Best Buy

[thomasgeorge]

Suppose that you have the choice of either attending a Class on image processing or buying the equlivent dollar amount of books. Which represents the best value and which is going to help you the most? Tom

[DJ Dubovsky]

Since most all of my Photoshop and computer use was self taught, I would have to say the books are more valuable to me. Although classes offer an aspect you can't gain from books with the ability to ask questions and getting feedback from fellow students, after the class is done you can't reference back to it very easy. Where as books are there as constant reference. I use my books very often because I remember a technique but not how to do it or because I need a question answered about a certain tools functions.
DJ

[Chris W.]

I'd have to agree with DJ.

Also, I've never really been a good classroom student and have always taught myself whatever I wanted to learn whenver possible...it just seems more interesting and easier that way.

[chris h]

I'd go with books assuming the courses were charged (ref Regards ) As DJ said the books are a constant resource assuming the program doesn't evolve at too fast a rate.

My local library has a computer shelf about 20' by 6 and I'd say 95% of the stock is obsolete in fact thay tend to buy in the smaller quick guides to various programs now. I must say there's a a huge amount of stuff on the net and its much more up to date than any book plus lots of personal opinion and experience on tap e.g. this site.

[Bob Walden]

Hi all!

I would say both are of great import. I was also pretty much self taught. I have most of the major books. However when I went to my first seminar most of what I had learned was covered in the first part. I beleive I would have saved considerable time had I taken at least a basic live course or seminar first. Video tapes have also been very helpful.

Bob

[Bob Walden]

I also agree library selections tend to be out dated before they receive them. One local libray had mostly 4.0 books and a couple 5.0. Not very helpful.

[chris h]

The main problem with courses is that everybody is at a different point on the curve and your either frustrated as (what you think) simple points are put across, or you curse as the tutor roars through actions which you of course think he's spent too little time on !!!!!

I used to teach Photography using plate cameras. Most classes were a bit like somebody teaching advanced driving only to find a quarter of the class hadn't learned to drive the car.

What as tutor do you do, compromise and have three quarters of the class waste their fees or sacrifice the quarter who haven't read the course description ? I tended to take the latter option.

[Ed_L]

Good question Tom. I would probably go with books also. But classes give you an incentive to do certain things on schedule, that otherwise might not get done at all. I know I've had books that I've read, but didn't really do the tutorials on certain things. So I think there are good things to be said for both ways of learning. I like the idea of having books around for reference, and I like the idea of having a deadline to do certain things, especially when it applies to other people as well. The problem as Chris suggested, is that people are at different skill levels.

Ed

[Bob Walden]

Most classes I have attended are based on text books of some sort. A class tends to involve students in a clear path that covers some of everything while if following a book I tend to jump to things of interest rather then following some type of order. Like "Classroom in a book" one chapter builds on another. Jumping around you will miss some important info that is used in other techniques.

[Doug Nelson]

I would have to say that the best and least expensive way to learn is to teach someone else

[Rick]

I think I mentioned this in another (probably irrelevent) thread, but learning for yourself is good, but some of the nuances can't simply be learned from a "book."

One example of this is when I had The Dish Network. I had stumbled across a half hour show in which there was a gentleman showing how to use various techniques on how to use the different features within photoshop. (I think he was using 4.0 in the studies)

I learned more in a week of programs than I had learned on my own. (CCN ch. 9405)

I would suggest you go ahead and take a "Leisure learning" class which aren't that much. (here in Houston they range from $50-$150)

Rick

<looks for two pennies in drawer>