The issue with some of the figures was an embarrassing mistake by an outside vendor doing layout whom we no longer work with. As the editor, I was as frustrated by this as you are when I saw my first print copy of the 3rd edition which was when this mistake was first visible. Ultimately, we take responsibility as it showed a gap in our processes to catch this kind of vendor mistake, a mistake that shouldn't happen the way we work now.
We're working on correcting this, the navigation, and many other improvements for a great new 4th edition that's in the works.

Jim Minatel
Senior Acquisitions Editor
Wiley Technology Publishing
WROX Press
Blog: http://wroxblog.typepad.com/
Jim's Book of the week: No book this week - Donate to the Red Cross!