Neck Shaping questions

I have a few questions about determining the dimensions and shape of a neck and wondering how many different ways this is done.

Are the neck thickness measurements you find on manufactures sites done with or without the fretboard attached?

When shaping a neck do you approach it in terms of radius (if at all) like you would a fretboard or do you determine the thickness you want at the first and last fret (or first and twelfth), cut the angle then shape it to feel?

Is there a correlation between how round the back of a neck is and the stability of the neck? Is there such thing as an optimum shape?

And finally is there a good tutorial with pictures on this somewhere I just can't seem to find?

Thanks in advance

 

Thanks for the replys. I've read and re-read several books, Melvyn Hiscock's and Martin Koch's being the most informative so far. I'll be cutting and glueing my neck lams this week. I've been carving wood most of my life, but this will be the first time I have applied it to building a bass. I'm a little nervous but it can't be any harder than carving a rifle stock. Thanks again