Sorry
Duck, don't mean to pick on you.
I think for most people, and how often that the information in the NEC would come into use $70 is a big investment for educators and students. Hell most touring electricians I know don't have a need for the
NEC. I can't honestly think of a time where the
NEC would have helped in the situation that I was in due to being in a theater/
arena environment where everything is per-wired/tyed in by an electrician (not entertainment but a licensed electrician) at the
venue or back at the shop. I can't honestly say that $70 for a "code"
book should be applicable.
NEC is an organization funded on grants and other stipends from government and other private subisdaries. I feel it should be at cost not with a $50 additional fee (not to mention my views on e-books, cmon really it costs you $69.99 to store an e-book on a server farm, and it costs that much to
send it to my device and copy?). I just have a problem with requirements that everyone is required to follow costing more than cost.
Is it a big cost? I think that depends. I think for a high school student it may be, but I'd also sadly say that it is likely outside the interests of most anyway (and if it were an interest but money was an issue, libraries have them, and there are request forms for most school libraries). For undergrad students, I think it is beyond reasonable for someone moving towards being a technician,
stagehand, or looking towards being an electrician (and anyone who wants to get into a purchasing job). For grad students in a technical direction or production program I think it should be mandatory. As for lighting designers, I think it depends on your abilities, and how you plan to make money (if you're the
house ME designing on the side, or the other way around you should probably
pick up a copy).
I think the main thing to remember is that learning the code will help keep you safer, or at least CYA. In addition there are other
NFPA documents that are important for your
safety, like 70E
Electrical Safety in the Workplace. It's a tool, and it always sucks to buy a tool at the last minute.
So steve would you suggest getting every new edition when it comes out or could you get by with one edition for several years?
In my opinion, I think it depends. Best practice says, yes. But, just becasue it's published doesn't mean the newest is enforced in your area, and local codes exist as well, so you need to be aware of those as well. Personally, while I have 2011, I haven't referenced any changes or additions not in already having been in the 2008 edition yet. There is also an online yearly subscription service,
NECPlus, that currently gives you access to the
NEC (2002, 2005, 2008, 2011) and 70E (2000, 2004, 2009, 2012) as well as some other handy resources.
Back to the original question, I have a copy of 70-2011 in the car and an active NECPlus subscription for on the go and older/newer edition access, as well as copies of 70-2008, 70-2011, 70E-2009, 1-2008, 30-2008, and 101-2009 sitting on my bookshelf. So far, I've used NECPlus enough that I'm going to renew it for another year (this was my first year with the service).