I decided to look at python, once again, and given my preference for dead-trees information and Rep Kover binding for soft-covers I was led to a No Starch. O'Reilly abandoned all pretext of caring about its market when it went to standard perfect binding. No Starch, on the other hand, was still providing the, now, standard (tape not cloth attachment and low quality glue) Rep Kover. Or so I thought. The last couple I got, one for R and another for python, had the characteristics of 'real' Rep Kover: a tape strip (RIP, cambric) to attach the covers to the page block, scores on the covers to allow them to flop open like a ballerina's legs, and (they claim) PUR glue between the tape and the page block. This latest python had no scores on the covers, no tape to attach cover and page block, and glue as thick as any perfect bound. The cover is just glued to the first and last pages. You can guess what happened?
I still have O'Reillys from the late 90s, with cambric and PUR of microscopic thickness, and they've not lost a page, and really lay-flat. The only substantial difference between what is sold today as Rep Kover (by No Starch, anyway) and perfect binding is that the cover spine isn't glued to the page block.
Anyway, in trying to get the covers of that latest python book to actually 'lay-flat', the back cover detached from the page. So, 'knowing' that No Starch books had 'real' Rep Kover, I emailed No Starch asking for a properly bound unit in exchange. They said, no, since I hadn't bought the book from the website. About a week ago I got an email from someone at No Starch asking if I had received a replacement. I described what had happened, and he wrote that the printer was replacing defectives. Did I want one? Of course.
It finally arrived, and lo and behold, exactly the same construction. Emails ensued. Me complaining that the new unit had the same flaws as the broken one. What was going on?
Eventually, the CEO replied that he had decided that dispensing with tape attachment and cover scoring were benefits to the consumer. Yeah, sure. It was just another cheapening of product to save a couple of pennies/unit. No more No Starch for me either.
I've chosen to work with a printer that does *NOT* use tape to attach our covers because many of our readers don't like the look and feel that the book looks like it has been repaired.
So, for decades O'Reilly advertised its 'real' Rep Kover bindings, and sold lots o units because of it. And now No Starch customers think that it makes the book look "repaired"???? Fake news.
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