今年我订了好几本专业书，每本都上百加元，甚至更多。秘书笑眯眯地都订了，结果最后这一本书拿到手了，大经理问下来：这书网上找不到吗？公司里其他人没有吗？公司图书馆没有吗？我最喜欢买书，家里很穷的时候我都是想要的书一定买下来。公司这么小气，我很是气愤。 [#4060194@0 -ROLIA.NET 相约加拿大网上社区 之 枫下论坛 & 枫下部落, 枫下论坛主坛 ]
今年我订了好几本专业书，每本都上百加元，甚至更多。秘书笑眯眯地都订了，结果最后这一本书拿到手了，大经理问下来：这书网上找不到吗？公司里其他人没有吗？公司图书馆没有吗？我最喜欢买书，家里很穷的时候我都是想要的书一定买下来。公司这么小气，我很是气愤。
by
ruoer
(乡下人)
at
2007.11.15 16:59
(#4060194@0)
写了一长篇email去解释，措词谨慎，语法严谨。结果大经理批复："买了就买了，下次花公司的钱要象花自己家的钱一样谨慎！"简洁地让我觉得自己很好笑。分享一下我的email吧。
XXXXXX
I just received your note back through YYYYYY regarding the "Harris' Shock and Vibration Handbook" we recently ordered. We did order a few books this year since ZZZZZZ announced his retirement because we had been relying on his collection of reference books for the past few years. The books are the "must haves" selected from his "must have" list. Only one copy was ordered for each book and the books are stored in a common place for everyone in the group to share.
As an engineer yourself, you must understand that books are not just one of engineers' obsessions. They are tools to us just as the tools to a tradesman. Of course, with the technology advancement, we can find a flood of information on the internet for just about anything. But the time it takes to filter out the useful information grows linearly with the amount of information we can find. Most engineering handbooks, textbooks are not posted on the internet free of charge. There may be partial citations on some websites, but they often don't mention the source. That leaves us wonder the reliability of the information. One other problem with using the bit of data extracted from its context is missing out on the assumptions, which can be very dangerous. The advantage with having a familiar reference book handy is we get to know the book. We know exactly which book, which chapter to look for the information we want.
I bought quite a few engineering books for myself in the last couple of years. I always tell myself: just as a good tradesman wouldn't go cheap on tools, a good engineer should not be cheap on books. I understand that the company is in a tough financial situation and every department is under tremendous pressure to cut cost. I will follow your instruction to "use internet whenever possible" from now on and when it is too difficult, I will consider purchase the book out of my own pocket.
Thank you very much ,
ruoer