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Book Update (Version Beta 0.18)

I hesitate to even announce this release as it is a series of subtle typo fixes and corrections driven by our Get Satisfaction page, but I also think that there is a certain value in being completely transparent and announcing every release (even the minor ones). I've cut this release because there are a number of small typo fixes that were building up, and I'm getting ready to add more weigh to some of the reference chapters. Instead of sitting on these simple updates, I'd rather get them published and released.

This version contains the following updates:

  • Added a reference from the Lifecycle Chapter to the Writing Plugins Chapter. I had incorrectly stated that we were going to illustrate the process of creating a custom lifecycle in this chapter. Custom lifecycles and packaging types are not introduced until the Writing Plugins Chapter. An XREF has been inserted into the Lifecycle chapter.
  • Changed the installation directory to /usr/local/apache-maven-2.0.9 from /usr/local/maven-2.0.9. This might seem like a small change, but it brings the documentation more in line with what the archive will produce when unpacked. I have not changed the book's installation instructions to match the install directory on the Maven site. The Maven site suggests that the correct directory for Maven is /usr/local/apache-maven/apache-maven-2.0.9... I'd rather install multiple versions in /usr/local and then use symlinks.
  • Added instructions for the installation of Maven 2.0.9 using MacPorts.
  • Removed some confusing language in the Settings Details Appendix that talked about "two different kinds of artifacts"
  • Added a note to Chapter 8 that references the Optimization chapter. Some people, already familiar with the dependencyManagement element, were getting a bit disturbed to see a top-level POM without this element. I'm leaving the dependencyManagement element to the Optimization chapter to illustrate the progression from a simple POM to a highly-optimized POM.
  • Changing the Version Number of the Book

Many of these changes may seem trivial: fixing dangling references, small typos, version numbers. I tend to think that these small changes are critical to creating a book that doesn't create the sort of friction the community has grown accustomed to. Too often, you'll be reading documentation for an open source project and it will refer to an as yet unfinished or yet to be realized document, this can be one of the most frustrating experiences.... "For more information about X see the (unwritten) Document Y..."

Thanks again to all of the people paying attention and submiting errata through both the O'Reilly production staff and GetSatisfaction.

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Written by Tim OBrien

Tim is a Software Architect with experience in all aspects of software development from project inception to developing scaleable production architectures for large-scale systems during critical, high-risk events such as Black Friday. He has helped many organizations ranging from small startups to Fortune 100 companies take a more strategic approach to adopting and evaluating technology and managing the risks associated with change.