Author Topic: Kicad Like a pro 2nd Edition Course book? (Read 10778 times)

Chris56000 · « **on:** April 06, 2019, 08:40:06 pm »

Hi

Can somebody explain why Tech Explorations have stopped selling their eBook "KiCad Like a Pro" (2nd Edition)?

Their website says it's "Sold Out" - how can an electronic file be sold out?

Do they want everybody to pay for their rotten three-figure-price course now?

I'd gladly buy the book but paying three figures for a load of videos and other nonsense shouldn't be forced upon you - that's taking choice away from users who want to learn the software, and just asking for the book to be shared illicitly on torrents, etc!

I paid over £110 for Mr. Teonig's books on PCB Reverse Engineering and I was delighted to do so - can anyone tell me where I can still buy the KiCad book on it's own?

Chris Williams

Jacon · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2019, 08:05:29 am »

You may try here:
https://www.elektor.com/kicad-like-a-pro

I received printed version from them 3 weeks ago, but am very disappointed with publishing quality of it

Seems to me there wasn't any editor work on it at all...
Countless bugs & omissions (non complete errata have 3 pages A4 full of text!!! )

johnboxall · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2019, 12:26:00 pm »

Quote from: Chris56000 on April 06, 2019, 08:40:06 pm

Hi

Can somebody explain why Tech Explorations have stopped selling their eBook "KiCad Like a Pro" (2nd Edition)?

Their website says it's "Sold Out" - how can an electronic file be sold out?

Do they want everybody to pay for their rotten three-figure-price course now?

I'd gladly buy the book but paying three figures for a load of videos and other nonsense shouldn't be forced upon you - that's taking choice away from users who want to learn the software, and just asking for the book to be shared illicitly on torrents, etc!

I paid over £110 for Mr. Teonig's books on PCB Reverse Engineering and I was delighted to do so - can anyone tell me where I can still buy the KiCad book on it's own?

Chris Williams

You can get pretty much all udemy video courses for under $20 each without too much effort. Clear the cookies out of your browser, or open the udemy page in 'incognito' mode etc., it should offer it to you much cheaper. Just tried a moment ago and it was A$14.99.

Chris56000 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2019, 07:44:35 am »

Hi!

Now that's the sort of price that does appeal to me!!

Chris Williams

futureshocked · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2019, 06:29:16 am »

Hi Chris,

This is probably late, I only came across your post now after a random Google search.

I'm the author of KiCad Like a Pro.

The reason the book is marked as "Sold Out", is that in late February we moved the bookstore to a new website.

This page looks like this (this URL points to a screenshot of the book page on the old website): https://www.screencast.com/t/ZBPtCMUi

There are messages throughout this page informing visitors of the new location of the book.

The new website is at techexplorations.com

Regarding the three figure price of the video course... This is how pricing works on Udemy. A high sticker price, followed by a deep discount. Anyone selling their courses on Udemy has to play by those rules.

The course is available on techexplorations.com for non three-figure price.

If you or anyone else needs any help, feel free to contact me.

Peter

futureshocked · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2019, 06:43:08 am »

Hi Jacon,

Peter here, author of KiCad Like a Pro.

The print version from Elektor is version 1.41 of the book.

The latest version is 1.45. I will be pushing this version to readers in a couple of days.

Version 1.45 has numerous many fixes (you can see the full list here: https://techexplorations.com/st/kicad-like-a-pro-2e-support-page/, all of the green

).

I am constantly working on the ebook, but the print version is just not possible to reprint as a new version becomes available.

Regarding the "non complete errata", I did receive a lot of bug reports from readers in late March, all within a couple of days. These took me a few more days to clear.

To be clear, when a reader reports a bug through the support page, I am fanatical about fixing it as soon as humanly possible.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Peter

Ranayna · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2019, 11:15:28 am »

Is printing a new version of the book on the roadmap? I much prefer an actual book for reading instead of a pdf. But if the printed version is comparably full of errors, it is not really usefull...

futureshocked · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2019, 01:13:38 am »

Hi Ranayana,

of course, there will be reprints. However, I don't know when, as Elektor is in charge of that.

However, please know that in the ebook bundle, the PDF version is printable. So, you can print your own book, which is what I do.

Also, I totally respect what the posters in this thread have said about the bugs in the printed version of the book. I would have liked a perfect book, in the first print.

But, first prints always have problems like this, though in the case of my book, in my honest opinion, they don't get in the way of learning.

The Elektor print book is actually very readable.

The text is crisp and clear, photos are in color, screenshots are both in color and fully annotated with arrows. It is a good read.

You also get access to the book discussion forum, and I'm setting up a deep discount for people that also want the ebook and have registered on my website.

I have attached a photo from my book, on my desk. Notice the page mark

I hope this help.

Gege34 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 04, 2019, 06:22:28 am »

A question for @futureshocked if I buy the PDF version, do I only have the current version or I can have the future update too (correction) ?

futureshocked · « **Reply #9 on:** July 04, 2019, 06:30:42 am »

Hi,

yes:

the "KiCad Like a Pro 2e" ebook bundle from Tech Explorations contains the PDF, and also a MOBI and EPUB file, and you get all updates free of charge.

futureshocked · « **Reply #10 on:** December 21, 2019, 08:59:42 pm »

Hi Ryan, I'm Peter, the author of Kicad Like a Pro.

For students, we offer a 50% discount on this book. Please have a look at this: https://techexplorations.com/st/discount-application-form/

Chris56000 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 01, 2020, 04:32:25 pm »

Hi!

Further to my previous grumble I'm pleased to say I was now able to find the course and book available at the revised Tech Explorations site offered at a price I could afford and have now purchased both – pdf'll do fine for me!

(I'm not pleased with the horrible continental style figures you're stuck with on KiCad but that's another story!)

Chris Williams

futureshocked · « **Reply #12 on:** March 01, 2020, 08:18:36 pm »

Hi Chris, thanks for getting the book :-)

About the figures, I'm not sure what you mean. Is it their size? Something else? Please let me know.

Peter

Chris56000 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 02, 2020, 07:12:01 pm »

Hi!

The figures I referred to are the "primary school style 4" that KiCAD itself uses for both schematics text and PCB silkscreen text as part as the main program's only built–in vector font – my comment does NOT refer to figures or screenshots in your publication!

Does anybody know of a resource that explains how the KiCAD "Hershey" vector font is encoded and stored, and what resources are available to recompile it?

I was given some British Drawing Lettering that I would much rather implement into my personal version of KiCAD – it's a pity the developers didn't provide facilities for T.T.F. import!

Chris Williams

futureshocked · « **Reply #14 on:** March 02, 2020, 10:16:38 pm »

Hi Chris,

Ah, thank you for the clarification.

I am not familiar with the Hershey vector font. I will try to look into it.

greenpossum · « **Reply #15 on:** March 02, 2020, 10:24:17 pm »

Quote from: Chris56000 on March 02, 2020, 07:12:01 pm

Does anybody know of a resource that explains how the KiCAD "Hershey" vector font is encoded and stored, and what resources are available to recompile it?

Try asking on https://forum.kicad.info, but I seem to remember a developer writing they were converted to C initialisations which are then compiled into the program. You'd have to look at the source code.

I wanted a rude username · « **Reply #16 on:** March 03, 2020, 12:11:09 am »

Quote from: Chris56000 on March 02, 2020, 07:12:01 pm

I was given some British Drawing Lettering that I would much rather implement into my personal version of KiCAD – it's a pity the developers didn't provide facilities for T.T.F. import!

How did that project go? Were you able to digitise the stencils?

What about the licence: could such a font directly derived from a presumably non-free template be released as open source? I doubt any KiCad developer will be willing to spend time on it otherwise, unless you can make a strong case in a feature request that people want this for other open source draughting fonts.

poeschlr · « **Reply #17 on:** March 03, 2020, 05:02:39 pm »

A hint on how to modify the kicad font from the mailing list: https://www.mail-archive.com/kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net/msg37536.html

There is a plan to allow the use of normal fonts for the schematic see roadmap section "Allow Use of System Fonts" https://docs.kicad-pcb.org/doxygen/v6_road_map.html

I wanted a rude username · « **Reply #18 on:** March 03, 2020, 10:49:04 pm »

Quote from: poeschlr on March 03, 2020, 05:02:39 pm

https://docs.kicad-pcb.org/doxygen/v6_road_map.html

Wow, that is ambitious. Another two to three years of development?

futureshocked · « **Reply #19 on:** March 03, 2020, 11:58:43 pm »

Yes, KiCad 6 is a big deal. It will need a bit of extra time.

poeschlr · « **Reply #20 on:** March 06, 2020, 11:06:59 pm »

The new schematic file format is not yet in so my guess is that it will take at least another year till feature freeze.


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Author Topic: Kicad Like a pro 2nd Edition Course book? (Read 10778 times)

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