Re: [Phys-L] "New Millennium" Feynman Lectures

[curtis osterhoudt <flutzpah@yahoo.com>]

I wonder how the "Tips on Physics" volume differs from the one that Pearson had out in 2005. 

 
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"As a species, we are forever sticking our fingers into the electric socket of the Universe to see what'll happen next. It's a trait that'll either save us or kill us, but by god it's what makes us human beings. I'd rather be in the company of people who look at Mars than people who contemplate humanity's navel -- other worlds are better than fluff." ~~Terry Pratchett
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> ________________________________
> From: John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>
> To: Phys-L@Phys-L.org 
> Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 12:49 PM
> Subject: [Phys-L] "New Millennium" Feynman Lectures
>
> Probably most folks on these lists are already aware of this, but it 
> might be worth mentioning anyway:
>
> Executive summary: 
> There is a "New Millennium" edition of _The Feynman Lectures on Physics_ 
> ... plus a fourth volume.
>
> Perhaps the best summary of the situation can be found in Kip Thorne's 
> introduction to the "New Millennium" edition, which you can read here:
>   http://www.basicfeynman.com/introduction.html
> Additional information is here:
>   http://www.feynmanlectures.info/
>
> Hunting for errata has become something of a sport, and the latest
> printings contain more than 1000 corrections.  The "official" list 
> of errata is available for free here:
>   http://www.feynmanlectures.info/flp_errata.html
>
> Only a handful of the corrections deal with physics concepts; the rest
> are exceedingly minor typos.  IMHO if you already own older editions 
> it is not worth replacing them, and it's not worth penciling in more 
> than a handful of the corrections.  Open the errata-lists and search
> for the word "wrong".  As for the typos, it suffices to be generally
> aware that they exist.
>
> The last time I checked, the paperback editions were more up-to-date,
> containing more of the corrections.  That's because they were more
> recently printed, in contrast to the hardback editions where were 
> apparently printed a while ago in huge numbers and will not be 
> reprinted until the stock is exhausted.
>
> Also, the last time I checked, buying the three paperback volumes was
> not cheaper than buying a boxed set of the three hardbound volumes ... 
> which actually makes some sense, given that it only costs a buck or 
> two to put hardcovers on a book.
>
>   http://www.amazon.com/Feynman-Lectures-Physics-Vol-Millennium/dp/0465024939/
>
> By way of contrast, note that the so-called "Definitive Edition" was 
> far from definitive.  It is older than the "New Millennium" edition 
> and in most ways less desirable.
>
> ===============
>
> Note that the process that produced the new editions also produced a
> fourth volume, _Feynman's Tips on Physics_
>   http://www.amazon.com/Feynmans-Tips-Physics-Problem-Solving-Supplement/dp/0805390634
>
> The paperback version should be available circa January 2013:
>   http://www.amazon.com/Feynmans-Tips-Physics-Reflections-Problem-Solving/dp/0465027970
>
> This volume contains the three long-lost Feynman lectures on problem-
> solving techniques, plus the Leighton/Vogt exercises ... many of which 
> are quite thought-provoking.
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