Choosing between two vintage hardcover copies of the same 1979 computer project handbook comes down to how you weigh a coffee-stained interior against a worn front cover. If you are shopping in the magazines, textbooks, and reference section, both copies offer the same English-language hardcover content from the Editors of 73 Magazine and the same ISBN. The listed prices are within two dollars of each other, so the real decision is whether to accept cover damage for a lower price or accept an interior stain for a cleaner text block.
Quick verdict
Choose the lower-priced copy if you prefer a Good condition grade and are comfortable with the cover flaws described in the table. Choose the higher-priced copy if the absence of writing and highlighting inside is more important to you than an Acceptable grade.
At a glance
| Consideration | USD 25.00 HC book | USD 23.00 HC 2nd Pr |
| Listed price | USD 25.00 | USD 23.00 |
| Condition grade | Acceptable | Good |
| Condition details | Coffee spot on bottom; no writing or highlighting noted | Sticker-peel damage on front cover; creased corners; graphic loss; pages in decent shape |
| Format | Hardcover | Hardcover |
| ISBN/GTIN | 9780830697243 | 9780830697243 |
Where each copy wins
The higher-priced copy wins if you care most about an interior free of writing or highlighting. The seller specifically notes that condition, though the same description includes a coffee spot and an Acceptable grade. The lower-priced copy wins if you want the better condition grade and decent pages; the tradeoff is visible front-cover damage from sticker removal and creasing. Think of it as a tradeoff between a stained page block and a damaged cover.
Product notes
Giant Handbook of Computer Projects by The Editors of 73 Magazine 1979 HC book
This is the higher-priced copy. Its main appeal is the seller's note that there is no writing or highlighting inside, which is helpful if you plan to read through the original computer projects without distractions. The catch is the Acceptable condition grade and a coffee spot on the bottom. The coffee spot is a real blemish, so if a pristine-looking page block matters, that mark could bother you. The book is still a hardcover with the same ISBN as the other copy, so the difference is not in the content but in the physical condition. Choose this one when the interior text block is your top priority and the bottom stain is a tradeoff you can accept.
Giant Handbook of Computer Projects by The Editors of 73 Magazine 1979 HC 2nd Pr
This is the lower-priced option. It carries a Good condition grade, and the seller notes the pages are in decent shape. The main downside is on the outside: a portion of the front cover has peeled away from what appears to be sticker removal, the corners are creased, and there is graphic loss. If your use is primarily reading and reference, the cover wear may not matter much, especially at the lower listed price. But if cover appearance is important to you, the damage is the reason to look at the other copy. For a book that is meant to be handled and read, this one offers a better condition grade for less money, with the caveat that its face is clearly used.
Final choice by use case
- For reading and reference on the lower listed price: choose the USD 23.00 GOOD-condition copy. You get decent pages and accept front-cover damage.
- For an interior with no writing or highlighting: choose the USD 25.00 copy. You get that benefit, but you also accept an Acceptable grade and a coffee spot.
- For identical content and format: either copy works. Both are hardcover, English, and share ISBN 9780830697243.
