Yeah, even when I was in grad school some 15-20 years ago these recipes were at best "okay" for very basic work. Then again my work required use of non-trivial

Yeah, even when I was in grad school some 15-20 years ago these recipes were at best "okay" for very basic work. Then again my work required use of non-trivial linear algebra, which (at least at the time) NR's chapters on that topic said "better to use something pre-built".