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Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:16 am
by skwee
Hi, I would like to get my self a copy of intel manuals.
Last time I checked (about half year ago) they were free, I wonder if they are still free? Nothing said about this issue on intels site (so I assume they are).
Now how the procedure is going? I found the ordering form on intels web-site, but they force to enter a company name? What should I write here (I want the manuals for my self, I'm not working in any company, yet)?

Oh and last one: what manuals you suggest me to get? Can I order them all (The developer's manuals)?

Thanks :)

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:18 am
by JohnnyTheDon
Is there any reason you can't just download the PDFs? The Intel manuals do get updated every once in a while, so it is probably better to use the online ones if you can instead of ordering paper copies which will eventually become out of date.

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:00 am
by skwee
Hmm.. Its easier with a book instead of reading from a screen.
If I had two monitors it would be easier.

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:06 am
by Solar
Believe me, it's not. You can't do a full-text search in a hardcopy, for example.

I admit I did order copies myself, back then. But JohnnyTheDon is right - they outdate much too fast, and you end up using the PDFs anyway.

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:09 am
by NickJohnson
If you really hate the pdfs, you could just print the manual out on normal paper and staple it. I do that sometimes with manuals or specifications, like ELF, but put four pages per sheet to save space. It's cheaper than buying a real manual. But I wouldn't do it unless you refer to the manual very frequently, or where you don't have internet access, because it wastes a lot of paper.

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:15 am
by gravaera
Post deleted. Said pretty much the same as everyone else's.

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:28 am
by skwee
Hmm maybe you all right, Ill try to work with the PDFs for now, if it will be not enough Ill order the printed version.
Thanks :)

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:41 am
by earlz
Whats the problem with ordering the manuals? Intel gives free shipping and everything so it's not like your going to waste anything but trees. And paper is easier to read than LCD especially if you will be studying a lot of things from it. Why not use the PDFs to search then read on paper cause its easier?

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:25 am
by Solar
earlz wrote:...so it's not like your going to waste anything but trees.
And water and energy. For some, that is enough.

But aside from the eco stuff (and please, let's not get into detail re energy consumption of your computer vs. producing and shipping hardcopy):

The hardcopy still outdates within a year or two.

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:16 pm
by Malevol3nt
I don't understand how it's easier to program by reading an actual book. The only plus side of it is that you don't have to stare at the screen, so you could basically sit in a park and read it. But you shouldn't read a manual without being in front of a PC to begin with, there's no way you're going to remember everything just by reading and not trying things out. Otherwise people would read 3 books without touching a PC and become "expert programmers". An assembly programmer is most probably going to spend alot of time in front of a PC screen because he's going to, you guessed it, be typing and reading his own code. So if you can't read text of a computer screen for a while, how are you supposed to read thousands of lines of assembly code?

Edit: Also, fatigue is in play here. If you have your book on your desk and a turned on screen, you're going to get neck pains and eye fatigue very soon if you keep swapping between the two. Personally, I rather read books of the screen. And when my eyes get weary I just take a 20 minute break, look into the distance and relax. Then I can resume working again. But that's just me I guess.

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:22 pm
by earlz
Malevol3nt wrote:I don't understand how it's easier to program by reading an actual book. The only plus side of it is that you don't have to stare at the screen, so you could basically sit in a park and read it. But you shouldn't read a manual without being in front of a PC to begin with, there's no way you're going to remember everything just by reading and not trying things out. Otherwise people would read 3 books without touching a PC and become "expert programmers". An assembly programmer is most probably going to spend alot of time in front of a PC screen because he's going to, you guessed it, be typing and reading his own code. So if you can't read text of a computer screen for a while, how are you supposed to read thousands of lines of assembly code?

Edit: Also, fatigue is in play here. If you have your book on your desk and a turned on screen, you're going to get neck pains and eye fatigue very soon if you keep swapping between the two. Personally, I rather read books of the screen. And when my eyes get weary I just take a 20 minute break, look into the distance and relax. Then I can resume working again. But that's just me I guess.
true.. but I've read through programming stuff on my bed(where I'm more comfortable) and then anything I didn't understand I compile the test code and try it out..

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 7:08 pm
by neon
I personally dont care if the books do get outdated in a year or two. They still contain alot of information that will be around for awhile. Of course, this is just me - I personally prefer the books and use them more then the PDFs.

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 7:28 pm
by pcmattman
neon wrote:I personally dont care if the books do get outdated in a year or two. They still contain alot of information that will be around for awhile. Of course, this is just me - I personally prefer the books and use them more then the PDFs.
I'm in the same boat. I prefer the books over the PDFs: I can have them open in front of me without using up screen real estate (because I already use both screens extensively).

Also, I can find what I'm looking for faster in the paper manuals than I can in PDF format (fulltext search gives false positives and the table of contents and index are more accessible in paper form IMHO).

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:05 am
by skwee
So anyway what is the procedure of ordering their manuals?
Just fill the form on their site? If yes what I write in the Company name filed?

Thanks again!

Re: Intel manuals? How to order?

Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:16 am
by Brynet-Inc
skwo wrote:If yes what I write in the Company name filed?
It's not needed at all, in your email specify the SKU numbers.. include your full name and address.

Nothing else is needed, not even a phone number.

For example,
Sky.Wolker wrote:Hello,

I would like a hard copy of SKU's 253666 and 253667.

Sky Wolker
555 Bananarama Lane
Apt. #16
Mars City, Mars
{Post code, ZIP CODE}

Thank you.

-Sky.Wolker