News & Analysis
Comment
David Ashton
Points taken, and I'm sure for those who can afford the $85, this will be a good ...
ReneCardenas
Thanks for the link and great reviews, that encoraged my to get my own copy.
Analog guru leaves legacy in $85 text book
Peter Clarke
8/30/2011 6:06 AM EDT
LONDON – Jim Williams, a respected analog engineer who passed away in June 2011, has made a posthumous contribution to electronic engineering as a co-author and co-editor of Analog Circuit Design, published by Newnes, an imprint of Elsevier Science & Technology Books.
The secondary title of the 960-page book is: A tutorial guide to applications and solutions. It is co-edited by Bob Dobkin, a founder and chief technology officer of Linear Technology Corp. (Milpitas, Calif.).
Williams also worked for Linear Technology – for nearly three decades having started out as an applications engineer in the early years of the company. Other authors included in book include Carl Nelson.
Newnes describes the book as "comprehensive source book of circuit design solutions that will aid systems designers with elegant and practical design techniques that focus on common circuit design challenges." The book is based on Linear Technology application notes covering such topics as power management, switching and linear regulator design, data conversion, signal conditioning, and high frequency/RF design, Newness said.
The 960-page hardcover book has a large format trim size of 8.5-inches by 10.9-inches. It is priced at $84.95 and can be purchased from Elsevier's website at www.elsevierdirect.com/ISBN/9780123851857/Analog-Circuit-Design
It also comes with an online support package including LTspice software, design notes, videos and datasheets that can be found at www.elsevierdirect.com/companion/9780123851857
The news of Williams' death was met with great sadness by the engineering community and he was fondly remembered in numerous contributions on the web-pages of EE Times.
Related links and articles:
www.elsevierdirect.com/ISBN/9780123851857/Analog-Circuit-Design
www.elsevierdirect.com/companion/9780123851857
News articles:
Photo gallery: Remembering Jim Williams
Jim Williams, analog circuit guru, dies
Analog expert Bob Pease dies in accident
|
|
|
|
|
Navigate to related information
GREAT-Terry
8/30/2011 11:11 AM EDT
Will this book be a collection of Application and design note from this company? If that is the case, why do I need to buy? I can freely download all notes from their website! Any body can tell me why I should buy one?
Sign in to Reply
David Ashton
8/30/2011 4:25 PM EDT
From the first link you can get a look at the contents which does seem to be just a collection of LT ANs. You can't get a preview of the content.
Sign in to Reply
Frank Wiedmann
8/31/2011 8:00 AM EDT
Judging from the table of contents at http://www.elsevierdirect.com/toc.jsp?isbn=9780123851857 , it indeed looks like a collection of application notes.
If you still want to buy it, there is a discount of 30% mentioned in the last paragraph of http://www.elektronikpraxis.vogel.de/index.cfm?pid=856&pk=328069&nl=1&cmp=nl-101 (use Google Translate if necessary).
Sign in to Reply
Robotics Developer
8/30/2011 12:39 PM EDT
What a great legacy for him! The passing on of information to new generations of engineers willing to explore the analog world. I would like to get a copy just to see how complete it is...
Sign in to Reply
pmoyle
8/30/2011 6:50 PM EDT
You can find it on Amazon for 5 bucks less and free shipping.
There it says it is based on application notes. But I'm sure it's not just a collection, otherwise, like said above, "why need to buy?".
Hopefully there is a lot of insight commentary.
Sign in to Reply
daleste
8/30/2011 10:26 PM EDT
I don't think it should be called a text book if it not used for a class. It is good that this got finished before it was too late.
Sign in to Reply
fdunn
8/30/2011 10:48 PM EDT
As any Linear Designer knows, learning is not confined to the classroom. The classroom provides theory but this type of Text Book is the type that Designers like to have at the ready even if it is a compilation of application notes there is always information that "fills in the gaps" of our practical knowledge, and without a consistent updating of that knowledge you will fall behind. If you fill in one gap of knowledge over the app notes then the $90 is well worth the price. You can't put a price on practical experience and the art of Linear Design straight from the mind.
This book is definitely a Text Book. If you feel as though you have stepped out of the classroom then you have decided to leave your career behind you for all but the simplest tasks.
Sign in to Reply
Jeff.Mercure
8/31/2011 7:31 AM EDT
I agree with you. Calling it a textbook implies that its use was dictated by a college admin, but allows the the price to be tripled.
Sign in to Reply
oreyc
9/1/2011 4:00 PM EDT
In my years as an electronics student, I used textbooks as the required first step but App Notes where the real deal, I learned so much from them!!!
In the 70´S App Notes from Motorla, Analog Devices, National Semi and similar companies where jewels to me, so textbooks are important, but App Notes are a must!!!
Sign in to Reply
Sanjib.Acharya
8/31/2011 2:39 AM EDT
From the table of contents, it looks like that the book covers a wide range of analog topics: from power supply design to data converters to RF design. I'm sure this could be a very handy reference to the engineers.
Has anyone gone through a preview of the book?
Sign in to Reply
selinz
8/31/2011 1:43 PM EDT
The table of contents certainly indicates a textbook style table of contents. Perhaps calling it a reference textbook works. :-)
Sign in to Reply
BobsUrUncle
8/31/2011 5:15 PM EDT
God. The man isn't even cold in the grave and all the vultures are picking over his bones. Disgusting. Newnes should give all the profits to charity under his name.
Sign in to Reply
BicycleBill
8/31/2011 5:29 PM EDT
Don't misunderstand what is happening here: Jim was working on this book long before he passed away--he and I spoke about it a few times while he was putting it together. It's actually great news that the work he put into it will not go to waste, and his passion for engineering, design, and especially "analog" will be "captured" and passed along.
Sign in to Reply
David Ashton
9/1/2011 4:34 PM EDT
Bill, can you then confirm whether this is just a collection of ANs or whether there is something more?
@Bob...Even if the book is "just" a collection of ANs, it will still be very useful and valuable, but as pointed out above, how many people are going to pay $85 for it when you can download the app notes free?
Just yesterday a friend was going to chuck out a National Semi Linear Apps book from 1986...I grabbed it....I might even have paid $5 or $10 for it in a 2nd hand store...but $85...no.
And I seem to remember that NS sent me their 2003 Linear Apps book free...
Sign in to Reply
yalanand
9/5/2011 6:10 AM EDT
@David, I totally agree with you. I think $85 is on higher side. I think they should reduce the price so that all the engineering students can afford that book.
Sign in to Reply
K1200LT Rider
9/2/2011 4:44 PM EDT
Isn't Newnes the ones who have the "Know-It_All" series of books? I bought one, and it seems just a little bit expensive for something that is just a repackaging of pieces (chapters) from other existing books which they also sell. Smart marketing on their part since that book may trigger the sale of another book or two. That's all fine, but any book that is pretty much just a recompilation of pre-existing text/data shouldn't be priced quite that high.
Sign in to Reply
BobsUrUncle
9/2/2011 9:44 PM EDT
Sorry, but I find the marketing of this book so close to his death distasteful. Even if Jim was working on this book before he passed, the profits should go to his heirs and/or charity and the book should be sold at or near cost in order to "benefit society".
I hope Newnes considers putting this book in the public domain quickly after recovering their costs.
I still have Jim's earlier book, so I'll pass on this one.
RIP, Jim.
Sign in to Reply
hm
9/5/2011 8:56 AM EDT
Like Analog Device, why not LT purchase ownership of this book and distribute PDF version free to all EEs? This may be way for LT to honour Jim's contribution.
Sign in to Reply
Winfield Hill
9/10/2011 4:41 PM EDT
I have just received my copy of Jim and Bob's new book, and am delighted with it. The book appears to be a detailed exposition of engineering topics we all struggle with on a regular basis. It's true that the book made from LTC app notes, but the editors have carefully selected specific notes and placed them in a logical order so that it reads like a textbook, chapter by chapter (the chapter-to-app-note # correspondence is detailed in a publisher's note at the beginning). Many authors are represented, not just Williams and Dobkin.
The book is layed out in a larger format than the LTC app notes, and holds more per page (it has 932 pages). Furthermore, the publisher has used original copies of the drawings and photos, when laying out and resetting the pages, so the printing quality is top-notch and easy to read.
A 16-page four-column index at the end is a nice touch, guiding you to the various places concepts and specific ICs are discussed.
For example, looking up inductors, cores with gaps, sends me to page 106, where six pages of detailed inductor-transformer design theory and math is mixed with practical selection and construction advice - an entire course on the subject. Quick, which app note would you go to to find that information?
My advice is, grab a copy. Recommended.
Sign in to Reply
David Ashton
10/1/2011 2:20 AM EDT
Points taken, and I'm sure for those who can afford the $85, this will be a good purchase. LT ANs are always good, and as you point out having an index is very valuable to find quickly what you want.
Sign in to Reply
ReneCardenas
10/1/2011 12:14 AM EDT
Thanks for the link and great reviews, that encoraged my to get my own copy.
Sign in to Reply