…I am extremely pleased.
Rather than going through the hassle of printing out the 256 page “The Inform Beginner’s Guide”, I uploaded the PDF to printme1.com and had it printed and bound through them. I choose a free type of binding that was the default selection. (I think it was plastic comb?) For about $23, with free shipping, I got a decent quality copy that lies flat when you open it for easy reference.
I don’t usually plug companies, and maybe $23 sounds like a ridiculous price for what is otherwise a free PDF, but it looks and feels a lot better than anything I would have printed out on my own. I feel like a kid at Christmas who got the toy he wanted. I now feel ready to enter into full-on, IF geek mode… 
EDIT: Oh yeah, a copy of “The Inform Designer’s Manual”, bought used on Amazon, is on its way.