Desktop Handicapping

[cj]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0757000274/ref=sr_11_1/103-5150710-3444601?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Anyone know anything about this book?

[Overlay]

Here's the publisher's blurb on it:

http://www.squareonepublishers.com/titles_desktopracing.html

He has also written Thoroughbred Handicapping the Computer Way and
Harness Handicapping the Computer Way, one or both of which I may have in my library somewhere. (They've been out for a while, as I recall.) Not sure whether this latest effort contains anything new or not. (I noticed that the publisher's posting made no mention of those earlier horse-related titles, but only talked about his prior computer-oriented books.)

[GameTheory]

Looks like it is an update of a self-published book that has been around forever (used to be spiral bound). I think it just for computer newbies...

[PaceAdvantage]

Why does the name of the author sound so familiar?

[GaryG]

Amazon has titles by this guy in stock that will teach tou how to program your TRS-80 or PET. Good prices too.....:lol:

[jabberwocky]

The author has a related book, probably one of the ones referred to in an earlier post, for sale on eBay ( closing 9pm PST ). Thoroughbred Handicapping the Computer Way - Item # 8748079280. There is an outliine of that book in the eBay description.

[wes]

Howard Berenbon

PA, Howard Berenbon, he was one who was posting on the old Prodgy BB. Can't remember the name he was using. Do remember it's the same person.

wes

[PaceAdvantage]

Well, if it was the old Prodigy BB, then he was probably using the name Howard Berenbon...lol

[socantra]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0757000274/ref=sr_11_1/103-5150710-3444601?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Anyone know anything about this book?

The book has been listed for nearly a year without being released. I first noticed it early last spring, then it had a May release for a while, then they just gave up even listing a prospective publication date.

The earlier 'Computer Way' books had a few Basic listings with very elemental calculations and a very simple spreadsheet example. Mark Cramer reviewed the Thoroughbred book for "Gambling Times" and found little of any value in it. I've got a copy of it around somewhere and would have to agree with Cramer.

A lot of his other books were or were similar to the 80's "TAB" books for programming many of the early computers, with most listings in Basic.

socantra...

[facorsig]

I ordered the new title at the end of November through Amazon for late December delivery. Promised delivery is now late January. In the mean time, I did read the 10 year old book and wrote a review on Amazon:

"This book was written ten years ago, so don't expect a description of modern computers and software. The book is a tutorial for writing a simple program in the software language BASIC for picking horses. At the end, he tests the program and it does okay. He also gives a computerless system which can be done with a handheld calculator. The book is a good insight to the fundamental approach of selecting and weighting handicapping factors, although today's techniques are more rigorous. The book was updated in 1999 after the initial publication in 1995. This would be an excellent book for a youngster getting started in programming, with an interest in BASIC and horses, unfortunately I don't even know that any one uses BASIC anymore!"