Well, I guess we should throw out The Book of Five Rings, The Art of War, Infinite Insights into Kenpo, and many other books on the martial arts. They're absolutely useless, and offer no insight in the art and science of fighting, right? Fact of the matter is, books on martial arts have served as a supplement to training in both Eastern and Western martial arts for pretty much as long as there have been books-- or scrolls for that matter. It is the primary source for martial arts knowledge? Of course not. But that doesn't devalue the role of books in the martial arts.
Now Now as to their connection to USSD, make of it what you will. But in logic, to base the validity of information on its source is called an ad hominem fallacy. It has no bearing on the information itself where it came from. it it provides a benefit to training, or even has value from a historical standpoint, it doesn't matter that USSD is selling it. but it does come from the Shaolin temple. Don't believe me? Fine, ask the abbot. He'll be in Long Beach at the end of august with some other monks for a seminar. Doubt the validity of the modern Shaolin? fine. Challenge one to a match. Then decide.
But none of that really has anything to to do with the book itself. If the book has good information in it, then it's a valid book on training. Doesn't matter whether USSD is selling it or not. And it's a good book. There's nothing to be ashamed about in selling that book. I don't think it's priced appropriately, but apparently enough people did that it'll remain at that price for a while.
Now as far as Professor Mattera running out of material... come on, man. For one, Professor Mattera isn't the only person who puts material into the system, nor is he the only person who decides the material in the system. And there have been changes in the curriculum since the break-off. But i have this feeling you have no intention of even looking at the book because USSD sells it. We're back to ad hominem.
