowledge of what was in the new book, so I tried not to duplicate information available there either. Stas and Eric I'm sure did the same.
I am not trying to set a new war between authors here
actually, we're all very much on friendly terms, so a war isn't likely. despite writing through different publishers, we all have the same idea - namely, to promote mod_perl and help document it as best we can. I know that's not something you find in open source every day, but you'll find us all drinking together at OSCon again this year :)
--Geoff
