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There are several realistic points that have not been mentioned.
First, have you published a book before? If so, you can probably omit a complete outline. If not, you will probably be required to submit one.
Second, each publisher has a guide for authors submitting manuscripts that will specify their requirements.
Third, your query letter should set forth the market and how your work differentiates itself from the others out there. A common requirement is to submit at least one completed chapter; some houses for books of this type require the finished manuscript.
However, the outline requirement, if you face it, need not be so daunting. An outline that is topical in nature without "giving away" too much of a unique approach should be fine. Generally, what the publishers are seeking is an understanding of whether you have a complete conception in mind and whether your estimate of finished page count for your manuscript seems realistic.
Submitting any query blindly to a publisher without first checking their submission requirements is the mark of a total amateur...an image you do *not* want to give.
So--to answer your question--"it depends". Follow the requirements of the house involved.
A good friend of mine, by the way, wrote a major volume for Que. When it came time to update it, Que hired another writer to do it more cheaply--and dropped my friend's position as primary author to top it all off. Thus, a little investigation of the various technical publishers is highly suggested.
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