But really, if you a writing a book on a modern language, and your code has external dependencies, chances are it will not build 5 years forward, even if there are no URLs directly in the book.
I can see the comments now: “Just put it on GitHub! Why do they put it on something physical that I’m just going to lose!?”
Retailers loathe books with extras (CDs, USB, or otherwise) because the rate of issues and problems with returns goes way up. Customers dislike it because they’ll lose the thing. Just put it on GitHub and call it a day.
I could understand some of these complaints if a certain publisher has gone out of business and all of their links were dead or something, but I can’t really get worked up about someone having to clone a repo from the internet to work with code. I’d much rather deal with that than I would keeping track of a physical thing that comes with a book, which I have to stick into my computer.
I don't see why it would be a problem with items mailed, except it would add another step for the publisher or distributor. But along those lines it irks me when I subscribe to a print publication that includes digital and after I login the only benefit I get it to read more stuff on the same tracker-loaded, privacy-invading enshitified site.
[1] During COVID I protested vigorously at my church about going virtual for many reasons. One of which was elderly or impoverished members who could not (because of either access or ability) easily access whichever platform was being used. There are so many variations of "works on my system" in the world.
If we can have potato chips that play music[1], we can have a book with built in storage.
1. https://web.archive.org/web/20190516225905/https://www.billb...
I'm with the author on this one. Any code needed to for it be useful should be printed in the book (perhaps complete code in an appendix rather than right there in the chapter). That said I haven't bought a programming book in years.
But well, the trend has been to consolidate anyway. Now even power comes through an universal interface, so you can't use power outlets in places that you don't trust.
..but really IMO code samples requiring a non-trivial amount of "framework" source is an anti-pattern on its own. Code samples should be short enough that they can be copied by hand.
https://www.vistaprint.com/promotional-products/technology/u...
https://www.instructables.com/USB-PCB-Business-Card/
https://hackaday.com/2010/05/25/mass-storage-business-card/
cds are a lot cheaper
Those CDs have a way of disappearing. My local library used to have a lot of tech books that were missing the accompanying CDs.
I agree that the obsolescence rate has skyrocketed, as a side-effect of always-online development.
Blu-ray apparently is even hardier.