Computer Book Reviews - Computer Programming Book Reviews - IT eBooks Download

The Adobe Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers

2007-02-13T06:02:00.000-08:00

Publisher	New Riders
Author(s)	Scott Kelby
ISBN	0321492161
Release Date	12 January 2007

Books Description :

You've just purchased Adobe Lightroom, the brand-new, revolutionary workflow application. Now what? Pick up this book, written by best-selling author Scott Kelby to give you all the dirt you need to allow you to work faster, smarter, and more creatively. You'll learn the essential shortcuts you need to know to save hours every week, the best ways to import and organize your images, which tools and features to really hone in on to get the most out of this application, how to manage your photos like a pro, plus all the inside secrets on processing raw images. You'll also learn how to use Lightroom together with Photoshop to get the best, most efficient workflow, along with the best images. Finally, the book is loaded with tips, tricks, and insights that will absolutely transform the way you work with digital images!

Download eBook

Windows Vista(TM) Inside Out

2007-02-13T05:42:00.000-08:00

Publisher	Microsoft Press
Author(s)	Craig Stinson
ISBN	0735622701
Release Date	18 January 2007

Books Description :

Written by the authors of the immensely popular Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out, this book packs hundreds of timesaving solutions, troubleshooting tips, and workarounds for using the latest version of the Microsoft Windows operating systemall in concise, fast-answer format. Dig into the work-ready tools and resources that help you take your Windows Vista experience to the next level. Get the answers you need to use the new features of Windows Vista, including the sidebar and gadgets, and the Windows slideshow. Youll also discover how to use new features in Microsoft Windows Media Player and Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. Get up-to-date information on how to configure and customize your desktop, how to use new security-enhanced features, and more.

Download eBook

Excel 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual

2007-02-13T05:33:00.000-08:00

Publisher	O'Reilly
Author(s)	Matthew MacDonald
ISBN	0596528329
Release Date	23 January 2007

Books Description :

Fast-paced and easy to use, this new book teaches you the basics of Excel 2007 so you can start using the program right away. This concise guide shows readers how to work with Excel's most useful features and its completely redesigned interface. With clear explanations, step-by-step instructions, lots of illustrations, and plenty of timesaving advice, Excel 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual will quickly teach you to:

- Build spreadsheets
- Add and format information
- Print reports
- Create charts and graphics
- Use basic formulas and functions
- and more

The new Excel is radically different from previous versions. Over the years, Excel has grown in power, sophistication and capability, but its once-simple toolbar has been packed with so many features that not even the pros could find them all. For Excel 2007, Microsoft redesigned the user interface completely, adding a tabbed toolbar that makes every feature easy to locate.

Unfortunately, Microsoft's documentation is as scant as ever, so even if you find the features you need, you still may not know what to do with them. But with this book, you can breeze through the new user interface and its timesaving features in no time. Excel 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual is the perfect primer for small businesses with no techie to turn to, as well as those who want to organize household and office information.

Download eBook

Access 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual

2007-02-13T05:21:00.000-08:00

Publisher	O'Reilly
Author(s)	Matthew MacDonald
ISBN	0596528337
Release Date	25 January 2007

Books Description :

This fast-paced book teaches you the basics of Access 2007 so you can start using this popular database program right away. You'll learn how to work with Access' most useful features to design databases, maintain them, search for valuable nuggets of information, and build attractive forms for quick-and-easy data entry. The new Access is radically different from previous versions, but with this book, you'll breeze through the new interface and its timesaving features in no time with:

- Clear explanations
- Step-by-step instructions
- Lots of illustrations
- Larger type
- Plenty of friendly advice

Ideal for small businesses and households, Access runs on PCs and manages large stores information, including numbers, pages of text, and pictures -- everything from a list of family phone numbers to an enormous product catalog. Unfortunately, each new version of the program crammed in yet another set of features -- so many that even the pros don't know where to find them all. Access 2007 breaks the mold: Microsoft changed the user interface by designing a tabbed toolbar that makes features easy to locate. One thing that hasn't improved is Microsoft's documentation.

Even if you find the features you need, you still may not know what to do with them. Access 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual is the perfect primer for small businesses with no techie to turn to, as well as those who want to organize household and office information.

Download eBook

Pro JavaScript Techniques

2007-01-09T01:07:00.000-08:00

Publisher Apress

Author(s) John Resig

ISBN 1590597273

Release Date 11 December 2006

Books Description :

Pro JavaScript Techniques is the ultimate JavaScript book for the modern web developer. It provides everything you need to know about modern JavaScript, and shows what JavaScript can do for your web sites. This book doesn't waste any time looking at things you already know, like basic syntax and structures.

Expert web developer and author John Resig concentrates on fundamental, vital topics--what modern JavaScripting is (and isn't), the current state of browser support, and pitfalls to be wary of. The book is organized into four sections:

Modern JavaScript development--using JavaScript the object-oriented way, creating reusable code, plus testing and debugging
DOM scripting--updating content and styles, plus events, and effect and event libraries
Ajax--how Ajax works, overcoming problems, and using libraries to speed up development of Ajax applications
The future of JavaScript--looking at cutting edge topics like JSON, HTML 5, and more

All concepts are backed up by real-world examples and case studies, and John provides numerous reusable functions and classes to save you time in your development. There are also up-to-date reference appendixes for the DOM, events, browser support (including IE7), and frameworks--so you can look up specific details quickly and easily.

Download eBook

Microsoft SQL Server(TM) 2005 Administrator's Companion (Pro - Administrator's Companion)

2007-01-09T00:54:00.000-08:00

Publisher Microsoft Press

Author(s) Edward Whalen

ISBN 0735621985

Release Date 13 December 2006

Books Description :

This comprehensive administrator's reference delivers the details you need to successfully plan, deploy, administer, and support Microsoft SQL Server 2005. The authors - experts in database technologies - provide easy-to-follow procedures, practical workarounds, and key troubleshooting tactics for everyday, on-the-job results. Delve into system features and capabilities - and get hands-on insights for implementing business intelligence applications in organizations of any size. This book covers planning and designing optimal database systems, configuring SQL Server to your I/O system and model system capacity, optimizing for improved performance, and data analysis and reporting. With the ADMINISTRATOR'S COMPANION, you get the in-depth information you need in a single volume. Includes a companion CD.

Download eBook

From After Effects to Flash: Poetry in Motion Graphics

2007-01-09T00:44:00.000-08:00

Publisher friends of ED

Author(s) Tom Green

ISBN 1590597486

Release Date 11 December 2006

Books Description :

As a Flash 8 designer, you have discovered the power of the video tools in the application. The new filters and effects and ActionScript classes allow you to create a variety of stunning visual effects in Flash. What you probably haven't discovered is how easy it is empower your video hundreds of times more by combining the many effects and tools in After Effects 7 Professional with Flash!

This book, the first to explore the potential power and creativity boost that can be unleashed when After Effects and Flash are used together, is designed to get you up to speed with working in these two applications while hitting you with some creative innovation. You will discover how effectively you can use After Effects to create video and animation effects that were either extremely difficult or impossible to achieve in Flash.

By the end of this book, you will have created a variety of projects ranging from text effects, masks, and alpha channel video to 3D effects and audio visualization. All are designed to show you the potential available to you with these two powerhouse applications, and, more importantly, to expand the arsenal of creative motion graphics tools at your disposal.

Download eBook

Python Phrasebook (Developer's Library)

2007-01-06T12:50:00.000-08:00

Publisher	Sams
Author(s)	Brad Dayley
ISBN	0672329107
Release Date	06 November 2006

Books Description :

Python Phrasebook gives you the code phrases you need to quickly and effectively complete your programming projects in Python.

Concise and Accessible

Easy to carry and easy to use—lets you ditch all those bulky books for one portable guide

Flexible and Functional

Packed with more than 100 customizable code snippets—so you can readily code functional Python in just about any situation

Customer Reviews :

Reviewer: Dennis Gilmore

Has great little snippets of code. is very clear in what is says and how to achieve your goals. While it seems to be intended at people with prior Python experience. I had previously only done python debugging. and that combined with perl, bash and C experience i was able to pick up the concepts and get functional quickly (I got done what i wanted to quickly). It is a handy little guide that I am sure I will use regularly.

Almost everything I wanted to accomplish I got done just by using this book.

two weak points.
1) could have covered number formatting in output
2) dealing with dates is not really covered

Download eBook

Start-to-Finish Visual Basic 2005: Learn Visual Basic 2005 as You Design and Develop a Complete Application

2007-01-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

Publisher	Addison-Wesley
Author(s)	Tim Patrick
ISBN	0321398009
Release Date	07 November 2006

Books Description :

Writing a book is a lot like writing a Visual Basic application. Well, except for the parts about finding a publisher and working with an editor. And then there's that pesky rule about correct spelling. Come to think of it, they're really quite different. But in one way, books and programs are similar: They are both written to meet the needs of the user. When writing software applications, the user's needs drive the organization and features of the final program. When writing a book, like the one you're looking at now, the needs of the user—that's you, the reader—drive the organization and features of the final text.

So it was with you in mind that I set out to write this book. Oh, there's the fame and the prestige, but it's really about you. You, the person who seeks to understand Visual Basic and the .NET Framework on which it is built. When I thought about you and your needs, I came up with these ideas:

You might know how to program, but maybe not. In the programming world, there are four types of people: (1) those who already program joyfully; (2) those who don't program, but will learn it and love it; (3) those who don't program, but will learn it and struggle; and (4) those who should return this book immediately to the bookstore. If you are in one of the first three groups, this book is definitely for you. I believe that anyone who can break down a task into its basic step-by-step instructions can successfully program in Visual Basic. If you are unsure about your ability to quantify tasks in this way, you might want to start out with a book on basic programming concepts. One example is Dan Appleman's How Computer Programming Works (Apress, 2000).
You might know how to program in Visual Basic or .NET, but maybe not. And that's OK, because this book will teach you. Most of the chapters introduce important topics in Visual Basic and .NET development, like object-oriented programming concepts, or using the different types of variables available to you, or interacting with a database. If you already know how to use Visual Basic 6 or earlier, that's great, but it's not a prerequisite.
You want to write programs. Most programming books teach you to write code in ten-line increments. At least that's what's scattered throughout their pages. I've put some of those "code snippets" in this book. But I spend my days writing real programs, not ten-line sample programs. If you want to write whole programs, you should learn using whole programs. And so I also put a program in my book—a whole program. Over the next several hundred pages, I will develop a real program—a database for a small library—and you will write it with me.

I put all of these ideas into 25 easy-to-read chapters and had Addison-Wesley glue the pages together for your convenience. When you reach the index, you will have learned how to write complete programs in Visual Basic and .NET. It will be a programming adventure, so let's get started!

Download eBook

PHP Solutions: Dynamic Web Design Made Easy (Solutions)

2007-01-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

Publisher	friends of ED
Author(s)	David Powers
ISBN	1590597311
Release Date	20 November 2006

Books Description :

In this book you'll learn how to:

Create dynamic websites with design and usability in mind, as well as functionality
Understand how PHP scripts work, giving you confidence to adapt them to your own needs
Bring online forms to life, check required fields, and ensure user input is safe to process
Upload files and automatically create thumbnails from larger images
Manage website content with a searchable database

You want to make your websites more dynamic by adding a feedback form, creating a private area where members can upload images that are automatically resized, or perhaps storing all your content in a database. The problem is, you're not a programmer and the thought of writing code sends a chill up your spine. Or maybe you've dabbled a bit in PHP and MySQL, but you can't get past baby steps. If this describes you, then you've just found the right book.

PHP and the MySQL database are deservedly the most popular combination for creating dynamic websites. They're free, easy to use, and provided by many web hosting companies in their standard packages. Unfortunately, most PHP books either expect you to be an expert already or force you to go through endless exercises of little practical value. In contrast, this book gives you real value right away through a series of practical examples that you can incorporate directly into your sites, optimizing performance and adding functionality such as file uploading, email feedback forms, image galleries, content management systems, and much more. Each solution is created with not only functionality in mind, but also visual design.

But this book doesn't just provide a collection of ready-made scripts: each PHP Solution builds on what's gone before, teaching you the basics of PHP and database design quickly and painlessly. By the end of the book, you'll have the confidence to start writing your own scripts or&8212;if you prefer to leave that task to others--to adapt existing scripts to your own requirements.

Right from the start, you're shown how easy it is to protect your sites by adopting secure coding practices. The book has been written with an eye on forward and backward compatibility--recommending the latest PHP 5 techniques, but providing alternative solutions for servers still running PHP 4.3. All database examples demonstrate how to use the original MySQL extension, MySQL Improved, or the PHP Data Objects (PDO) introduced in PHP 5.1, letting you choose the most suitable option for your setup.

Download eBook

Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 On Demand

2007-01-06T11:56:00.000-08:00

Publisher	Que
Author(s)	Perspection Inc.
ISBN	0789736438
Release Date	08 December 2006

Books Description :

This book uses real-world examples to give you a context in which to use the task. This book also includes workshops to help you put together individual tasks into projects. The PowerPoint example files that you need for project tasks are available at www.perspection.com.

Perspection has written and produced books on a variety of computer software–including Microsoft Office 2003 and XP, Microsoft Windows XP, Apple Mac OS X Panther, Adobe Photoshop CS2, Macromedia Flash 8, Macromedia Director MX, and Macromedia Fireworks–and Web publishing. In 1991, after working for Apple Computer and Microsoft, Steve Johnson founded Perspection, Inc. Perspection is committed to providing information and training to help people use software more effectively. Perspection has written more than 80 computer books, and sold more than 5 million copies.

Includes MCAS Exam Objectives!

This courseware meets the objectives for the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS). Upon completion of this courseware, you may be prepared to take the exam for MCAS qualification. To learn more about becoming a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist, visit www.microsoft.com.

Download eBook

Windows Vista(TM) Administrator's Pocket Consultant (Pro - Administrator's Pocket Consultant )

2007-01-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

Publisher	Microsoft Press
Author(s)	William R. Stanek
ISBN	0735622965
Release Date	27 December 2006

Books Description :

Designed as a quick reference that administrators and support professionals can carry wherever they go, this pocket consultant focuses on the administrative tasks they perform most often. It covers essential topics for administering Windows Vista, including installation and updates; desktop configuration and management; hardware and device driver configuration; wired and wireless networking; mobility and remote access; desktop, laptop, and data security; Internet security; offline files; disk quotas; shadow copies; and system troubleshooting. Featuring easy-to-scan tables, step-by-step instructions, and handy lists, this book offers the streamlined, straightforward information you need to solve problems and get the job donewhether youre at your desk or in the field!

Download eBook

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers

2007-01-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

Publisher	New Riders
Author(s)	Scott Kelby
ISBN	0321492161
Release Date	12 January 2007

Books Description :

You've just purchased Adobe Lightroom, the brand-new, revolutionary workflow application. Now what? Pick up this book, written by best-selling author Scott Kelby to give you all the dirt you need to allow you to work faster, smarter, and more creatively. You'll learn the essential shortcuts you need to know to save hours every week, the best ways to import and organize your images, which tools and features to really hone in on to get the most out of this application, how to manage your photos like a pro, plus all the inside secrets on processing raw images. You'll also learn how to use Lightroom together with Photoshop to get the best, most efficient workflow, along with the best images. Finally, the book is loaded with tips, tricks, and insights that will absolutely transform the way you work with digital images!

Download eBook

PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide (2nd Edition) (Visual Quickpro Guide)

2006-08-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : LArry Ulman
Paperback: 720 pages
Publisher: Peachpit Press; 2 edition (June 21, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321336577
Product Dimensions: 9.0 x 7.0 x 1.4 inches

Book Description
It hasn't taken Web developers long to discover that when it comes to creating dynamic, database-driven Web sites, MySQL and PHP provide a winning open source combination. Add this book to the mix, and there's no limit to the powerful, interactive Web sites that users can create. With step-by-step instructions, complete scripts, and expert tips to guide readers, veteran author and database designer Larry Ullman gets right down to business: After grounding readers with separate discussions of first the scripting language (PHP) and then the database program (MySQL), he goes on to cover security, sessions and cookies, and using additional Web tools, with several sections devoted to creating sample applications. This guide is indispensable for Web designers who want to replace their static sites with something more dynamic. The companion Web site includes source code, support forums, and extra tutorials. In addition to being updated for the most recent releases of MySQL and PHP, this new edition offers 25% new material, including updated examples for improved clarity and comprehension and new installation instructions for PHP, MySQL, and other related technologies.

From the Back Cover
When static HTML pages no longer cut it, you need to step up to dynamic, database-driven sites that represent the future of the Web. In PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide, the author of best-selling guides to both the database program (MySQL) and the scripting language (PHP) returns to cover the winning pair in tandem-the way users work with them today to build dynamic sites using Open Source tools. Using step-by-step instructions, clearly written scripts, and expert tips to ease the way, author Larry Ullman discusses PHP and MySQL separately before going on to cover security, sessions and cookies, and using additional Web tools, with several sections devoted to creating sample applications. A companion Web site includes source code and demonstrations of techniques used in the volume. If you're already at home with HTML, you'll find this volume the perfect launching pad to creating dynamic sites with PHP and MySQL.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer : A Reader
This book is, to say the very least, the finest computer book I have read in a very, very long time. I have spent the last three months trying to learn how to use PHP and MySQL to build a website with a simple content management system, however, due to the grossly unethical practice that publishing companies have of releasing books that are filled with editing and other errors, along with authors who are completely unable to write even a simple complete sentence that may be understood by their readers, I had nearly given up. Specifically, I have already WASTED money on the following books:

Creating Interactive Websites with PHP and Web Services by Eric Rosebrock - this book crashes around page 100 - it COULD have been a good book but is filled with errors that make it unusable. The publisher, Sybex, refuses to publish a real errata sheet and the book is NOT supported on the author's web site. Isn't that nice?

PHP MySQL Website Programming: Problem - Design - Solution by Chris Lea, Mike Buzzard, Jessey White-Cinis, and Dilip Thomas. Good luck if you can get past just page 30! Considering this book has been out for some time, there is NO REAL support or errata sheet for it. The "sample site" that one is allegedly able to build by working through this book is filled with questions such as "Has anyone made it all the way to the end of this book?" Need I say more? What a joke.

MySQL/PHP Database Applications, SECOND EDITION. Gosh, considering this is the SECOND edition of this book, one might think an errata sheet and other help might be available. Forget that though - Wiley gets your money, you get plastered with errors so you can't get through the book.

PHP and MySQL Web Development by Luke Welling and Laura - Another USELESS second edition. Not only does the code in this book NOT WORK but the examples that you can download doesn't match what's in the book! Not only that but, as to be expected, there is no errata sheet and the authors web site that is allegedly there to "support" this book has nothing but an advertisement for it with the promise that the "site is under development." Wonder if it will ever be "developed."

As noted, ALL of the books above are USELESS. On a fluke, I decide to try one more - Larry Ullman's PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites by Peachpit Press. While a second edition is allegedly going to be released soon, I have the first edition. To be honest, I was ABSOLUTELY AMAZED that:

1. The code in this book WORKS!
2. The book is SUPPORTED by both the publisher and the author. The author's support site for the book actually contains an extensive list of errata for the very minor errors in it (unlike ALL of the books listed above which DON'T have an errata list). Furthermore, I haven't needed to check the errata because the errors in this book are so minor.
3. The author actually ANSWERS questions to problems on his site.
4. The author is capable of explaining everything, very clearly, and yet conveys a LOT of great information.
5. This book is CHEAPER than all of the one's listed above (and yet it is the ONLY one worth spending your money on).

I have been so, completely, feed up with the incompetent and unethical practices of so many book publishers that I was beginning to wonder if there were ANY books that really taught you how to create a dynamic website. Well, there's one - Peachpit Press. No, I don't work for them and don't know the author - I'm merely a DISGUSTED customer who is tired of spending money on useless books.

RUN, don't walk to buy this book. You will be very, very glad you did.

Reviewer: Callmebob "Robert" (Brooklyn)
First off, I'm an outright dullard when it comes to coding. Let's be clear about that. But I'm smart enough to know a good thing when I find one. This book is just such a thing. Not just because of what's inside the book, which is excellent. And that it's well-written and easy enough for a simpleton such as myself to follow. But also because there is a companion web site to the book with a forum that the author moderates himself. The author doesn't know me from Adam (scout's honor), but he's spent the past three days walking me through a snag I encountered while installing MySQL and PHP on my computer. I am truly humbled by how generous the author has been with his time. And how well he explains things. These are all abundantly clear in the book. It's just surprising that he's so committed to making sure his readers understand the material he covers that he would also devote so much time to fielding questions from the book's forum. I've purchased many Visual Quickpro Books over the years; there isn't a finer one on its respective subject than this. In my opinion that is. And I'm just a dullard. Don't be one too. If you're new coding dynamic websites, buying this book would be a smart first step.

Reviewer: Rafiq Elmansy "Rafiq" (Egypt)
PHP and MYSQL for dynamic websites for Larry Ullman is another member of Visual Quick Pro Guide series that gives you a fast efficient way to learn. The book covers PHP 5 and MYSQL 4.1 for beginners, intermediate and advanced users.
The introduction of the book gives you a fast definition for some important terminology about dynamic websites, what is PHP, why use PHP, how it works and what is MYSQL.
The first chapter is an introduction to PHP language, the basic Syntax, sending data to browser, writing comments, variables, strings, numbers, constants and quotation marks.
The second chapter covers the programming with PHP such as creating forms and validating forms data. The next chapter covers dynamic websites.
Chapter 4 and 5 covers SQL and MYSQL. And using PHP with MYSQL is covered in chapter 7.
The following chapters covers different related issues such as web application developing, cookies, sessions, security, CMS example and ecommerce example.
The book is good start for beginner to learn web developing with PHP and SQL.

Enterprise JavaBeans 3.0 (5th Edition)

2006-08-08T03:18:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Bill Burke, Richard Monson-Haefel
Paperback: 732 pages
Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 5 edition (May 16, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 059600978X
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 1.3 inches

Book Description

If you're up on the latest Java technologies, then you know that Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) 3.0 is the hottest news in Java this year. In fact, EJB 3.0 is being hailed as the new standard of server-side business logic programming. And O'Reilly's award-winning book on EJB has been refreshed just in time to capitalize on the technology's latest rise in popularity.

This fifth edition, written by Bill Burke and Richard Monson-Haefel, has been updated to capture the very latest need-to-know Java technologies in the same award-winning fashion that drove the success of the previous four strong-selling editions. Bill Burke, Chief Architect at JBoss, Inc., represents the company on the EJB 3.0 and Java EE 5 specification committees. Richard Monson-Haefel is one of the world's leading experts on Enterprise Java.

Enterprise JavaBeans 3.0, 5th Edition is organized into two parts: the technical manuscript followed by the JBoss workbook. The technical manuscript explains what EJB is, how it works, and when to use it. The JBoss workbook provides step-by-step instructions for installing, configuring, and running the examples from the manuscript on the JBoss 4.0 Application Server.

Although EJB makes application development much simpler, it's still a complex and ambitious technology that requires a great deal of time to study and master. But now, thanks to Enterprise JavaBeans 3.0, 5th Edition, you can overcome the complexities of EJBs and learn from hundreds of practical examples that are large enough to test key concepts but small enough to be taken apart and explained in the detail that you need. Now you can harness the complexity of EJB with just a single resource by your side.

Book Info
Describes a major new technology for server-side application development in Java. Offers a component architecture for developing distributed, multitiered enterprise applications. Allows you to build complex, mission-critical systems using simple snap-together pieces that model individual business objects and processes. Softcover. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Author
Dear Reader,

This book is has complete coverage of EJB 2.0. The book also covers EJB 1.1, for readers still using legacy servers.

Over three years have gone into refining the content this book to ensure that it was technically accurate and a pleasure to read. Delivering content that meets these standards isn't easy, and while my name is on the cover, credit is shared with many people.

In addition to this book, we are making companion workbooks available that show how to download, install, and configure different servers so that you can run the books examples on different EJB products. Workbooks and example code are available for free download from OReilly.com for WebLogic 6.1, WebSphere 4.0 and other products.

Thank you for considering my book, Enterprise JavaBeans, 3rd Edition, and good luck in your career as a distributed object professional. It's an exciting field with unlimited challenges and rewards.

Yours truly,

Richard Monson-Haefel Author of Enterprise JavaBeans, 3rd Edition (O'Reilly 2001) Co-Author of Java Message Service (O'Reilly 2000) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Amazon.com
As many Java developers and IS managers already know, Sun's powerful Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) technology offers an attractive option for developing server-side components. A suitable read for both managers and Java programmers, Enterprise JavaBeans provides a surprisingly clear and engaging introduction to designing and programming with EJBs.

The tour of the EJB component model presented here centers on several beans created and tested for a travel reservation system in a fictitious cruise ship company. The samples are just right in scale, large enough to test out key concepts in design and deployment, but small enough to be comprehensible, even to those who are not Java experts. The author pays close attention to the real-world issues of deployment with EJBs (as well as the differences among the vendor application servers that run them).

While there are enough details in Java syntax for designing both entity and session beans for the developer, sections on design here will please those who manage projects without delving much into code. Later, the author shows various ways to design entity and session beans. (For instance, entity beans can allow their bean containers to handle the details of connecting to a database, or they can do it themselves. This book demonstrates both approaches.) When it comes to session beans (which "wire" together entity beans to do real work), the author's introduction to managing state and transactions is also a standout. Tips for performance and reusability close out the book.

In all, Enterprise JavaBeans provides an engaging tour of one of the most promising component technologies. It's technically astute, but thoroughly approachable too, and can serve the needs of any manager or Java developer considering EJBs for future projects. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs) basics, distributed architectures, Component Transaction Monitors (CTMs), bean-containers, home and remote bean interfaces, resource management, configuring EJB servers, entity beans, JNDI, container-managed and bean-managed persistence, session beans, stateless and stateful beans, transactions, design and performance hints. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: calvinnme "Texan refugee" (Fredericksburg, Va)
This book was released in May 2006, so all reviews earlier than that are talking about an earlier edition of this book, which is a completely different animal than this edition.

This book explains and demonstrates the fundamentals of the EJB 3.0 and Java Persistence programming models. Although EJB makes application development much simpler, it is still a complex technology that requires a great deal of time and study to master. This book provides a straightforward, no-nonsense explanation of the underlying technology, Java classes and interfaces, the component model, and the runtime behavior of EJB. It does not include material on previous versions of the specification, however.

Although this book focuses on the fundamentals, it's not an easy read. EJB is an extremely complex and ambitious enterprise technology. While using EJB may be fairly simple, the amount of work required to understand and master EJB is significant. Before reading this book, you should be fluent in the Java language and have some practical experience developing business solutions. Experience with distributed object systems is not required, but you will need some experience with JDBC to follow the examples in this book. I review this book in the context of its table of contents:

1. Introduction - Defines component transaction monitors and explains how they form the underlying technology of the EJB component model.

2. Architectural Overview - Defines the architecture of the EJB component model and examines the differences between the three basic types of enterprise beans: entity beans, session beans, and message-driven beans.

3. Resource Management and Primary Services - Explains how the EJB-compliant server manages an enterprise bean at runtime.

4. Developing Your First Beans - Walks you through the development of some simple enterprise and entity beans.

5. Persistence: EntityManager - Explains how entity beans interact with the new entity manager service. This chapter focuses on the details of the persistence service and how it can be accessed within Java EE and with regular Java programs that run outside of a Java EE environment.

6. Mapping Persistent Objects - Defines the basic relational database mapping provided by the Java Persistence specification. This chapter takes a thorough look at the process of developing entity beans--specifically, mapping them to a relational database.

7. Entity Relationships - A continuation of chapter six that expands your understanding of persistence and complex bean-to-bean relationships.

8. Entity Inheritance - Discusses entity bean inheritance and how an object hierarchy can be mapped to a relational database. This chapter modifies the Customer entity defined in earlier chapters to make it fit into an inheritance hierarchy. It extends a base class called Person and define an Employee class that extends a Customer class.

9. Queries and EJB QL - Addresses the Enterprise JavaBeans Query Language (EJB QL), which is used to query entity beans and to locate specific entity beans in Java Persistence.

10. Entity Callbacks and Listeners - This chapter discusses how you register your entity bean classes for life cycle callbacks as well as how to write entity listeners that can intercept life cycle events on your entities.

11. Session Beans - Shows how to develop stateless and stateful session beans.Session beans fill the gaps left by entity beans. They are useful for describing interactions between other beans (taskflow) and for implementing particular tasks. Unlike entity beans, session beans do not represent data in the database, but they can access data. This means that session beans can read, update, and insert data in a business process.

12. Message-Driven Beans - The message-driven bean was introduced in EJB 2.0 to support the processing of asynchronous messages from a JMS provider. EJB 2.1 expanded the definition of the message-driven bean so that it can support any messaging system, not just JMS through the JCA. EJB 3.0 does not really expand on the feature set of earlier specification versions, but it does simplify configuration with the use of annotations. This chapter examines both JMS-based message-driven beans as well as the expanded message-driven bean model available to EJB 3.0 developers.

13. Timer Service - The Timer Service is a facility of the EJB container system that provides a timed-event API, which can be used to schedule timers for specified dates, periods, and intervals. A timer is associated with the enterprise bean that set it. The rest of this chapter describes the EJB Timer Service API and its use with stateless session and message-driven beans, as well as providing some criticism of and suggested improvements for the Timer Service.

14. The JNDI ENC and Injection - Every EJB container that is deployed in an application server has its own personal internal registry called the Enterprise Naming Context (ENC). This ENC is implemented by JNDI and is a sandbox where the EJB container can hold specific references to its environment. Think of it as the EJB container's personal address book, where it writes down addresses to various Java EE services that it wants to look up and use within its business logic. This chapter shows how you can populate the ENC and use it as your own JNDI registry, and also how to use it to inject environment references into bean fields.

15. Interceptors - Interceptors are objects that are able to interpose themselves on method calls or the life cycle events of session and message-driven beans. They allow you to encapsulate common behavior that cuts across large parts of your application. This behavior is usually in common code that you don't want in your business logic. Where most of the changes to the EJB 3.0 specification were designed to make EJB easier to use for application developers, interceptors are an advanced feature that provide you another way to modularize your application or even extend your EJB container. This chapter shows how to write an interceptor and shows various real-world examples of where interceptors can be used.

16. Transactions - In business software, a transaction embodies the concept of a commercial exchange. This chapter provides an in-depth explanation of transactions and describes the transactional model defined by EJB.

17. Security - Although a small programmatic API is available for interacting with Java EE security services, users rarely have to write any code to secure their applications because setting up security is usually a static declarative process. Only session beans can be secured in the world of EJB. Java Persistence does not yet have a mechanism to secure access, but it is possible--depending on the RDBMS system you are using--to assign privileges at the database level. This chapter focuses on how to set up authentication and authorization for your session beans.

18. EJB 3.0: Web Services Standards -Explains the XML, SOAP, WSLD, and UDDI web services standards.

19. EJB 3.0 and Web Services - Discusses how the JAX-RPC API supports web services in EJB.

20. Java EE - Provides an overview of Java EE 5 and explains how EJB 3.0 fits into this new platform.

21. EJB Design in the Real World - Provides some basic design strategies that can simplify your EJB development efforts and make your EJB system more efficient.

The rest of the book, chapters 22 through 37, consist of an applied workbook for the first part of the book. Chapters 22 and 23 discuss the installation of JBOSS, an open source Java EE application server. Chapters 24 through 37 consist of exercises that cover the material in chapters 4 through 19. This workbook is based on the production release of JBoss 4.0.4 and many of the EJB 3.0 examples from Enterprise JavaBeans 3.0, Fifth Edition. All of the examples will work properly with JBoss 4.0.4 and above, but not with earlier versions of JBoss.

This is truly a very densely packed but informative book. A good companion to it is "JBOSS At Work" which is pretty good at explaining Enterprise Java. I highly recommend this book to the Java professional who is already familiar with developing business solutions.

Reviewer: Ricardo Memoria Lima "Ricardo Memoria" (Brazil)
I've been using java for WEB apps development but I'm moving my apps to a EJB server by now and decided to find a book about the new specification of then EJB. I loved the book. It comes in an easy language and covers in details the new features of EJB 3.0 and how it applies to Session Beans, Transactions, JMS, JNDI, Time Services. All in the book can be used in any EBJ server, but the last chapters explain how to install and configure the JBOSS server, which for me was very handy.

Reviewer: Sheng-he Gu "GUS" (Madison, WI United States)
I began to learn EJB 3.0 from JBoss EJB 3.0 tutorial and demo examples, and found that the EJB 3.0 is really a amazing technology in Java evolution. After finishing half of the book, I feel much more confident on EJB3.0. The book has more detailed explanations and examples comparing to the tutorial. If you want to learn and practice Java EE 5, the book should be the best start.

IPv6 Essentials

2006-08-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Silvia Hagen
Paperback: 418 pages
Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 2 edition (May 17, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0596100582
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.1 x 0.9 inches

Book Description
IPv6 Essentials, Second Edition provides a succinct, in-depth tour of all the new features and functions in IPv6. It guides you through everything you need to know to get started, including how to configure IPv6 on hosts and routers and which applications currently support IPv6. The new IPv6 protocols offers extended address space, scalability, improved support for security, real-time traffic support, and auto-configuration so that even a novice user can connect a machine to the Internet. Aimed at system and network administrators, engineers, network designers, and IT managers, this book will help you understand, plan for, design, and integrate IPv6 into your current IPv4 infrastructure.

Beginning with a short history of IPv6, author Silvia Hagen provides an overview of new functionality and discusses why we need IPv6. Hagen also shares exhaustive discussions of the new IPv6 header format and Extension Headers, IPv6 address and ICMPv6 message format, Security, QoS, Mobility and, last but not least, offers a Quick Start Guide for different operating systems. IPv6 Essentials, Second Edition also covers:

In-depth technical guide to IPv6
Mechanisms and Case Studies that show how to integrate IPv6 into your network without interruption of IPv4 services
Routing protocols and upper layer protocols
Security in IPv6: concepts and requirements. Includes the IPSEC framework and security elements available for authentication and encryption
Quality of Service: covers the elements available for QoS in IPv6 and how they can be implemented
Detailed discussion of DHCPv6 and Mobile IPv6
Discussion of migration cost and business case
Getting started on different operating systems: Sun Solaris, Linux, BSD, Windows XP, and Cisco routers

Whether you're ready to start implementing IPv6 today or are planning your strategy for the future, IPv6 Essentials, Second Edition will provide the solid foundation you need to get started.

"Silvia's look at IPv6 is always refreshing as she translates complex technology features into business drivers and genuine end-user benefits to enable building new business concepts based on end to end models." Latif Ladid, President IPv6 Forum, Chair EU IPv6 Task Force

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: calvinnme "Texan refugee" (Fredericksburg, Va)
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is a network layer standard used by electronic devices to exchange data across a packet-switched internetwork and is intended to provide more addresses for networked devices, allowing, for example, each cell phone and mobile electronic device to have its own address. IPv6 is actually capable of supporting 5×10^28 addresses for each of the roughly 6.5 billion people alive today.
This book covers a broad range of information about IPv6 and is an excellent resource for both managers and system engineers, since this book discusses economic and strategic aspects as well as technical details. This book is not a detailed guide for program developers. The book assumes that you already have a good understanding of network issues in general and a familiarity with IPv4. It makes generous use of tables and illustrations and is very accessible. Amazon does not show the table of contents so I review this book in the context of the table of contents:

Chapter 1 WHY IPV6?
Briefly explains the history of IPv6 and gives an overview of the new functionality. It shows that the large address space and the advanced functionality of IPv6 are much needed.

Chapter 2 THE STRUCTURE OF THE IPV6 PROTOCOL
Describes the new IPv6 header format with a discussion of each field and trace file examples. It also describes what Extension headers are, what types of Extension headers have been defined, and how they are used.

Chapter 3 IPV6 ADDRESSING
Explains the new address format, address notation, address types, international registry services, and prefix allocation.

Chapter 4 ICMPv6
Discusses how the health of the network is maintained and reported using ICMPv6. This chapter describes the new ICMPv6 message format, its error and informational messages, and the ICMPv6 header in the trace file. All of this leads to making a network administrator's life easier.

Chapter 5 SECURITY WITH IPV6
After a short discussion of basic security concepts and requirements, this chapter discusses the security elements available in IPv6 for authentication and encryption. Since future networks will require new security architectures, this chapter includes a description of a new model.

Chapter 6 QUALITY OF SERVICE
QoS elements available in IPv6 are presented as well as how to implement them. Different QoS architectures are also discussed.

Chapter 7 NETWORKING ASPECTS
Layer 2 support for IPv6 (Ethernet, Token Ring, ATM, frame relay, etc.), the mapping of multicast addresses to Layer 2 addresses, and the Detecting Network Attachment (DNA) working group are discussed.

Chapter 8 ROUTING PROTOCOLS
The advanced routing features of IPv6 and the available routing protocols such as RIPng, OSPFv3 for IPv6 are presented. Also mentioned are the BGP extensions for IPv6, IS-IS, and EIGRPv6.

Chapter 9 UPPER LAYER PROTOCOLS
Starting with changes for TCP and UDP, this chapter continues with a detailed discussion of the DHCPv6 specification, DNS extensions for IPv6, SLPv2 in IPv6 networks, FTP, Telnet, and web servers.

Chapter 10 INTEROPERABILITY
The different transition mechanisms that have been defined, such as dual-stack operation, tunneling, and translation techniques are explained. A broad variety of case studies show that IPv6 is mature enough to be used and how this can be done. The chapter also discusses what is still missing from the standard and the cost involved in implementing IPv6.

Chapter 11 MOBILE IPV6
This chapter explains why this technology will become the foundation for a new generation of mobile services.

Chapter 12 GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY
How to get started with IPv6 on different operating systems, such as Sun Solaris, Linux, BSD, Windows 2003, Windows XP, Mac OS, and a Cisco router. The most common IPv6 tools available for each operating system are discussed along with the author's lab activities and trace files.

Appendix A RFCs

Appendix B IPv6 RESOURCES
Summaries of all indexes, protocol numbers, message types, and address allocations.

Appendix C RECOMMENDED READING

Reviewer: Jase T. Wolfe (Seattle, WA USA)
If your day to day involvement with IP consists only of managing WINS, DNS, DHCP and subnet configurations, then this book is not for you. Don't get me wrong, there are many interesting sections worth reading that go far in introducing administrative aspects of IPv6, and no time is wasted reading them. This title, however, is for those of you who daily get really dirty with IP and want to know everything there is to know about the new version, the differences between the versions, the features and behaviors of IPv6, and the new tools for configuration, management and tracking.

The book starts of with a very brief and concise history of IPv6, and then jumps right into well explained sections on packet structure, addressing, and ICMP. Each of those sections are written clearly and interestingly, make good use of figures to visually illustrate the information being discussed. Once the structure and hardware-related management points have been driven home, the author provides many chapters that serve as an excellent reference guide and will prove useful well after your initial read. Chapters on IPv6 security, QoS, Upper-layer and routing protocols proceed extended reviews and demonstrations of real-life networking design aspects, protocol version interoperability, co-existence configurations, and toped off with platform specific utility demonstrations.

If you are planning on moving your environment to IPv6, increasing your understanding of the technology for more informed decisions, or looking for a reference guide to assist in your current administration of an IPv6 environment, this is the title for you.

Red Hat Fedora 5 Unleashed

2006-08-07T03:15:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Paul Hudson, Andrew Hudson
Paperback: 1104 pages
Publisher: Sams; Bk & DVD edition (May 19, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 067232847X
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 2.3 inches

Book Description

Continuing with the tradition of offering the best and most comprehensive coverage of Red Hat Linux on the market, Red Hat Fedora 5 Unleashed includes new and additional material based on the latest release of Red Hat's Fedora Core Linux distribution. Incorporating an advanced approach to presenting information about Fedora, the book aims to provide the best and latest information that intermediate to advanced Linux users need to know about installation, configuration, system administration, server operations, and security.

Red Hat Fedora 5 Unleashed thoroughly covers all of Fedora's software packages, including up-to-date material on new applications, Web development, peripherals, and programming languages. It also includes updated discussion of the architecture of the Linux kernel 2.6, USB, KDE, GNOME, Broadband access issues, routing, gateways, firewalls, disk tuning, GCC, Perl, Python, printing services (CUPS), and security. Red Hat Linux Fedora 5 Unleashed is the most trusted and comprehensive guide to the latest version of Fedora Linux.

About the Author
Paul Hudson is a recognized expert in open source technologies. He is a professional developer and full-time journalist for Future Publishing. His articles have appeared in Internet Works, Mac Format, PC Answers, PC Format and Linux Format, one of the most prestigious linux magazines. Paul is very passionate about the free software movement, and uses Linux exclusively at work and at home. Paul's book, Practical PHP Programming, is an industry-standard in the PHP community.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: S. Fink
Fedora Core 5 was released in March of 2006 so getting this book to press in June was a huge undertaking and the author's have done an excellent job of including tons of information into this book. The Step-by-Step installation chapters include screen shots of the whole process. These are always a great addition to any instructional book.

Post installation configuration includes information on configuring keyboards and mice which is done during the installation process and shouldn't need to be repeated unless the user changes something.

Additional screen shots are used throughout the book which add the connection between the material talked about in the book and what the user sees on the screen.

This book refers to several excellent applications (pirut, yumex) which are a part of Fedora Core 5 but not shown in the Menu's by default.

Although this book attempts to bring the history of Linux, Step-by-Step installation, a plethora of information for beginners and experienced user alike. I don't believe a beginner would be able to use this book as a guide. The heavy use of computer industry acronyms would only serve to confuse the beginner.

This book should definitely be purchased by experienced computer users who want to break into the daily use of Linux and experienced Linux users as a resource for troubleshooting and configuration.

An overall excellent resource for every Linux enthusiasts bookshelf.

Reviewer: Glenn Dicaro "Book Junkie" (Covina, CA)
As with the other books of the "Unleashed" series, this book does not disappoint. From installation through recompiling the kernel, each chapter gives clear and concise instructions. Great for beginners and those already familiar with linux. If you want to learn the basics and beyond with one of the best open source distributions, this book is the one. Comes with a DVD packed with programs.

Publish and Prosper: Blogging for Your Business

2006-08-06T03:03:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : DL Byron, Steve Broback
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: New Riders Press (June 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321395387
Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 7.7 x 0.3 inches

Book Description

While personal blogs take up much of the blogosphere, blogs are quickly gaining popularity in business as an inexpensive and amazingly effective marketing tool. It’s time for a practical book about business blogging: this is the first book to demonstrate how businesses are blogging and how you can use blogging technology to converse with your customers to build your brand and sell your products.

Written from the business person/designer’s perspectives, this book shows how businesses can leverage current, real-world blogging techniques, tools, and platforms to promote and enhance their ventures. The key idea is that the conversation with your market is stronger and more meaningful with a blog. Filled with practical information and a how-to approach, this book provides case studies of companies as large as Boeing or General Motors and as small as Clip-’n-seal. Readers will learn about the types of business blogs, how companies use blogs, how to sell blogs to management and IT, effective blog design, content, and conversation, pitfalls to avoid, how to develop Web presence, and more.

About the Author

DL Byron has just completed the development of Boeing's blogs. He is currently working on the next Blog Business Summit and rolling out a network of sponsored blogs.

Steve Broback is the co-founder of the Blog Business Summit and the i3forum conferences. Steve manages the editorial blogs rawformat.com and pixelupdate.com which are the center of Avondale's marketing strategy.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Marcus Connery (Seattle, WA United States)
This a great book for anyone thinking about blogging be it for business or just for pleasure. Even if you are just doing a personal blog, the point is you want people to see it, otherwise you could just write in a journal and put it under your pillow. They lay out in very detailed yet understandable terms how to go about getting it set up, what options you have, and where to go do so. Then once set up, the whole point is getting it out there. Thats where this book really shines. Lots of books and articles and yes, even blogs, have been written about how to blog. These guys take it to the next level and explain how to get it out to the masses.

All in all, concise, informative, and easy for people that might not be all that tech savvy. Just what I was looking for.

Reviewer: MANUEL J HERNANDEZ "http://askmanny.com" (Orlando, FL)
As a longtime blogger and an entrepreneur I approached this title from New Riders with interest. I was happy to find out a wide range of information that I immediately put to good use in my own blogs. Interestingly enough, though the focus of the book is on blogging for businesses, the elements it presents are not limited to the business world. As a matter of fact, there at times throughout the book that you forget about the title of the book and get sunk into it due to the usefulness of the knowledge the authors share from their experience.

The framework Byron and Broback offer makes perfect sense, taking the reader through a natural progression to make sure the resulting blog is a success. From determining the focus of the blog, how much to write and how to design and implement it; to getting down to the task of posting, getting traffic and monitoring it, the book is thorough in spite of the fact of being less than 200 pages in length.

So, if you are considering to start a blog for your business, do yourself a favor and read this book before. I suspect you will thank me for it!

Reviewer: Charles Ashbacher "(cashbacher@yahoo.com)" (Hiawatha, Iowa United States)
When used in the context of the Internet, blog is an abbreviation for weblog and refers to an online journal. The most advanced blogs allow readers to contribute to the journal, creating an inline discussion group. Many businesses have found blogs to be a valuable tool in increasing their internal and external communications. Internally, a blog can serve as an online discussion group between employees, where issues can be resolved and decisions made. By doing so online, the participants do not have to leave their offices and can contribute, even though they may be a continent away. The online community of blogs is known collectively as the blogosphere.
Externally, some companies are using blogs to maintain better communications with their customers. However, this is not without risk, in that the solicitation of feedback can lead to a great deal of negative expression. The fact that these negative comments will be there for all to see unnerves some people to the point where they are reluctant to insert their company into the blogosphere.
This book is not technical by any means, written at the level of the manager. It is also not evangelical in any way, the advantages and disadvantages of using blogs are clearly and completely stated. It is by now a cliché, but it is also true that blogging is like everything else. If you take the time and make the appropriate effort, blogging can return substantial rewards. However, if that is not done, it will be a disaster that will explode very quickly. Word travels fast in the blogosphere, which is an advantage if you are doing it right and a severe detriment if you are not.
There are signs that the blogosphere may alter marketing as we now know it. To many people, marketing is an area of loud hype and dubious claims made by people who really don't understand the product they are trying to sell. I am one of the many people, when I read a testimonial I wonder if the person being "quoted" really said that or meant it if they did say it. In the blogosphere, people who are users of the product can honestly state their experiences. It also gives the producer an opportunity to get more and better feedback from their customer. As the concept of blogging continues to develop as a marketing tool, the era of marketing by hype may begin to pass from the scene. I for one will feel no sadness if and when this occurs.
If you are a manager and have heard about blogs but don't know what they are or how they can be used, then this book is right for you. The messages are clear, complete and will prove invaluable if you are considering or planning an entry into the blogosphere.

Reviewer: Debbie Weil (Washington, DC USA)
Byron (as he's known to friends and colleagues) and I exchanged feverish emails last fall while we were chained to our respective desks and slogging away on our books. His slim elegant volume - co-authored with Steve Broback - belongs on your blogging bookshelf. Er, right next to my book - "The Corporate Blogging Book"! I love all the screenshots and the practical advice on tools and techniques for effective blogging. Chapter 3 cogently addresses the *time* issue - a key roadblock for many would-be business bloggers.

P.S. If Byron and Steve's book had been out before I completed the manuscript for The Corporate Blogging Book, I would *definitely* have included it in my Recommended Reading list. Now for heavens sake, go order my book along with Byron and Steve's! The Corporate Blogging Book will be released August 3rd, 2006 by Penguin Portfolio.

Oracle Database 10g OCP Certification All-In-One Exam Guide (Oracle Database 10g Handbook)

2006-08-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : John Watson, Damir Bersinic
Paperback: 926 pages
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media; 1 edition (September 12, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0072257903
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.4 x 1.9 inches

Book Description
The Most Authoritative OCA/OCP Exam Guide Available Prepare to pass the OCA and OCP Oracle Database 10g certification exams with help from this Oracle Press guide. With complete coverage of all the material on Exam #1Z0-042 Oracle Database 10g: Administration I and Exam #1Z0-043 Oracle Database 10g: Administration II, this book covers everything you need to know to pass both exams. Inside, you'll find helpful exam tips, hundreds of practice questions, and real-world exercises. This comprehensive guide serves as both a study tool and an on-the-job reference. Get full details on all exam objectives, including how to: Install Oracle Database 10g and create a database Use SQL, SQL*Plus, iSQL*Plus, and PL/SQL Create and manage database user accounts Configure Oracle Networking Manage shared servers Monitor, tune, and troubleshoot a database Handle database backup, restore, and recovery Use Oracle Recovery Manager and Oracle Flashback Configure and manage security Use Automatic Storage Management and Resource Manager Automate administrative tasks Included on the CD-ROM Electronic Practice Test engine with two full practice exams Complete electronic book

From the Back Cover

The Most Authoritative OCA/OCP Exam Guide Available

Prepare to pass the OCA and OCP Oracle Database 10g certification exams with help from this Oracle Press guide. With complete coverage of all the material on Exam #1Z0-042 Oracle Database 10g: Administration I and Exam #1Z0-043 Oracle Database 10g: Administration II, this book covers everything you need to know to pass both exams. Inside, you’ll find helpful exam tips, hundreds of practice questions, and real-world exercises. This comprehensive guide serves as both a study tool and an on-the-job reference. Get full details on all exam objectives, including how to:

Install Oracle Database 10g and create a database
Use SQL, SQL*Plus, iSQL*Plus, and PL/SQL
Create and manage database user accounts
Configure Oracle Networking
Manage shared servers
Monitor, tune, and troubleshoot a database
Handle database backup, restore, and recovery
Use Oracle Recovery Manager and Oracle Flashback
Configure and manage security
Use Automatic Storage Management and Resource Manager
Automate administrative tasks

Included on the CD-ROM

Electronic Practice Test engine with two full practice exams
Complete electronic book

About the Author
Damir Bersinic (Mississauga, Ontario), OCP, MCSE, MCSDBA, MCT, is an Infrastructure Consultant with Trecata Corporation, a system integration consultancy in Toronto, Canada. He has more than 20 years of industry experience and has authored a number of titles on Oracle, SQL Server, Active Directory and Windows. His credits include multiple exam preparation titles Oracle and Microsoft certification programs. His most recent title, Portable DBA: SQL Server has sold more than 1800 units in the two months since publication and has a 5-star ranking on Amazon.

John Watson (South Africa) OCP DBA 8.0, 8.i, & 9i, Internet Application Server Administrator, and certified on Managing Oracle on Unix, is a senior consultant with BLP management Consultants in South Africa. He has taught for Oracle University in South Africa for four years. John taught the DB10g New Features course, the DB10g Manageability and Performance seminars, he validated hundreds of OCP 10g New Features exam questions and contributed to the course material for all the 10g courses. John is the author of numerous articles on technology.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: jensen (indonesia)

I buy this book together with sybex's book and have passed the oca exam with 87% score (less than what i expected though). i found this book easier to read and understand compared to sybex's book, and the many-but-short chapters works better for me. if you could only choose one book to pass the 1Z0-042 exam then this is definitely the best choice. but don't forget to practise what you read (although the book makes it looks so simple), you'll remember more by trying each exercise in this book.

Reviewer: Eva Pawlowski (Zürich Switzerland)

I used this book to (sucessfully) prepare for the OCA exam. It is well structured and important points for the exam are specially highlighted. This makes the content memorable and easy to learn.

The review questions are pretty good. I recommend getting the question set of www.selftestsoftware.com, too. They are not exactly like in the exam (like TestKing) but representative.

I used this book and the SYBEX OCA preparation (OCA: Oracle 10g Administration I Study Guide (1Z0-042) by Chip Dawes) and found this one clearly superior.

Still, it is not perfect: There was some exam-relevant details missing, e.g. for data pump. So check with the selftest questions and get the missing information from the Oracle manuals on the net.

Network+ Study Guide, 4th Edition

2006-08-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : David Groth, Toby Skandier
Paperback: 592 pages
Publisher: Sybex; 4 edition (April 14, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0782144063
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1.3 inches

Book Description
Here's the book you need to prepare for CompTIA's updated Network+ exam, N10-003. This revised edition of the best-selling Network+ Study Guide was developed to meet the exacting requirements of today's certification candidates. In addition to the focused and accessible instructional approach that has earned Sybex the reputation as the leading publisher for certification self-study guides, this book provides:

Clear and concise information on networking essentials.
Practical examples and insights drawn from real-world experience.
Leading-edge exam preparation software, including a test engine and electronic flashcards.

You'll also find authoritative coverage of key exam topics, including:

Media and Topologies
Protocols and Standards
Network Implementation
Network Support

Reviewed and approved as CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum (CAQC), this book provides numerous study advantages with CAQC materials, including coverage of all exam objectives, implementation of important instructional design principles, and instructional reviews that help students assess their learning comprehension and readiness for the exam.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Book Info
Explains all you need to know about computer networking to pass CompTIA's Network+ exam. Covers the fundamentals of local area networks (LANs), the seven-layer Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) network model, and network operating systems. Also covers the TCP/IP protocol suite. CD-ROM included. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher
The revised Network+ exam goes live on January 31, 2002, and our new Network+ Study Guide, 3rd edition, is what you need to approach the exam with confidence. The previous editions have been critically acclaimed and recognized by many as the leading Network+ book on the market, and author David Groth has done another excellent job updating this edition for the new Network+ exam objectives. We're also excited to note that the cover of this book sports the new CAQC (CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum) logo. In a comprehensive review conducted by Procert Labs, the Network+ Study Guide, 3rd edition, scored a 4.5 out of 5! If you're looking to enhance your resume with the leading vendor-neutral networking certification, this is definitely the book for you.

Neil Edde Associate Publisher, Certification Sybex, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover
Here's the book you need to prepare for CompTIA's updated Network+ exam, N10-003.

This revised edition of the best-selling Network+ Study Guide was developed to meet the exacting requirements of today's certification candidates. In addition to the focused and accessible instructional approach that has earned Sybex the reputation as the leading publisher for certification self-study guides, this book provides:

Clear and concise information on networking essentials
Practical examples and insights drawn from real-world experience
Leading-edge exam preparation software, including a test engine and electronic flashcards

You'll also find authoritative coverage of key exam topics, including:

Media and Topologies
Protocols and Standards
Network Implementation
Network Support

This book has been reviewed and approved as CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum (CAQC). Students derive a number of important study advantages with CAQC materials, including coverage of all exam objectives, implementation of important instructional design principles, and instructional reviews that help students assess their learning comprehension and readiness for the exam.

About the Author
David Groth, Network+, MCSE, CNI, is a full-time author and consultant. He is the author of the Sybex's best-selling A+ Complete Study Guide as well as Cabling: The Complete Guide to Network Wiring. Toby Skandier, Network +, i-Net+, Server+, is in technical education development and delivery for Sprint Corporation.

Amazon.com
The Network+ Study Guide explains all you need to know about computer networking to pass CompTIA's Network+ exam. The book covers the fundamentals of local area networks (LANs), the seven-layer Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) network model, and network operating systems (including NetWare, Windows NT, and to a lesser degree Unix variants). Readers will find considerable coverage of the TCP/IP protocol suite, including some of the utility programs used to configure it locally and remotely. There's also a lot of "softer" material about the duties of a network administrator, good troubleshooting practices, and the issues involved in network security. Organized to match CompTIA's stated objectives for the Network+ exam, this guide will prepare you for that test as well as Microsoft's Networking Essentials exam (70-058). The presentation style is dense with prose, and tables are inserted where there are options or variations to memorize. More and larger conceptual diagrams would make this book better, since networking concepts are sometimes hard to grasp. There are quite a few stepped procedures though--most of them geared toward networked Windows machines. Each chapter concludes with a selection of multiple-choice review questions, the answers to which appear--without discussion, unfortunately--in an appendix. Additional questions appear in a drill program on the companion CD-ROM. --David Wall --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Yoshiro Aoki "mark aoki" (oahu, hawai'i)
This book (Network+ Study Guide, 4th Ed) targets the latest CompTIA Network+ exam (as of 2-28-2006 anyway) and comes with a practice exam CD. Personally, I did not review the practice exams on the CD.

The book has remarkable parity with the actual exam in regards to content and chapter exercises. The chapter exercises, by the way, have answers and explanations (unlike some other prep materials I looked at).

At about 430 pages, this is a small book but well-written which translates to a quick certification if the exercises are completed and some time on the keyboard is spent. And some time on the keyboard is spent (oops...am I giving something away?:)) I did not have time to look at the Exam Cram series but they are usually very good and may be more suitable for more experienced folks. This book (and the exam itself) is geared to individuals having about 1 year of professional networking exerience.

The Thompson course materials that you can order from the CompTIA web site for this exam are lengthy and overkill for this exam, though the included video's (about 10 hours worth at least) are surprisingly good. In fact, they are the best Ive ever seen taped to the back of any book thus far. But its a major time sink to wade through all of that material unless its a classroom - bootcamp situation that you are in. The Network+ Study Guide, 4th Ed is much easier to carry around, has immediate feedback in the form of answers and explanations to exercises, and thus more suitable for self-study.
Applied competently, it will certainly more than carry the exam.

Reviewer: Rick Bowman "WNxGratefulJed" (Trailerparkansas, VA)
First off let me say that I managed to pass the Network+ test with a 715 (thats about a low "B" but a pass is a pass). I also used the Exam Cram 2 book as well because its always a good idea to study from at least two sources. One of the sources may cover something in more depth or is easier for you to understand then the other and vice versa.

This book is great and is not a dry read due to the touches of humor added here and there. One of the most helpful pages in this book is the Layer 1 cabling chart that list one of the hardest parts to remember: cable lengths, speeds, transmission lengths, ethernet name (100BaseTX, 1000Base-LX, 10GBaseER, etc), and connectors with notes on each one all on two pages!.

Other features that I liked were the bolded titles, bulleted notes, and flags to get your attention about specific information.

The included disc featured the book in PDF format, two practice test (which were very hard as I only managed to get around %50 on both of them), and flash cards.

If your planning on taking Security+ soon I would also recommend you get the Exam Cram 2 Security+ as it's first chapter is dedicated entirely to what to expect on a CompTIA cert test, test stratigies, and loads of helpful info to help you get over test anxity and gain confidence in your knowledge.

Sybex and Exam Cram 2 (although I dont like the title of their series as cramming is most definitly NOT the way to STUDY) is a great combo when it comes to certification.

Keep in mind with any certification that the piece of paper is the BY-PRODUCT of your knowledge and that knowledge makes that piece of paper mean something other then just a piece of paper.

Reviewer: Charles Koeppen "vocals, sax, flute, didjeridu..." (New York)
I found this book (the deluxe edition) well written and I learned a lot from it along with the lab and test CDs included with the book. As far as preparation for the exam, I used this book along with Craig Zacker's Microsoft Press Network+ Certification book. I passed, not with flying colors, but I'm satisfied considering I had very little work experience involving network administration. There were a lot of questions on the exam that the book did not seem to cover well, particularly the ones on fiber technology. The assessment and bonus tests that came with the book were, like the book itself, educational but not the best exam prep materials. With all the braindumps available it seems that COMPTIA has made the test unrealistically difficult. Even though I have very little networking experience, I find it hard to believe that network professionals have all the network protocols and associated cable types, lengths, connector names, and speeds memorized. That's the kind of stuff reference books are used for. So, although the book provides a lot of the knowledge network professionals have, it's not the best exam prep material and would probably be a boring read for those who have a year or so field experience.

CISA Exam Cram 2 : Certified Information Systems Auditor

2006-08-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Allen Keele, Keith Mortier
Paperback: 456 pages
Publisher: Que; Bk&CD-Rom edition (April 20, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0789732726
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.0 x 1.1 inches

Book Description

Want an affordable yet innovative approach to studying for the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) 2005 exam? CISA 2005 Exam Cram 2 is your solution. You will have the essential material for passing the CISA 2005 exam right at your fingertips. All exam objectives are covered and you'll find practice exams, exam alerts, notes, tips and cautions to help guide you through your exam preparation. A CD also provides you with a video introduction to the exam and complete explanations of answers to the practice questions from Certified Tech Trainers (CTT). As a special bonus, you will receive $75 in discounts on CTT products and services. For your smartest, most efficient way to get certified, choose CISA 2005 Exam Cram 2.

About the Author

Allen Keele has 20 certifications, the CISA, CISM, CISSP, and Security+ among them. As president and program developer for Certified Tech Trainers, he has over 14 years experience in information security and risk management. He has authored books on security and lectures at leading companies such as Deloitte and Touche, Blue Cross-Blue Shield, and Fujitsu.

Keith Mortier holds a CISA and CISSP certification and a BS in Computer Information Systems. Within the IT industry, Keith has designed and implemented risk assessment, vulnerability testing and disaster recovery-security plans. Keith is president of LMI solutions providing security services to both commercial and government clients.

Introduction

Welcome to Information Systems Audit and Controls Association's Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) Exam Cram 2! Whether this is your first or your fifteenth Exam Cram 2 series book, you will find information here that will help ensure your success as you pursue knowledge, experience, and certification. This introduction explains ISACA certification programs in general and talks about how the Exam Cram 2 series can help you prepare for the CISA exam. This chapter discusses the basics of ISACA certification exams, including a description of the testing environment and a discussion of test-taking strategies. Chapters 1 through 7 are designed to remind you of everything you need to know to take—and pass—the CISA certification exam. The two sample tests at the end of the book should give you a reasonably accurate assessment of your knowledge—and, yes, we've provided the answers and their explanations to the tests. Read the book and understand the material, and you'll stand a very good chance of passing the test.

Exam Cram 2 books help you understand and appreciate the subjects and materials you need to pass ISACA certification exams. Exam Cram 2 books are aimed strictly at test preparation and review. They do not teach you everything you need to know about a topic. Instead, we present and dissect the questions and problems we've found that you're likely to encounter on a test. We've worked to bring together as much information as possible about ISACA certification exams.

Nevertheless, to completely prepare yourself for any ISACA test, we recommend that you begin by taking the Self-Assessment that is included in this book, immediately following this introduction. The Self-Assessment will help you evaluate your knowledge base against the requirements for an ISACA Certified Information Systems Auditor under both ideal and real circumstances.

Based on what you learn from the Self-Assessment, you might decide to begin your studies with some classroom training, some practice with systems auditing, or some background reading. On the other hand, you might decide to read one of the many study guides available from ISACA or third-party vendors on certain topics, including the award-winning certification preparation series from Que Publishing. We also recommend that you supplement your study program with visits to http://www.examcram2.com to receive additional practice questions, get advice, and track the CISA program.

About the CISA Exam and Content Areas

The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) developed the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) program in 1978 to accomplish these goals:

Develop and maintain a testing instrument that could be used to evaluate an individual's competency in conducting information systems audits
Provide a mechanism for motivating information systems auditors to maintain their competencies and monitoring the success of the maintenance programs
Aid top management in developing a sound information systems audit function by providing criteria for personnel selection and development

The CISA program is designed to assess and certify individuals in the IS audit, control, or security profession who demonstrate exceptional skill, judgment and proficiency in IS audit, control, and security practices.

More than 35,000 professionals have earned the CISA certification since inception, and the certification is widely respected as a premier information security and information systems auditing accreditation. The certification continues to grow in acceptance and employer desirability; more than 15,000 candidates are expected to register for the 2005 exam (15% growth from 2004).

The CISA exam is offered only once per year, in early June; the exam for 2005 is offered on June 11. You may register as early as February 2, 2005, and the registration deadline is March 30, 2005. You should note that this exam is not computerized and is not provided through conventional testing centers such as Prometric or Vue. You may register online at http://www.isaca.org or take the exam at any ISACA chapter location. The current published exam registration fee is $385 for members and $505 for nonmembers. The best place to learn more about the CISA certification and the CISA exam is http://www.isaca.org.

The Information Systems Audit and Control Association states that the tasks and knowledge required of today's and tomorrow's information systems audit professional serve as the blueprint for the CISA examination. These areas are defined through a Practice Analysis that is conducted at regular intervals and consists of both process and content components in a CISA's job function. Accordingly, exams consist of tasks that are routinely performed by a CISA and the required knowledge to perform these tasks.

How valuable is the CISA certification to employers and individuals? Sometimes the best measure of a certification's value is reflected by how certification holders feel about the certification after having achieved it. In 2001, ISACA surveyed its membership to obtain feedback from CISA certified professionals as to whether obtaining the certification had advanced their careers. Seventy-one percent of members holding the CISA certification affirmed the value of the certification toward career advancement, and 75% of all members, certified and noncertified alike, felt that the CISA certification would be valuable for career advancement in the future.

Another measure of a certification's value can be found by assessing the desirability of the certification to employers. How many employers desire the certification as an employment prerequisite? Looking to popular job boards on the Internet such as Monster.com, TotalJobs.com, and Workthing.com, we can see that the quantity and quality of jobs requiring CISA certification are growing every month.

What is driving the employer demand for the CISA certification? Companies are under growing pressure to improve, document, and test their methods for managing information. As the late Dr. W. E. Deming (1900–1993) was able to prove, the quest for quality of processes and product is achieved through careful measurement of what exists, thorough analysis of defects, and effective remediation and correction. The quest for quality is just that: a quest. This means that quality improvement is an ongoing process that requires continuous reassessment. Assessing the capability of information systems to support business goals while maintaining information confidentiality, integrity, and reliability is exactly what a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) does well.

It is easy enough to create and implement a technology for processing information, which is what the majority of individuals within the information technology (IT) industry are tasked with. However, using IT to facilitate communication and information management is only half the story. Today we need to make sure that IT not only does what it is supposed to do, but also that it will not do what it is not supposed to do. For example, we have created systems to facilitate online commerce and transaction processing. Will those same systems ensure that no transactional errors occur? Will those systems resist accidental or purposeful and malicious modification of data? Do the systems protect the information confidentiality well enough to comply with new privacy laws and standards? We cannot know the answers to these questions unless we have professionally reviewed, measured, and tested the systems. Again, this is what a CISA does.

Although many organizations strive to ensure quality of processes and manufacturing according to ISO standards such as the ISO 9000 series, for competitive reasons, other organizations are forced to invest in quality assurance to comply with the law. Either way, most organizations are spending increasing amounts of money to improve corporate governance.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: H. Lam (USA)
Per the authors' intent, CISA Exam Cram 2 is not meant to be a comprehensive preparation for the Certified Information Systems Auditor exam, but a summary of its important elements. As such, this book does a fair job, and I would recommend the book as a cursory appraisal of one's knowledge to identify areas for further study.

There are some idiosyncrasies in the book, such as:
- "4GL languages are inappropriate for designing any intensive data-calculation procedures" (Page 259);

but the book appears to be reflective of ISACA test policy. The authors and the publishing company were responsive to my questions about content in the book.

CISA Exam Cram 2 also includes a set of practice multiple-choice questions on CD-ROM. Registration of the book online entitles one to a bonus set of questions. As the book is not comprehensive, neither are the practice questions - in that they mirror the material in the book, and in that they require less analytical reasoning than typical of the actual exam. The answers do not explain why a particular choice is right compared to other choices, and why other choices are wrong. Nonetheless, the practice questions are a good value, considering their price and that the actual exam may also ask basic questions.

One should look to other resources for in-depth preparation (one can ask for recommendations in the various Yahoo and Google Groups dedicated to the CISA exam), but CISA Exam Cram 2 deserves to be considered as an introductory part of a rigorous curriculum in preparation for ISACA's Certified Information Systems Auditor exam. It is probably best to use this book before December 2005. ISACA has stated that the 2006 exams will cover new practice areas

Reviewer: Gary Waltrip (Hollister, CA USA)
I am a non-IT professional, a Certified Public Accountant, so passing the CISA exam appeared a daunting task. I read the CISA Review Manual carefully, underlining key passages and points. I knew it wasn't good enough, as I was missing too many of the CISA practice questions purchased from ISACA. So I found this book on Amazon and bought it a month before the exam, and read it all.

I found Exam Cram 2 more condensed than the CISA Manual and more readable as well. If you've cut it too close and find the exam looming before you with planned reading still not done, this book could save you. It solidified my understanding of several key areas. The book was a valuable tool for my exam efforts, and I passed on my first try in December 2005 with a score of 83.

You need to read more than one book on the CISA examination areas to round out your understanding. That, taking practice exams and researching those questions you don't fully understand, will probably get you over the hump. It worked for me.

Reviewer: Jean-francois Drouin (Vermont, USA)
I gave this book 5 stars because it's concise, well-written and reasonably complete. ISACA's exams are a b**ch because nobody really knows what stuff will be covered and what will not. Personally, I used this book as my first study material. I read that thing twice before switching to the official CRM 2005 which is longer and more detailed. There's not a whole lot of CISA books beside the official CRM, Kramer's misaligned Prep Guide and this Exam Cram. During my readings, I found a couple of errors and sent an email to the author about it. He replied himself and told me that they would be corrected in the 2nd edition which is due for April 2006.

To wrap things up, it's an excellent book with some small mistakes. It's concise and focused but it should not be your sole source of material. The Exam Cram + a thorough study of the official CRM is probably your best bet. Another big + : this book is as cheap as it gets in terms of certification books. Don't be fooled by it's cheapness, it really offers an incredible value.

That being said, as of today, I would suggest buyers wait for the 2nd edition which is due soon.

CISSP ® : Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide, Third Edition

2006-08-03T06:12:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author :James Michael Stewart, Ed Tittel, Mike Chapple
Paperback: 800 pages
Publisher: Sybex; 3 edition (September 9, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0782144438
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.5 x 1.8 inches

Book Description
CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide

Here's the book you need to prepare for the challenging CISSP exam from (ISC)¯2. This third edition was developed to meet the exacting requirements of today's security certification candidates, and has been thoroughly updated to cover recent technological advances in the field of IT security. In addition to the consistent and accessible instructional approach that readers have come to expect from Sybex, this book provides:

Clear and concise information on critical security technologies and topics
Practical examples and insights drawn from real-world experience
Expanded coverage of key topics such as biometrics, auditing and accountability, and software security testing
Leading-edge exam preparation software, including a testing engine and electronic flashcards for your PC, Pocket PC, and Palm handheld

You'll find authoritative coverage of key exam topics including:

Access Control Systems & Methodology
Applications & Systems Development
Business Continuity Planning
Cryptography
Law, Investigation, & Ethics
Operations Security & Physical Security
Security Architecture, Models, and Management Practices
Telecommunications, Network, & Internet Security

About the Author
James Michael Stewart, CISSP, is a security expert who has authored numerous publications, books, and courseware.

Ed Tittel, CISSP, is a freelance writer and a regular contributor to numerous publications, including C|Net, InfoWorld, and Windows IT Pro. Ed has authored over 130 books.

Mike Chapple, CISSP, is an IT security professional with the University of Notre Dame.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: M. Grader "Matt" (Upstate New York)

I took this book out from the Air Force Technical Library and found it to be extremely well-written, concise, and an excellent introduction to the field of computer security. When reading this book I felt that the author had an excellent understanding of the material presented and focused on the most important aspects of the subject matter. I have not taken the CISSP yet so I can not comment on how relevant the material is to the exam (as most people know the CISSP is mostly about work experience anyways - not something you learn from a book).

After reading this book I then read the Shon Harris CISSP book I can tell firsthand that this book (Stewart's) is of much better quality. The Shon Harris book shocked me at its lack of structure (many topics are covered multiple times and simple security/network fundamentals are repeated so much that I wanted to scream - literally), extremely simplistic and foolish examples, and very poor quality of writing. After reading both books I have much respect (professionally) for Stewart and very little for Harris.

As for the comments about typos - I did not notice any major typo in the book that took away from the presentation of the material. (So ICMP was misspelled once - who cares?) Overall I thought the quality was much better than the Harris CISSP book (which, itself, has loads of typos and incorrect quiz questions - don't get me started). Overall I would highly recommend this book to others looking to gain a firm understanding and grasp of computer security while preparing for the CISSP exam.

Reviewer: James Michael Stewart "author" (Austin, TX)
I am the primary author on this book.

M. from NY - I appreciate your comments. I appologize for any errors or typos that appear in the text. However, several of the items you mentioned as problems are not so. Yes, there are typos, but you won't find a single book in print that does not have typos. Authors and editors try to eliminate these, but they continue to crop up due to the number of people who handle manuscripts and tools used to get materials into print. Yes, even in multiple editions, old errors can be retained and new errors introduced.

P 54 - yes, ICMP is mis-spelled as IMCP. That is a typo.

P 254 - an relational database does define one to one relationships, such as one item in a column to one item in a row. An RDBMS does not limit the number of rows or columns that can exist in the database. You completely misunderstood the concept. You are confusing the concept that each row can have entries in mulitple columns, and that mulitple rows can exist with values in each column.

P 251, Q 10 - nonvolatile should be volatile, that is a typo. However, RAM is not a sequential access technology, it is dynamic or random access. In fact, that is exactly what the acronym stands for "Random Access Memory". Yes, you can force a computer to access RAM sequentially, but you'll be doing so by creating software code to perform that action, RAM will still be random access no matter what. Tape devices are sequential access. Once again, you are not seeing the concepts clearly.

P277 - yes, CGI is not a language, it is a concept / technique of allowing client input to be received and processed on the Web server by a server-side script or application. This is an error introduced by the editor. CGI scripts or applications can be written in many languages.

P371 - that is a mistake, it should read "...into simple machine lanaguage instructions..."

You have only mentioned 6 issues, two which are your misunderstanding, one which is a simple typo, and three which you are correct they are errors. Your scathing poor review of our work is not justified by the evidence you have presented. I challenge you to find any other CISSP book that is as current and exhaustive as ours which does not have errors. You will not find one.

I will be adding these items to the errata to help ensure these errors are corrected in the next edition. I appreciate your input, you are entitled to your opinion, but I urge you to be realistic and sensible in your critique.

I'll be happy to address anyone's concerns or issues with this book.

We, the authors, editors, and publishers of this book, have worked hard to update and improve the contents of this work in the production of each edition. The CISSP Study Guide 3rd Edition is to date the most current, complete, and exhaustive book for preparing for the CISSP exam.

I must take offense with "Doggers"' review as his statements about my book are false. This book is fully current on all topics and issues on the exam. The exam prep questions are similar to those on the exam. However, there are a few new question types that ISC2 has released onto the exam since the third edition revision of this book was produced. No study guide promises to get you to pass any exam. Failing to understand the topics and to perform sufficient study is not the fault of the authors. If my writing style is not palatable, that is fine, but deriding my work is non-professional. I would be happy to discuss this further if you will contact me. Please consider revising your review to a more appropriate stance.

The Zend PHP Certification Practice Test Book: Practice Questions For The Zend Certified Engineer Exam

2006-08-03T05:46:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : John Coggeshall, Marco Tabini
Paperback: 149 pages
Publisher: Marco Tabini & Associates, Inc.; 1st edition (January 31, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0973589884
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.3 inches

Book Description
As the usage of PHP grows, the need for a globally-recognized redentials program for professional developers is becoming more and more important. The Zend Engineer Certification Program, launched by worldwide PHP leader Zend Technologies, finally creates a professional designation that represents consistently high-quality skills and knowledge in the PHP world. Written and edited by four members of the Zend Education Board who also helped create the actual Zend Certification Exam, this book contains 200 questions on every topic that is part of the exam.

The Zend Certification Practice Test Book is an invaluable resource in testing your preparedness in every area of the exam, from the basics to the most advanced topics. Each question comes with a clear answer that provides an explanation of the question's topic, its goals and end result. Answering the questions in this book will allow you to clearly and quickly identify the areas of PHP in which you are strong and those in which you need further study before being able to pass the exam! Zend Technologies, Inc. is the PHP company. Founded by the creators and ongoing innovators of PHP, it is the developer of the Zend Engine, the heart of PHP. Zend focuses on enterprise-class products and services that enable organizations to develop, deploy and manage business-critical PHP applications.

NanoBooks are excellent, in-depth resources created by the publishers of php|architect, the world's premier magazine dedicated to PHP professionals. NanoBooks focus on delivering high-quality content with in-depth analysis and expertise, centered around a single, well-defined topic and without any of the fluff of larger, more expensive books.

About the Author
John Coggeshall is a Technical Consultant for Zend Technologies, where he provides professional services to clients around the world. He got started with PHP in 1997 and is the author of three published books and over 100 articles on PHP technologies with some of the biggest names in the industry such as php|architect, SAMS Publishing, Apress and O’Reilly. John also is an active contributor to the PHP core as the author of the tidy extension, a member of the Zend Education Advisory Board, and frequent speaker at PHP-related conferences worldwide. His web site is an excellent resource for any PHP developer

Marco Tabini is the publisher of php|architect, the premier magazine for PHP professionals. The author and co-author of four books, he was also part of the group of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who helped write the Zend Certification Exam. He regularly maintains a blog where he discusses the business of open-source software.

Excerpted from The Zend PHP Certification Practice Test Book - Practice Questions for the Zend Certified Engineer Exam by John Coggeshall, Marco Tabini. Copyright © 2005. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
FOREWORD BY ANDI GUTMANS

There are many advantages to having a PHP certification program. Foremost, it allows employers, especially those of the non-technical kind, to set a certain standard for their PHP hiring decisions; they’ll know that people who are certified have passed a set of hurdles in earning their credentials and can clearly demonstrate their knowledge of PHP and its related technologies. Not only does that mean that a Zend Certified Engineer will automatically match such criteria and have an immediate advantage on the job market, but the certification process also allows for more and more enterprises to adopt PHP. This, in turn, will lead to a much more vibrant job market for PHP developers—making it easier to make a living from what PHP developers like doing most. I have no doubt that we will see an increase in the ongoing PHP proliferation due to the existence of Zend’s PHP Certification Exam. A few weeks ago, I finally found time to take the Zend PHP Certification Exam. Despite having written some of the questions and being part of the exam education advisory board that reviewed the questions a few months ago, I was surprised to realize that I was a tad bit tense—I think not only because exams in general tend to have this effect on me, but also because I remembered that the questions were very thorough, most probably due to the fact that the exam authors themselves are leaders in the PHP community who wanted to come up with the best possible questions. Without making the exam overly difficult, this ensured that every question was well-thought-out, thoroughly peer-reviewed and carefully constructed; this is bound to make any prospective exam-taker—especially one that was an integral part of such a thorough process—a bit nervous! I’m happy to say that I passed the exam—but I admit that some questions were quite hard. I think that, overall, the exam is fair but, unlike many other certification tests, much more thorough. A PHP developer with no experience really cannot pass this exam, which I think is great. It really certifies PHP developers who have experience in developing PHP based web applications in the real world. I believe this book will be of great help in preparing for the certification exam. Both Marco and John were on the Zend PHP Certification Advisory Board and understand the nature of the exam and what its goals are. Both authors also have many years of experience in PHP, which is readily recognizable from the book’s contents. This book very nicely covers the different topics on which you will be tested and provides questions that are very similar to the ones you will see on the exam. Having the answers at the end of each chapter will make it easy for you to validate your strengths and weaknesses. I wish you all the best with the certification progress and hope you will soon join the growing family of Zend Certified Engineers.

Andi Gutmans Co-founder & VP of Technology, Zend Technologies Zend Certified Engineer

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: David Norman "deekayen" (Orlando, FL United States)
Your time would be better spent reviewing the PHP manual to know what number of parameters go to basic/common functions and what they return for the major topic areas listed on the Zend website.

I got this and the Zend PHP Certification study guide. It does have errors, like others said, and I don't think I really learned anything *about PHP* from it, but I did learn about what to expect from the questions. I think it helped me on the exam only by making me look harder for bugs in questions before just selecting the seemingly obvious answer choice/output.

I don't think the questions are really any different from the chapter-end practice in the Zend book. My recommendation is to NOT get this, and just get the Zend book if you're wanting to study a book. I wanted to get both just to make sure I didn't waste the exam fee, but I think this book, in the end, didn't make a difference in whether I passed or not.

Reviewer: Bob
I just passed my Zend Certified Engineer test. It wasn't easy. For preparation, I used both the Official Zend Study Guide (by Zend Technologies) and this book. I often found myself frustrated by the numerous errata in both books, but there were significantly more mistakes in this book (ranging from having the wrong answer listed in the answers section to typos). The positive aspect of this is that it forced me to spend more time with the online php manual answering my questions. I found the questions on the actual exam to be more like those in this book, than from the Official Study Guide, but you really need the Official Study Guide to make some sense of the answers in here as well. There were questions in this book covering exam topics that wheren't covered in the Official Study Guide. That's reason enough to get it.

The print quality on the pages is sub-standard, but the questions and thorough answers were very helpful.

Simply put, I wouldn't have had any chance of passing the exam if it weren't for this practice test book, even though it's aggravating at times.

Reviewer: Kenjiro Yagi (Cupertino, CA USA)

Pros
- By working out and understanding the reasoning behind each question in this book, you will do "well" on the Zend Certification Exam.
- Excellent questions, many tricky qwerks about PHP is explained.

Cons
- The book has errors that will confuse you for hours and the authors are not too responsive in taking care of it. [...]
Note
- This book was not designed to teach, please don't expect to be taught PHP through this book.

Advanced Wireless Networks: 4G Technologies

2006-08-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Savo G. Glisic
Hardcover: 882 pages
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (June 5, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0470015934
Product Dimensions: 2.2 x 6.8 x 9.8 inches

Book Description
The major expectation from the fourth generation (4G) of wireless communication networks is to be able to handle much higher data rates, allowing users to seamlessly reconnect to different networks even within the same session. Advanced Wireless Networks gives readers a comprehensive integral presentation of the main issues in 4G wireless networks, showing the wide scope and inter-relation between different elements of the network.

This book adopts a logical approach, beginning each chapter with introductory material, before proceeding to more advanced topics and tools for system analysis. Its presentation of theory and practice makes it ideal for readers working with the technology, or those in the midst of researching the topic.

Covers mobile, WLAN, sensor, ad hoc, bio-inspired and cognitive networks as well as discussing cross-layer optimisation, adaptability and reconfigurability
Includes hot topics such as network management, mobility and hand-offs, adaptive resource management, QoS, and solutions for achieving energy efficient wireless networks
Discusses security issues, an essential element of working with wireless networks
Supports the advanced university and training courses in the field and includes an extensive list of references

Providing comprehensive coverage of the current status of wireless networks and their future, this book is a vital source of information for those involved in the research and development of mobile communications, as well as the industry players using and selling this technology.

Companion website features three appendices: Components of CRE, Introduction to Medium Access Control and Elements of Queueing Theory

From the Back Cover
The major expectation from the fourth generation (4G) of wireless communication networks is to be able to handle much higher data rates, allowing users to seamlessly reconnect to different networks even within the same session. Advanced Wireless Networks gives readers a comprehensive integral presentation of the main issues in 4G wireless networks, showing the wide scope and inter-relation between different elements of the network.

Covers mobile, WLAN, sensor, ad hoc, bio-inspired and cognitive networks as well as discussing cross-layer optimisation, adaptability and reconfigurability
Includes hot topics such as network management, mobility and hand-offs, adaptive resource management, QoS, and solutions for achieving energy efficient wireless networks
Discusses security issues, an essential element of working with wireless networks
Supports the advanced university and training courses in the field and includes an extensive list of references

In highlighted box:

Companion website features three appendices: Components of CRE, Introduction to Medium Access Control and Elements of Queueing Theory

About the Author
Savo Glisic is Professor of Telecommunications at the University of Oulu in Finland. He obtained his PhD from Crenfield Institute of Technology, UK, before pursuing post doctoral studies at the University of California at San Diego, USA. His areas of interest include radio resource management in wireless mobile IP networks, network management, symbol synchronization in digital communications, automatic decision threshold level control (ADTLC) and frequency hopping modulation for wireless ad hoc networks. He has vast international experience in the field of telecommunications and has published prolifically on the subject, including two previous books with J.Wiley.

Gray Hat Hacking : The Ethical Hacker's Handbook

2006-08-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Shon Harris, Allen Harper, Chris Eagle, Jonathan Ness, Michael Lester
Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media(October 11, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN: 0072257091
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches

Book Description
Analyze your company's vulnerability to hacks with expert guidance from Gray Hat Hacking: The Ethical Hacker's Handbook . Discover advanced security tools and techniques such as fuzzing, reverse engineering, and binary scanning. Test systems using both passive and active vulnerability analysis. Learn to benefit from your role as a gray hat. Review ethical and legal issues and case studies. This unique resource provides leading-edge technical information being utilized by the top network engineers, security auditors, programmers, and vulnerability assessors. Plus, the book offers in-depth coverage of ethical disclosure and provides a practical course of action for those who find themselves in a "disclosure decision" position.

From the Back Cover

Detect, ethically disclose, and repair security flaws before malicious hackers wreak havoc

Avoid devastating network attacks by acquiring the advanced skills malicious hackers and computer criminals are using today. Gray Hat Hacking: The Ethical Hacker’s Handbook takes you to the next level by explaining, line-by-line, the code behind the latest and most insidious hacking techniques, as well as their countermeasures. Many of the attacks described have been used to successfully carry out online fraud, identity theft, extortion, denial of service attacks, and access to critical and confidential data. Malicious hackers are dedicated to bringing about mayhem and destruction--this book will teach you how to identify and stop them.

Plan, script, and execute widespread security tests using redteaming approaches
Carry out advanced vulnerability assessments, penetration tests, code scans, and system auditing tests
Use the latest target discovery and fingerprinting tools: Paketto Keiretsu, Xprobe2, P0f, Amap, Winfingerprint
Generate error conditions and crashes within programs using fuzzers
Automate pen-tests with Python Survival Skills, Core Impact, CANVAS, and Metasploit
Deploy the latest sniffing tools/techniques: Ettercap, Dsniff, SMB/LANMan credential sniffing, Kerbsniff/Kerbcrack
Understand passive vs. active sniffing, including MAC flooding, ARP cache poisoning, MAC duplicating, and DNS poisoning
Use various classes of Reverse Engineering tools: Debugging, Code Coverage, Profiling, Flow Analysis, and Memory Monitoring Tools
Create proof of concept exploits using stack operations, local and remote buffer overflows, and heap overflows

Information Security, January 2005
smorgasbord of topics...some deep technical issues...great command of…material...a few refreshingly different topics...deliver[s]...ethical obligations…formidable understanding of…material.

Review
Information Security Magazine : Excerpts from review by Patrick Mueller
... a proficient work...offers a smorgasbord of topics geared towards moderate- and advanced-level practitioners...The authors touch on some deep technical issues, such as automated penetration testing and shellcode exploit construction...great command of the material...[authors] discuss a few refreshingly different topics -- such as vulnerability disclosure protocols -- that are hardly covered elsewhere. The authors did...deliver on their ethical obligations to provide accurate countermeasures to attack methods they describe -- a true value to readers. ... security professionals will find value in the authors' formidable understanding of the material.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Richard Bejtlich "TaoSecurity.com" (Washington, DC)
'Gray Hat Hacking' (GHH) is positioned as a next-generation book for so-called ethical hackers, moving beyond the tool-centric discussions of books like 'Hacking Exposed.' The authors leave their definition of 'gray hat' unresolved until ch 3, where they claim that a 'white hat' is a person who 'uncovers a vulnerability and exploits it with authorization;' a 'black hat' is one who 'uncovers a vulnerability and illegally exploits it and/or tells others how to;' and a 'gray hat' is one who 'uncovers a vulnerability, does not illegally exploit it or tell others how to do it, but works with the vendor.' I disagree and prefer SearchSecurity.com's definitions, where white hats find vulnerabilities and tell vendors without providing public exploit code; black hats find vulnerabilities, code exploits, and maliciously attack victims; and gray hats find vulnerabilities, publish exploits, but do not illegally use them. According to these more common definitions, the book should have been called 'White Hat Hacking.' I doubt it would sell as well with that title!

Content-wise, the book mixes ethical and legal advice with tool overviews and technical information. Many reviewers note the good legal overview in ch 3, where I found the tables summarizing various laws to be helpful. The authors provide a sound rationale for penetration testing: 'Nothing should be trusted until it is tested' (p. 13). I enjoyed the disclosure discussion in ch 3 as well. I liked the brief tool descriptions of Core IMPACT, Immunity Security's CANVAS, and the Metasploit Framework. Some of the other discussions (e.g., Amap, P0f, Ettercap) didn't go deeper than already published explanations of those same tools.

I found the technical material to be accurate albeit somewhat disorganized and in some cases far too shallow. For example, the authors provide 6 pages on Python (ch 6), 6 pages on C (ch 7), and a single 21 page chapter (ch 10) mentioning system calls, socket programming, and assembly language. On p 279 and several other places the authors admit their topic 'deserves a chapter to itself, if not an entire book!' They should have trusted their instincts and required readers to have prior knowledge of programming in low- and high-level languages prior to reading GHH. Instead, short sections that are too basic for the pros but too rushed for beginners detract from the book's focus.

The five authors clearly know their subjects, but they should have coordinated their chapters better. For example, ch 7 introduces using debuggers without even a description of their purpose. Six chapters later (in ch 13), we read a description of debugging only to be followed again by another discussion of debugging in ch 14. All of this should have been consolidated and rationalized.

I think McGraw-Hill/Osborne's second edition of GHH should seek to differentiate itself from more focused books like 'The Shellcoder's Handbook' (by Wiley) and 'Exploiting Software' (by Addison-Wesley). There is a market for high-end security books without sparse introductory material included for the benefit of beginners. Authors should either commit to the beginners and give enough information to enlighten them, or tell them to read foundational references first and concentrate on the more experienced audience. Authors like Allen Harper and Chris Eagle, winners of last year's 'Capture the Flag' contest at Def Con, can deliver the goods if not constrained by a publisher's desire to address as broad an audience as possible. I would not be surprised to see this book greatly expanded in a second edition, which I look forward to reading.

Reviewer: Jeff Pike (Stafford, VA United States)
This book is designed as a beyond Hacking Exposed type book. It certainly lives up to that by concentrating on more fundamental knowledge. Among it's strong points, this book is the most solid introduction to vulnerability discovery techniques I have seen. Another point to this books credit is that I was unable to find any errors in the examples I ran (about half)

The authors start out with a 4 chapters that discuss things like... what pen-testing is, ethics, legal issues. Some of the more useful discussions in this section include legal issues, and reporting vulnerabilities to vendors. Some of the less useful discussions include the difference between gray, white, and black hats. Omitted was discussion the true old schoool meaning of 'hacker.' The first 4 chapters rate three stars.

Chapters 5 and 6 discuss some cool tools including: p0f, amap, ettercap, xprobe2, metasploit, CANVAS, and IMACT. Enough information is included to get you going on each one. Also the underlying principles are discussed. Good chapters. Chapters 5 and 6 rate four stars.

Chapters 7 through 11 discuss: Programming, Linux Exploits, Shell Code, and Windows Exploits. The "Programming Survival Skills" chapter is a little light, but that can only be expected. These chapters are very well done, and this is the best section of the book. The explanations are very clear and concise. I tried many of the examples in these chapters, and they worked flawlessly. The authors attention to detail will make these chapters very valuable to those learning vulnerability research and discovery. The material here provides a solid foundation. Chapters 7 through 11 rate a strong five stars.

Chapters 12 through 15 discuss reverse engineering, writing exploits, and patching the holes. Tools discuss include valgrind, sharefuzz, SPIKE, IDA Pro, RATS, its4, debuggers, and more. This is a nice introduction to reverse engineering. It's enough to get you going, but it's not quite as deep as many will probably want. The discussions here are well done. Chapters 12 through 15 rate a weak five stars.

Overall, I rated this book a strong four stars. I would have loved to give it five stars if the first few chapters were better. I wouldn't mind seeing them removed and replaced with expanded technical content in any future editions. Based on the strengh of the remainder of this book, it's hard to imagine a better introduction to advanced vulnerability discovery techniques. I wish I had this a few years ago!

Mac OS X Internals: A Systems Approach

2006-08-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Amit Singh
Hardcover: 1680 pages
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (June 19, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321278542
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.7 x 2.6 inches

Books Description :

From the Back Cover

Mac OS X was released in March 2001, but many components, such as Mach and BSD, are considerably older. Understanding the design, implementation, and workings of Mac OS X requires examination of several technologies that differ in their age, origins, philosophies, and roles.

Mac OS X Internals: A Systems Approach is the first book that dissects the internals of the system, presenting a detailed picture that grows incrementally as you read. For example, you will learn the roles of the firmware, the bootloader, the Mach and BSD kernel components (including the process, virtual memory, IPC, and file system layers), the object-oriented I/O Kit driver framework, user libraries, and other core pieces of software. You will learn how these pieces connect and work internally, where they originated, and how they evolved. The book also covers several key areas of the Intel-based Macintosh computers.

A solid understanding of system internals is immensely useful in design, development, and debugging for programmers of various skill levels. System programmers can use the book as a reference and to construct a better picture of how the core system works. Application programmers can gain a deeper understanding of how their applications interact with the system. System administrators and power users can use the book to harness the power of the rich environment offered by Mac OS X. Finally, members of the Windows, Linux, BSD, and other Unix communities will find the book valuable in comparing and contrasting Mac OS X with their respective systems.

Mac OS X Internals focuses on the technical aspects of OS X and is so full of extremely useful information and programming examples that it will definitely become a mandatory tool for every Mac OS X programmer.

About the Author

Amit Singh is an operating systems researcher currently working at Google. Amit was formerly with the IBM Almaden Research Center. Previously, he worked for a Silicon Valley startup that did cutting-edge work in the virtualization of operating systems. Amit also was a member of technical staff in the Information Sciences Research Center at Bell Laboratories, where he worked on operating systems and networking. He created and maintains http://www.osxbook.com and http://www.kernelthread.com.

Although Mac OS X is a relatively new operating system, its lineage is rather colorful, and the history of most of its components is much older. Mac OS X, and Apple in general, has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. Given Apple's "cult-like" status, and the unique cultural and technical composition of Mac OS X, it is not surprising that people with vastly different backgrounds and interests—both users and non-users of Mac OS X—are curious about the system.

After working on, programming on, and extending several operating systems over the years, I was introduced to Mac OS X on April 1, 2003. I was soon curious about the structure of the system. Despite the availability of several good books on Mac OS X, I was dismayed to find that I could not learn the details of Mac OS X internals from a book—no such book existed. There are books describing how to perform various tasks on Mac OS X; how to configure, customize, and tweak the system; and how certain user-visible aspects differ between Mac OS X and Windows. There are also books covering specific Mac OS X programming topics, such as the Cocoa and Carbon APIs. Other books make life easier for a Unix user migrating to Mac OS X—such books typically discuss the command-line interface to the operating system. Although these books play important roles in making Mac OS X accessible, the core architecture and implementation of Mac OS X and its components have remained mysteries. To make matters worse, besides the lack of information, it is common to find misinformation on the composition of Mac OS X. Consequently, the system is often misunderstood because of long-standing myths and stereotypes, or is perceived as a black box.

The purpose of this book is to deconstruct and demystify Mac OS X by describing it from a system-design perspective. It takes an implementation-oriented approach to understanding the system. Consider the example of interprocess communication (IPC). Mac OS X has numerous user-level and kernel-level IPC mechanisms, some of which are well known and documented. Rather than just showing how to use these mechanisms, the book explains the design and implementation of the most fundamental mechanism (Mach IPC), and then discusses how the other mechanisms are layered on top of one another. My goal is not to teach you how to do something specific—my goal is to provide you with enough knowledge and examples so that after reading the book, depending on your interests and background, you can build upon your newly gained knowledge and do what you choose.

Along with text, the book uses detailed illustrations, function call graphs, annotated code excerpts, and programming examples to present a detailed examination of Mac OS X. To keep the subject matter interesting and accessible—even to the casual reader—the book contains relevant trivia, digressions, and other tidbits.

Who This Book Is For

I hope the book will be useful to anyone curious about the composition and working of Mac OS X.

Application programmers can gain a deeper understanding of how their applications interact with the system. System programmers can use the book as a reference and to construct a better picture of how the core system works. In my experience as a programmer, a solid understanding of system internals is immensely useful in design, development, and debugging. For example, you know what the system is capable of, what is feasible and what is not, what the "best" option is in a given situation, and what the plausible reasons are for certain program behavior. This book's primary goal is to build a strong foundation for anyone who programs on Mac OS X.

Mac OS X users can read the book to better understand how the system is designed and how it comes together. System administrators and technical support staff will also find value in the book.

Besides those who use Mac OS X, the intended audience includes members of other technical communities, such as the BSD, Linux, and Windows communities. Given that many internal aspects of Mac OS X are radically different from these systems (for example, how the Mach kernel is used), the book will help such readers broaden their knowledge, and will assist them in comparing and contrasting Mac OS X with other operating systems.

The book will also be useful in an advanced operating systems course, particularly if you wish to do a case study on Mac OS X. The book is not suitable, however, as an introductory text. Most of the material is not presented at an introductory level, although I introduce many of the advanced topics with at least some background information.

The Book's Structure

Modern operating systems have become so large and complex that it is impossible to reasonably describe an entire system in a book. This book is somewhat ambitious in that it attempts to cover Mac OS X in substantial breadth and depth. The most important contributors to the book's depth are the carefully selected programming examples. The book is organized into twelve chapters. Although much of the book's content is rather technical, each chapter has sections that should be accessible to non-programmers.

Chapter 1, "Origins of Mac OS X," describes the technical history of Mac OS X and the systems it derives from. An unabridged version of Chapter 1, which covers all of Apple's past and present operating systems, is available on this book's accompanying web site.

Chapter 2, "An Overview of Mac OS X," is an eclectic tour of Mac OS X and its important features. It contains brief overviews of various layers that constitute the system.

Chapter 3, "Inside an Apple," describes the PowerPC architecture, using the PowerPC 970 ("G5") processor line as a specific example. It also discusses the PowerPC assembly language and calling conventions.

Chapter 4, "The Firmware and the Bootloader," describes both Open Firmware and the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI), along with their respective boot-loaders. It discusses the roles the firmware and the bootloader play in the system's operation, usage scenarios, and events that occur during early bootstrapping.

Chapter 5, "Kernel and User-Level Startup," describes the sequence of events—including initializations of kernel subsystems—from where the kernel starts executing to the point where the first user-space program (launchd) is run by the kernel. The discussion includes launchd's function and implementation.

Chapter 6, "The xnu Kernel," describes the core kernel architecture of Mac OS X. The discussion includes system call families and their implementation, low-level tracing and debugging mechanisms, and special features such as the virtual machine monitor in the PowerPC version of the kernel.

Chapter 7, "Processes," describes abstractions such as tasks, threads, and processes, the various forms in which they exist in Mac OS X subsystems, and processor scheduling. The discussion includes using various kernel-level and user-level interfaces for manipulating the aforementioned abstractions.

Chapter 8, "Memory," describes the Mac OS X memory subsystem's architecture, including discussions of the Mach virtual memory architecture, paging, the unified buffer cache, the working-set detection mechanism, kernel-level and user-level memory allocators, and support for 64-bit addressing.

Chapter 9, "Interprocess Communication," describes various IPC and synchronization mechanisms available in Mac OS X. In particular, it discusses the implementation and usage of Mach IPC.

Chapter 10, "Extending the Kernel," describes the I/O Kit, the object-oriented driver subsystem in Mac OS X.

Chapter 11, "File Systems," describes the overall file system layer in Mac OS X, including brief discussions of each file system type. The discussion also covers partitioning schemes, disk management, and the Spotlight search technology.

Chapter 12, "The HFS Plus File System," describes the internals of the HFS Plus file system. The discussion is aided by the use of a custom file system debugger written for this chapter.

Appendix A, "Mac OS X on x86-Based Macintosh Computers," highlights the key differences between the x86-based and PowerPC-based versions of Mac OS X. Besides this appendix, the book covers the details of several key x86-specific topics, such as EFI, GUID-based partitioning, and Universal Binaries. Most of Mac OS X is architecture-independent, and consequently, the majority of the book is architecture-independent.

Given the book's length, I chose to exclude several topics that are well covered in other texts. The TCP/IP stack is an example—there is no "networking" chapter in the book since the Mac OS X TCP/IP stack is largely a derivative of the FreeBSD stack, which is already well documented. In general, information that is generic across Unix variants and can be found in standard texts is not included in this book.

How to Read This Book

Since the first two chapters provide the background and overall picture of Mac OS X, respectively, I recommend that you read these chapters first. The subsequent chapters are best read sequentially, although, depending on your interests and familiarity with the topics, you can skip certain sections (and perhaps even chapters) and still gain value from the book.

It will help if you have some familiarity with operating system concepts and have used a Unix operating system.

Given that the book has a large number of C programs and program excerpts, you should have some programming experience, and in particular, knowledge of the C programming language. I sometimes use code not only to demonstrate the working of a concept, but also to describe the concept. I realize that it is usually considered "difficult" to "read" code, and authors often expect that many readers will simply skip the code. My belief is that reading the code (as opposed to only running it) in this book will be particularly helpful to programmers.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: S. Gylfason "snorrigy" (Iceland)
I had the opportunity to review the draft manuscript of Amit Singh's Mac OS X Internals book. With so many different types of operating systems books out there, let me try to place the book to give a better idea what to expect. There are general introduction books that normally introduce the operating system to the reader, without explaining what is actually going on. We have concept books (I put "The Design and Implementation of the FreeBSD Operating System" in this category) which are usually a good introduction to a new system. I used to be a great fan of this type of books, and I still enjoy reading them, but I don't anticipate much new from them. The fact is that operating systems today differ not that much in concepts and abstractions but more in their implementation. Then we have the kernel programming books that either cover the kernel programming in general, like Linux Kernel Internals, or focus on specific parts of the kernel, like Linux Device Drivers.

The Mac OS X Internals book falls into a category that I call OS Internals books category. Books in this category (like the popular Inside Windows books) are similar to the concept books in the sense that they are not focusing on solving some predefined problems, but rather share knowledge. They differ from the concept books in that they approach the concepts from implementation point of view. In recent years I have become a great fan of this type of books. Books in this category are both very enjoyable for anyone interested in the OS but also very useful for application developers.

Actually Amit's book does start off as more of a concept book, and in the first part of the book he gives a great overview of the Mac OS X system, which should be an interesting read even for people not using Mac, but with general interest in operating systems. I found it particularly interesting to read because OS X is so different from other operating systems I know and love, like Linux and Solaris. We've all heard how Mac OS X is built on top of the Mach kernel, uses large parts from BSD, supports backward compatibility via the Carbon API, etc. Not until I had read the first part of this book I fully understood how all the pieces fit together.

In my opinion the first two chapters are rich enough in content and interesting and fun to read for me to recommend this book to anyone interested in operating systems, regardless if they will ever do any programming on a Mac.

The remaining parts of the book cover OS X in a logical order, from the bottom up. Since the book is more focused on educating the reader of how things work rather that trying to teach how to do some particular task (like a network programming book would do) it is important to realize that the book is covering a lot of content, which may not all be of interest to you. If you are more interested in some particular area it is probably wise to jump directly to the appropriate chapter.

The book covers a lot, including the xnu kernel, the boot process, and the role of the firmware. It covers typical OS topics, like processes, virtual memory management, IPC, file systems, and the I/O Kit. What made these chapters especially interesting was to see exactly what part the Mach kernel plays here.

While reading the book I have to say that I have become a great fan of Amit's style. He manages to find a good balance between breadth and depth in his coverage, while keeping the text interesting. Each chapter covers each topic to a reasonable level. He achieves the depth by carefully selecting parts where he drills in quite extensively. Here he uses examples to clarify things. His examples are almost all excellent, both usually short, and to the point. The examples both lend the reader a first hand experience with some low level concepts, but also work as a starting point for the reader to actually try out things for themselves. Amazingly the examples usually don't require anything special beyond the normal dev setup. Meaning, you don't have to do any kernel programming to run most of the examples, which is great for application programmers like me.

After reading this book, I can recommend this book to anybody interested in operating systems and to all developers for the OS X system. OS enthusiasts will get a great overview of the Mac OS X system which will allow them to compare OS X to their own system, be it Linux, Windows, or Solaris. OS X application developers will probably gain the most from this book. This is not a kernel programming book but a book that builds up a strong base for application programmers. Whereas the book is not directly covering any specific class of API, Cocoa, Carbon or POSIX, it builds up a very strong base. For example, after reading the IPC chapter, things like Cocoa notification, Cocoa tasks and threads, remote objects, all become very clear. It will also make it much easier for anyone familiar with for instance Carbon or POSIX to move to Cocoa, because you will understand the common part of the API you know and the new one. Finally, for anyone doing anything advanced in Mac OS X, this book is a must have.

Reviewer: M. D. Silverman "bookworm" (Lawrence, KS USA)
"MacOS X Internals" is the first book introduced since the advent of OS X that focuses on the low-level details of the MacOS in a way that will give technical people, ranging from geeky end-users to hardware-level programmers, a thorough and fascinating tour of the MacOS. This book is not for "average" end users; it is not an introduction to how to use a Mac. Nor is this book for people looking to get started programming on the Mac; there are plenty of books designed for new Mac developers. What "MacOS X Internals" tries to be is something unique: a guide to the MacOS from the bottom up, and it hits this mark very well.

"MacOS X Internals" can be roughly divided into three parts: a technical history of the MacOS, a review of the MacOS firmware and booting process, and a technical tour of various parts of the OS itself (such as interprocess communication and the file system, to pick two at random). The first section will appeal to any technically-included user of the MacOS, the latter two are aimed more at programmers, although there is plenty there to increase the knowledge of anyone with a strong technical bend, whether they have coded before or not. The MacOS history is a detailed trip down memory lane from the very first post-Next developer builds of MacOS X right up to Tiger and beyond. The features introduced in each OS are described in detail with emphasis on technical and "under the hood" changes. The author is clearly an enthusiast as well, as he frequently sprinkles entertaining bits of trivia in with the meat of the main narrative.

Moving on from the historical sections to the present, author Amit Singh gives a blow-by-blow description of the process of the Mac booting. If you have ever wondered exactly what the Mac is doing as the power flows and the grey apple logo appears, this is for you. Everything from the sequence of initial power-on tests, to the bootloaders and Open Firmware onto the higher level unix boot process are covered in detail. Of special note is the extensive coverage of Open Firmware, which is much more then a merely the "BIOS" of a PowerPC Mac. Singh describes many activities that a system programmer can do in Open Firmware, including making a draggable windowing environment and even programming the famous "Towers of Hanoi." Unfortunately, this book was mostly finished before the Intel Macs arrived on the scene, and while there is a section on the EFI (extensible firmware interface) that is the "BIOS" of all Intel Macs, it is not nearly as deep as the Open Firmware section (updated information on EFI and other topics can be found on the author's web site at http://osxbook.com/).

Roughly following the guide to the MacOS booting, Singh delves into the meat of OS X's Unix underpinnings, describing how the MacOS really runs "under the hood." This section covers all the expected topics, including the kernel, interprocess communication, and memory is very thorough fashion, with tons of code snippets all clearly explained. This will be especially useful for readers who are familiar with how other Unixes work behind the scenes, as Singh frequently and helpfully points of the areas where MacOS differs from other flavors of Unix. There is a great section on the various file systems that OS X supports, which is notable because other then a simple list, I have never seen this information in a book with such detail. The section of the primary OS X filesystem, HFS Plus, is very useful for both developers and power users alike.

"Mac OS X Internals" clocks in at 1641 pages in the end, and is over two inches thick. I was thoroughly impressed by this book. The author's technical knowledge, as well as his enthusiasm and skill at presenting these topics is excellent. It's hard to find anything negative to say about this book other then the the above-mentioned need to have more information on EFI (which isn't the author's fault, it was a matter of timing). I do wish the book came with an electronic version, as this would have made searching and copying the code snippets much easier. There is a coupon included for a time-limited trial of online access to the text, but I would prefer that a PDF be included on a CD with the book, even if this required an increase in the price (you can buy an electronic version on Amazon, but this is separate from the print version). These minor complaints aside, I cannot recommend "MacOS X Internals" enough. It is the finest technical book on MacOS X yet published, and puts Apple's own technical documentation to shame in comparison. If you are a highly technical end user of developer, this book belongs on your shelf.

ASP.NET 2.0 Website Programming: Problem - Design - Solution (Programmer to Programmer)

2006-08-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Marco Bellinaso
Paperback: 600 pages
Publisher: Wrox (May 8, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0764584642
Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 1.3 inches

Book Description
ASP.NET 2.0 Programming: Problem Design Solution is aimed at describing, designing, and implementing a site much like the ones you’re probably working on or will be soon, while taking the opportunity to introduce and explain many of the new features that the new great ASP.NET 2.0 framework offers. Difficult problems are addressed head-on so you'll be ready for most of the problems you’ll typically face when writing a modern website, and have one or more solutions ready for them.

Unlike many other ASP.NET books that show examples for individual pages or features, the example in this book is an integrated end-to-end site (written in C#). The entire book and site has been written specifically for ASP.NET 2.0, to use the ASP.NET 2.0 features wherever they make sense.

The end-result is a website which features a layout with user-selectable themes, a membership system, a content management system for publishing and syndicating articles and photos, polls, mailing lists, forums, an e-commerce store with support for real-time credit card processing, homepage personalization, and localization. The book leads the reader through development of a site with:

Account registration, personalization and theming
News and events, organized into categories
Opinion polls
Newsletter
Forums
E-commerce store with shopping cart and order management
Localization

Administration of a site will be covered including:

Full online back-end administrative section, to manage practically all data from an intuitive user interface
Site deployment

In building these site features, you'll learn these new ASP.NET 2.0 features:

Master pages
Theming
Personalization & Web parts
Membership & Profile modules
Personalization
The new server-side UI controls such as GridView, DetailsView, FormView, Wizard, MultiView, the new xxxDataSource and navigation controls, among others.
The new compilation mode and deployment modes
The new framework for instrumenting the site, as well as handling & logging exceptions
The new ADO.NET 2.0 features (e.g. caching with database dependency)
The new classes for easy distributed transactions Management

From the Back Cover
Completely rewritten and fully updated for ASP.NET version 2.0, this example-driven book describes from start to finish how to design and implement in C# a complete ASP.NET 2.0 website that contains many of the features that you can expect to find in a modern content-related and e-commerce site: forums, polls, newsletters, article management, e-store and much more. Each chapter introduces new controls and features of ASP.NET 2.0 so that you can comfortably read the material even if you haven't yet immersed yourself with the 2.0 release.

The self-contained chapters first present a problem to be addressed, then discuss the design features needed to solve the problem. After you've established how to resolve the problem, you'll use hands-on practice and code to execute the solution. In the end, you'll have integrated all the new abilities of ASP.NET 2.0 into a single site boasting rich functionalities.

What you will learn from this book

How the built-in functions of the 2.0 release reduces the amount of code you'll need to write
Unique and resourceful ways to handle various problems you face daily during the development of any website
How to implement new features including themes, membership, personalization, localization, master pages, web parts, and caching
Mastery of many of the new server controls including GridView, DetailsView, MultiView, Wizard, Menu, SiteMap, and Login

Who this book is for

This book is for programmers with a working familiarity with ASP.NET 1.x, although you are not required to know ASP.NET 2.0.

"This book is different from most others you can find in bookstores. When you consider performance, security, robustness, scalability, and care for details, Marco's TheBeerHouse sample application is more real-world than most real-world sites I have seen recently. In fact, as of this writing it's the best demonstration of ASP.NET 2.0's new features."
—From the foreword by Francesco Balena, founder of .Net2TheMax, author, and Microsoft Regional Director

About the Author
Marco Bellinaso is a partner of Code Architects Srl, an Italian company that specializes in consulting, mentoring, development, and training for the Microsoft platform. He works as a senior consultant and developer, and has a particular interest in all “web-things.” He focuses on designing and implementing large web sites with a variety of Microsoft products and technologies, including SharePoint 2003, MCMS, and, of course, ASP.NET 2.0 and SQL Server 2005. He’s been working with the .NET Framework since the Beta 1 on applications of all types, including Web Services, Windows Forms, and Windows Services. He is also author or co-author of a number of commercial tools for developers, such as the award-winning VBMaximizer add-in, CodeBox for .NET, and FormMaximizer for .NET. Before the .NET era, Marco was a hardcode VB developer who specialized in Windows programming with advanced, low-level API techniques, as well as a COM and ASP developer.
Prior to this book, Marco co-authored a number of other Wrox Press books, including Fast Track ASP.NET, Visual C# .NET: A Guide for VB6 Developers, Beginning C#, and the previous edition of this book for ASP.NET 1.1. He also frequently writes for programming magazines such as MSDN Magazine, MSDN Online, Visual Studio Magazine, and other Italian magazines such as Computer Programming and Visual Basic & .NET Journal. He is one of the principal developers and editors behind www.dotnet2themax.com, a popular web site for .NET developers that was sired by the even more famous www.vb2themax.com site for VB6. Besides writing, he also does a lot of public speaking (both in English and Italian) at some of the most important Italian conferences organized by Microsoft Italy and other big companies.
If you want to contact Marco to talk about the book, about beer and pubs, or about work-related questions, please use the form on his site (www.dotnet2themax.com) or his blog (www.dotnet2the max.com/blogs/mbellinaso).

Editorial Review
This book is different from most others you can find in bookstores. Most offerings in this area are mainly reference books that dissect every little detail of version 2.0 of ASP.NET or the .NET Framework and that – in the best cases – provide a short listing to illustrate each feature. Marco’s book has a radically different approach: he explains how you can assemble all ASP.NET 2.0’s features and leverage its power to design, develop, and deploy a full-featured Web site. Don’t be fooled by the TheBeerHouse being a fictitious site for a fictitious customer: if the main differences between a sample application and a real-world Web site are the performance, security, robustness, scalability, and care for details that you expect from a commercial site, then Marco’s TheBeerHouse is more real-world than most real-world sites I have seen recently.

In fact, unlike most real site authors, Marco was able to take all the time he needed to implement an impressive list of features and fix all the bugs he bumped into. And unlike most sample application authors, he never took a shortcut and never ignored the problems that developers have to solve every day in the real world. For sure, the overall quality exceeds what you might expect from a mere “book sample” and, as of this writing, it’s the best demonstration of ASP.NET 2.0’s new features, including Microsoft’s own starter kits.

From a teaching perspective, the great value of this book is the rationale underlying all the design and implementation decisions taken in the development phase. Marco does more than just describing what he did: he lists the pros and cons of all the alternatives he tried out and explains how he found the perfect solution (or the best compromise) to each problem. It’s like having an expert sitting besides you, able to read your mind, and ready to fix your mistakes before you have a chance to make them. Can you ask for more? -- Francesco Balena, author of widely popular Microsoft Press books.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Thomas McNamee (Tucson, AZ USA)
Wow, I wish this book had come out 18 months ago! After learning a bewildering array of 'new' technologies (mostly old technologies with new names), I still struggle when it comes time to actually produce a .NET project. The reason? There is so little context around these technologies it is hard to understand why I would use them, even if I understand how.
Site Mapping is actually a navigation solution! How can I decide when to use the cache? Should I really go to the trouble of writing a DAL? I'm never going to switch this site to Oracle. The User Management stuff is impressive, but is it overkill? Or underpowered?
This book provides at least partial answers to these questions, and many more like them.
If Wrox would create more like this, I would buy every one. The Help file tells me how. Most books give me the theoretical why. ASP.NET 2.0 Website Programming gives me the practical why, from the point of view of delivering a real-life project.

Reviewer: Melvin W. Grubb "Solutions Architect" (Columbus, OH USA)
Let's get one thing straight. If you're looking for a reference book, this isn't it. Marco doesn't explain every property of every control that you MIGHT want to use. He explains the most common properties of those controls that you probably ARE going to use, and that's a good thing. I've got my share of 1000+ page Wrox reference books, and they're great for looking up specific items, but not so great for learning.

A comparison is in order. If this were a cookbook, you wouldn't find dissertations on the relative merits of different cooking oils, or obscure recipes requiring ingredients you can't get at the local grocery store. This is the cookbook in which you'll find basic breads, pot roasts, and pastas... the staples that you WILL need at some point. It also includes some dishes you didn't even know you needed until you see them the first time. That makes this book a great place to start learning ASP.Net programming, or a useful walk-through to lead you from v1.1 to v2.0. Either way, it's a great book to have around during the transition.

I also see myself coming back to this book down the road when I need to implement one of the common situations Marco covers such as sending out batches of newsletters, or leveraging the asp.net membership system. I'll be saying "Hey, didn't Marco do that in his book?", and pulling it off the shelf for a quick look.

Reviewer: Currito (The beautiful Spain)
I had already bought 3 books about ASP.NET 2.0, and I have many many more about ASP.NET 1.x, before I bought this one...and now I wish I took it sooner! Yes, because this book is no like anything else. All other books I read provide detailed reference to the controls and classes of the framework...and they may actually do a good job at that. However, they often provide un-realistic short examples that span a page or two...too simple to actually reproduce real situations, and in fact most of the times these examples leave you thinking: "well, this is nice, but my app is not that simple...how can I really put this in practice into a real website...that must be fast, easy to maintain, provide logging, designed with the proper 3 tier architecture, reusable components etc. ". If you've ever thought something like this reading another book, then this is book IS THE ANSWER. It explains how to develop an entire (and pretty complex actually!!!) site from start to finish, convering not only the code, but also all the design phase, with a lot of interesting considerations, suggestions, and discussion of alternatives! It's a dream come true for a developer like me :-)
For those that are at their first experience with ASP.NET 2.0 (but NOT with ASP.NET in general...read something else first if you're coming straight from ASP or some other technology) it also provides good descriptions of the major new features (master pages, themes, membership, profiles, gridview, objectdatasource, menu & sitemap, webparts, localization etc. etc.)

Web Design Before & After Makeovers (Before & After Makeovers)

2006-08-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Richard Wagner
Paperback: 244 pages
Publisher: Wiley (May 8, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0471783234
Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches

Book Description

Through stunning four-color images that demonstrate how nondescript "before" situations gradually become astonishing "after" results, this book offers readers simple steps to achieve unique outcomes
Readers learn how to incorporate the latest Web-building techniques on their sites, redesign a site for optimum usability, limit user bandwidth needs, keep user experience consistent with CSS, and manage content
The medley of makeovers includes: full-site makeovers (user speed, color themes, improved accessibility), page makeovers (page sizing, working with tables), text makeovers (font selection, graphic alternatives), image makeovers (incorporating text with images, file sizing), navigation makeovers (improving navigation bars, menu additions), content makeovers (better Web writing, enhancing the home page message), and an extreme makeover (combining several smaller makeovers into a major site overhaul)

From the Back Cover
Spice up your site and increase traffic!

Ho-hum Web sites don't stop a lot of visitors. With the step-by-step solutions in this book, however, you can make yours create a traffic jam. Add dynamic content to your home page. Make page elements—tables, borders, scrollbars—fit your overall theme. Display several different images in unique ways. Create multi-level or CSS-based menus. Boost value with maps, site searches, and RSS feeds. Choose a few makeovers or all of them, and watch your site come to life!

Makeovers that make your site stand out

Homepage makeovers—what belongs where, what doesn't, and how to grab attention
Layout makeovers—how to size pages, arrange content, and center pages in the browser
Text makeovers—fonts, sizes, headings, and how presentation is everything
Performance makeovers—tricks for making images download in a flash
Form makeovers—ways to spruce up the most boring part of your site
Site makeovers—learn to link without losing your visitors and how to maximize search engine rankings

Companion Web Site

HTML and image files for many of the makeovers in this book can be downloaded at www.wiley.com/go/makeovers

About the Author
Richard Wagner is an experienced Web designer and author of several Web technology books, including Yahoo SiteBuilder For Dummies, XSLT For Dummies, XML All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, and JavaScript Unleashed. He is the former Vice President of Product Development at NetObjects and inventor of the award-winning NetObjects ScriptBuilder Web tool. In his non-tech life, Richard is also author of C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies, Christianity For Dummies, and The Gospel Unplugged. His online home is at Digitalwalk.com.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Thomas Lundin (Lakeville, MN USA)
The title of this book is little misleading. I was expecting to see examples of boring web page designs transformed into exciting, clean new page designs. But instead, I saw boring web pages transformed into still-boring but better-working pages.

Many of the makeovers are geared toward the underlying HTML of a page. By applying small doses of CSS and javascript, the page's structure or usability can be significantly improved. And it's in this context that the book provides most of its valuable material.

On the other hand, the tips for design-oriented changes are fairly rudimentary, relying on Photoshop to create buttons, resize images, generate text graphics, etc. But even worse, some of the makeovers retained the horrendous design gaffes of the original pages -- such as white type against a black background (a surefire way to induce an eyestrain headache). So, take the design tips with a grain of salt.

I should also note that the book focuses on the use of Macromedia Dreamweaver and Photoshop as the preferred production tools. While the book notes that other equivalent programs can be used to implement the makeovers, I always find this claim to be a bit of a cheat, because it forces the author to ignore specific power features of the preferred programs in order to satisfy a more general audience.

There are other books that deal more satisfactorily with each of the separate areas this book purports to cover. For instance, "The Zen of CSS Design" is a good resource for exploring the aesthetic aspects of web design. And O'Reilly's "CSS Cookbook" and "Javascript and DHTML Cookbook" provide solution-specific code for web applications.

Of course, those three books I mentioned will set you back more than this one book. And if you're not a full-time web developer, you might not need the depth of information in those separate books. If that's the case with you, then this book will probably serve your needs just fine.

Reviewer: Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States)
I'm always on the lookout for books that can help me improve my lackluster interface design skills when it comes to web development. I found a lot to like in the book Web Design Before And After Makeovers by Richard Wagner.

Contents:
Makeover Essentials; Page Layout Makeovers; Navigation Makeovers; Page Element Makeovers, Text Makeovers, Image Makeovers; Image Performance Makeovers; Home Page Makeovers; Content Makeovers; Form Makeovers; Add-On Makeovers; Site Makeovers; Extreme Makeovers; Index

The focus of this book is to take ordinary pages and redo them using standard CSS and JavaScript techniques that add the polish to make the site look more professional. Some of this is more "under the covers", such as using CSS and div tags instead of tables to lay out your form. But tricks on how to round the corners of your boxes, changing the default look and feel of forms, and more professional spacing and layout are definitely more visible and obvious. The tool of choice for his coding is Dreamweaver and Photoshop for image manipulation. But in most cases, you can pretty easily figure out how to do the same thing in your own toolset (if it differs from him). You shouldn't expect a lot of "how to" on the CSS end. He shows you the CSS that he uses to do the coding, but this is *not* a tutorial on the subject. If you didn't know any CSS, you might struggle a bit. For me, the book was worth it for a Firefox developer tool tip that shows the div layouts of your page. I have a coding project coming up, and I think that will be the tool that saves my hide...

If your page design skills haven't progressed much past 1998, you would do well to spend some time here. Most of the information is not overly complex, and it can make a world of difference in your sites.

Oracle Discoverer 10g Handbook (Oracle)

2006-07-31T09:07:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Darlene Armstrong-Smith, Michael Armstrong-Smith
Paperback: 1027 pages
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media; 1 edition (March 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0072262141
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.7 x 2.0 inches

Book Description
Completely updated for Oracle Discoverer 10g Release 2, this Oracle Press guide explains how to use Oracle Discoverer -- the ad-hoc query, reporting, analysis, and Web -- publishing tool that empowers business users at all levels of an organization to gain immediate access to Business Intelligence. End users will learn to write queries, use the powerful analysis tools, and generate meaningful reports. Administrators will learn how to configure, edit, and use the analytic functions.

From the Back Cover

Generate detailed reports that will give your company the competitive edge

Put essential information in the hands of end-users across your organization using Oracle Business Intelligence Discoverer 10g and the comprehensive information contained in this Oracle Press guide. You’ll learn, step-by-step, how to query databases and warehouses, format the results, and distribute dynamic, Web-enabled reports. All features are covered in full detail, including OracleBI Discoverer Desktop, Workbook Wizard, Plus, Viewer, Discoverer Administrator, Portlet Provider, OLAP, and Enterprise Manager. Real-world case studies and tutorials illustrate all of the analysis, security, and reporting capabilities of Oracle Discoverer 10g.

Set up, configure, and manage Oracle Business Intelligence Discoverer 10g
Perform ad hoc and fixed queries using the Workbook Wizard
Integrate sorts, calculations, percentages, and parameters using Discoverer Plus
Create reports with graphs, tables, titles, headers, footers, and margins
Use Discoverer Viewer to review, format, export, email, and print reports
Refine queries using interactive pivoting, drilling, and Hyper Drilling
Control OLAP workbooks using the Discoverer Catalog and Oracle Enterprise Manager
Establish access and sharing rights, and scheduling privileges with Discoverer Administrator
Set up and use Portal using Discoverer Portlet Provider and Portlets
Implement query shortcuts, cascading parameters and advanced analytic calculations using templates

About the Author
Darlene Armstrong Smith (Fremont, CA) has seven years experience as a professional trainer and instructional designer for The Money Store. Michael Armstrong-Smith (Fremont, CA) is a Software Consultant and Technical Trainer with a specialist knowledge of Oracle Applications Data Warehouse, Discoverer, Electron Data Interchange, Software Production, Distributed Systems Design, Database Administration and System Analysis.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: B. Breen "canuckster1127" (Sterling, VA USA)
I am a neophyte to Discoverer, having just accepted a position where the primary assignment is to learn discoverer and develop a library.

I think the true measure of this type of book is how well it takes someone who has little knowledge and walks them through the process of learning. Often times, this type of book slides into language or discourse that seems aimed at higher-end users or impressing people with the depth of knowledge, jargon and acronymns.

In particular, because Discoverer is a tool aimed at the end-user, who may or may not have a great deal of background with Oracle databases themselves (mine is limited), this book faces the challenge of addressing the needs of both the end-user without high-end technical savvy as well as the administrator who knows Oracle backward and forward.

I'm happy to say that I am rapidly gaining knowledge working through this book, as if I were sitting in a training class.

The progression of this book is as follows:

A. Getting Started with Discoverer

1. An Overview of Discoverer.
2. Users and Databases.
3. Getting Started in Discoverer.
4. The Workbook Wizard: The Essential Steps
5. The Workbook Wizard: The Optional Steps

B. Editing the Query

6. Formatting the Output in Discoverer Desktop and Plus
7. Using Graphs to Present Data
8. Turning a Discoverer Query into a Report
9. Using Discoverer to Analyze Data
10. Business Intelligence Discoverer Viewer 10g Release 2 (10.1.2)

C. Advanced Discoverer Techniques

11. Refining Items, Drilling, and Hyper-Drilling
12. Building Effective Conditions
13. Refining Parameters, Calculations, Sorting, and Percentages
14. Query Management
15. User Preferences, the Toolbar, and the Discoverer Administrator
16. Introducing Discoverer OLAP

D. Using the Discoverer Administration Edition

17. Getting Started in the Administration Edition
18. Editing the Business Area
19. Interacting with the End User
20. Configuring Discoverer
21. Setting Up Portal for Use with Discoverer
22. Summary Management

The appendicies are targetted and helpful.

All in all, I can't say enough good about this book. It filled the need exactly and efficiently.

Reviewer: Phillip M. Slater "Phil Slater" (Seattle, WA. USA.)
The Oracle Discoverer 10g handbook is the only book I have seen that covers all aspects of Discoverer so thoroughly in one place. It now covers both the User and Administration Editions, and most importantly, the installation and set up of the product set (an area which is usually forgotten, but which can have a large impact on performance.) This book can be regarded as the bible of Discoverer 10g.

The book is thoughtfully organized, and written in a conversational style that makes it both readable and understable -- not using the acronyms and mysterious marketing words that some people seem to want to use to hide their lack of knowledge.

I am especially impressed with the section on "Configuring Discoverer". This covers some of the less obvious, manual, file changes that may be needed after installation. I am very pleased to see that it also includes registry settings that the Discoverer development team set up. (When the various Discoverer releases were near to production the user interface would be frozen for documentation. If the development team wanted to add some new functionality after this point, they did it by adding registry settings. The intent would be to expose these in the user interface in the next release, but not all of them made it!).

Michael's obvious experience and deep-seated knowledge of Discoverer comes through in Appendix A ("Michael's Gold Mine of Answers to FAQ's").

There are things you can find in this book that can't be found in one place anywhere else. If you are using Discoverer 10g it should be sitting on your desk.

Phillip Slater.
Ex-Director of Product Management, Oracle Discoverer from its instigation until December 2003.

Reviewer: Daniel Gerena (Buffalo, NY USA)
I have been reading this book since I got it a few days ago non-stop. Both at home (with glares from the Mrs.), and at the office (office door shut, of course) I am gleefully plowing thru this read. Now that I have just completed the book, I keep it within arms reach, as I will undoubtedly refer to it often, as Discoverer Administrator at my job.

I have been using Discoverer now for about 5 years, but I have learned so much in the last few days with this book. "Chapter 20 - Configuring Discoverer" was, for me, the most insightful. It's Discoverer from a DBA's point of view (using OEM, setting the preferences, etc.) and knowing the settings and options that I don't get to see on a daily basis helps me better understand what is in the realm of possibility that I might not have known to ask.

Also key for me was the simple and conversational tone of the book. I, like many Discoverer users I would surmise, do not have an IT background, as Discoverer itself is so simple to use that it hides that complexity and lets you focus on the desired end result. This book is consistent with that spirit of Discoverer in that it's not a lot of technical jargon, and it's got lots of screen shots, so a person with little or no Discoverer experience can pick this up and use it immediately.

"Chapter 16 - Introducing Discoverer OLAP" was a great chapter as well, as it explains in detail the advantages of using the OLAP (as opposed to relational) feature of 10g. Even though I don't presently have plans for implementing it, it's so informative, I know what to expect if and when the need ever arises.

Finally, as an experienced Discoverer user, my favorite chapters were the appendices, specifically Appendix A and B. Appendix A are dozens of questions regarding the use of Discoverer, as well as scripts you can implement to make life easier (my favorite is the detail of the calculations to count business days between 2 dates). Appendix B is a comprehensive listing of Functions with examples, and I'm expecting that will be the part of the book I'll revisit most.

I highly recommend this book; it covers all aspects of Discoverer from report writing to administration, to portlet publication. Well-written and well worth the price.

ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results (Programmer to Programmer)

2006-07-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Imar Spaanjaars, Paul Wilton, Shawn Livermore
Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Wrox; Bk&CD-Rom edition (March 24, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0471749516
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches

Book Description
ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results helps you quickly create dynamic Web pages with ASP.NET 2.0. The book is centered around a dozen ready-to-use projects with all the code for all the projects included on the books CD-ROM - that you can use immediately. ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results dives into working code so you can learn it rapidly. The book and projects are written for intermediate-level programmers with some .NET experience. The projects and book provide a quick start reference so you can use ASP.NET 2.0 immediately.

Each of the 12 project features step-by-step set-up instructions with a description of each project that enables you to understand and then modify it so you can reuse it in different situations.

From the Back Cover
If you're looking to quickly create dynamic Web pages with ASP.NET 2.0, your programming efforts just got a whole lot easier. Featuring a dozen ready-to-use projects on the book's CD-ROM that you can use immediately, this reference is a helpful guide that dives into working code so you can learn it rapidly.

Each project features step-by-step set-up instructions. The description of each project enables you to understand and then modify it so you can reuse it in different situations. By the end of the book, you'll be on the fast track to creating your own site from scratch.

CD-ROM includes the source code for all 12 projects

Online diary and organizer
File share
Chat server
Survey engine
CMS
Blog
Photo album
Customer support site
WebShop
Appointment booking system
Greeting cards
Bug base

Who this book is for

This book is for intermediate-level programmers with some .NET experience who need a quick-start reference book so they can use ASP.NET 2.0 at once.

Instant Results guides are packed with unique, ready-to-use projects that are perfect for the busy programmer. They require minimal set-up, and can be modified, enhanced, and reused in real-world situations.

About the Author
Imar Spaanjaars graduated in Leisure Management from the Leisure Management School in the Netherlands, but quickly changed his career path into the Internet world. After working for a large corporation and doing some freelance work, he is now working for Design IT, an IT company in the Netherlands that specializes in Internet and Intranet applications built with Microsoft technologies like ASP.NET. As a software designer and lead developer, he’s responsible for designing, building, and implementing medium- to large-scale e-commerce web sites and portals.
Before this book on ASP.NET 2.0, Imar wrote two books about Macromedia Dreamweaver, called Beginning Dreamweaver MX and Beginning Dreamweaver MX 2004, both published under the Wrox brand.
Imar is also one of the top contributors to the Wrox Community Forums at http://p2p.wrox.com where he shares his knowledge with fellow programmers.
Imar lives in Utrecht, the Netherlands. You can contact him through his web site at http://imar.spaanjaars.com.

Paul Wilton got an initial start as a Visual Basic applications programmer at the Ministry of Defense in the UK before finding himself pulled into the Net. Having joined an Internet development company, he spent three years helping create Internet solutions. He’s now running his own company developing online holiday property reservation systems.
Paul’s main skills are in developing web front ends using DHTML, JavaScript, and VBScript as well as back-end solutions with ASP, ASP.NET, Visual Basic, and SQL Server.

Shawn Livermore (MCAD, MCSD, PMP) [shawnlivermore.blogspot.com] has been architecting and developing Microsoft-based solutions for nearly a decade. Shawn consults as an architect for Fortune 500 clientele, leveraging time-proven methodologies and exceptional communications, within highly visible projects. His range of technical competence stretches across platforms, but specializes within Microsoft .NET development and server-based products such as Biztalk and SQL Server, among others.
His experience implementing enterprise-level Microsoft solutions is extensive and has led to successful business ventures with numerous firms.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Richard White "INSPIRE | CREATE | DELIVER" (UK)
Concepts
I operate a small yet dynamic web design/ development business where time is of the essence and sometimes we may not have the time to study new languages as they are released.

The approach we decided to take was to purchase a range of books based on languages that are currently in demand and in our own time self study or tackle the theory when needed. This has proved to be a key factor in our current success.

The only issue I had found was the majority of the books available teach you key principals but not necessarily an array of concepts in which these principals are applied. This is where ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results fell from the heavens into my book collection.

ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results puts the concepts first followed by key factors used to implement them.

Action Learning
Before starting my business I worked with an organisation based on a Philosophy called Action Learning which integrates learning with work rather than learning first and apply your new found skills afterwards. One of the key benefits of this philosophy is that the experience you gain through learning at work enables you to remember it for a lot longer... experiential learning!

I have found that the way in which I use ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results integrates with my style of learning as I use its concepts/ resources when appropriate plus its direct style of writing is effective in my approach. .. similar to reference material.

Reviewer: Thomas Phelan (New Jersey)
I'm new to ASP programming and have read a number of ASP and ASP related books. In a nutshell, this book helped put all the pieces together. The other books showed me how to use all of the various features in isolation, but when I sat down to actually build a site I had trouble deciding which tool to use and how best to make everything work together.

This book contains 12 real-world examples demonstrating the most important features that I would like to incorporate in my sites. Each chapter of the book is an in depth explanation of each application. While I bought this book merely to serve as a reference for implementing features I was having trouble with, I've found it extremely profitable to go chapter-by-chapter reading the explanation of each application. Reading this book is like being able to pick the brain of an experienced developer regarding applications he has written.

Unless you are an experienced ASP developer you'll almost certainly want to purchase a traditional ASP book, but I highly recommend this book as an additional resource to help put all the pieces together!

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms

2006-07-29T02:58:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Will Richardson
Hardcover: 168 pages
Publisher: Corwin Press (March 13, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1412927668
Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches

Book Description
"We need a solid book explaining and illustrating and letting teachers know about these powerful tools. This book meets the need in an awesome way!"
-Mike Muir, Director
Maine Center for Meaningful Engaged Learning

"This author is a gem! It startles me to be 'pulled' so happily through a text about these new Web tools in the context of good literacy instruction."
-Gary Graves, Senior Research and Evaluation Advisor, Technology in Education
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

Review
Mike Muir, Director, Maine Center for Meaningful Engaged Learning : "This book deals with such a hot topic in a wonderfully practical way. We need a solid book explaining and illustrating and letting teachers know about these powerful tools. This book meets the need in an awesome way!"
Gary Graves, Senior Research and Evaluation Advisor, Technology in Education : "This author is a gem! It startles me to be 'pulled' so happily through a text about these new Web tools in the context of good literacy instruction."

Discover how to harness Web tools to motivate and update student reading, research and communication!

This book brings teachers a bold vision and on-the-ground Monday morning practicality. It will move educators to think differently about technology’s potential for strengthening students' critical thinking, writing, reflection, and interactive learning. Will Richardson demystifies words like "blog," "wiki," and "aggregator" making classroom technology an easily accessible component of classroom research, writing, and learning.

This guide demonstrates how Web tools can generate exciting new learning formats, and explains how to apply these tools in the classroom to engage all students in a new world of synchronous information feeds and interactive learning. With detailed, simple explanations, definitions and how-tos, critical information on Internet safety, and helpful links, this exciting book opens an immense toolbox, with specific teaching applications for

Web logs, the most widely adopted tool of the read/write Web
Wikis, a collaborative Webspace for sharing published content
Rich Site Summary (RSS), feeding specific content into the classroom
Aggregators, collecting content generated via the RSS feed
Social bookmarking, archiving specific Web addresses
Online photo galleries

This book makes it possible for anyone, no matter how inexperienced, to harness this amazing technology for the classroom today!

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Janice Powell (New York)
I'm not someone who necessarily "loves" technology, but with so many of my high school students using blogs and just spending so much of their time on the Internet, I decided to get up to speed. This book was recommended to me by friends who had seen the author speak, and I have to say that I'm simply amazed by how well this book lays the groundwork for these technologies and how clearly it points the way to get started. I've decided to start a blog to use as a place to reflect about my teaching, and I'm already looking forward to this fall to try some of the other great ideas in the book. Whatever you do, don't believe the one negative review in this list. This book is aimed at classroom educators who need to start understanding how important the Web is becoming to all of us. It's a great book, one that every single teacher should read.

Reviewer: Declan Hayes "Declan Hayes" (Tokyo Japan)
This book is a mixed bag. The entry blurb says it was published in 2006 but page 112 of this very very short book has the author telling us he expects podcasting to be big in 2005. just as blogs were big in 2004, the year he probably wrote this very very small book.

The book is sometimes useful in giving out some urls so we can look at what others are doing or what is available out there. However, a common problem with all these entry level books is they lack focus and a targeted audience. Is the book for teachers from grade school up to university level? This is an important question as it would dictate what approach to take.

For the hefty price of this book, I got to look at a few new sites. But that happens most days when someone puts me on to a new thread for free. Other than that, I got very little out of it beyond a broad brush approach of what the author is doing, which is relevant to him but not to me or you.

I use Wordpress which gets only passing mention in this shallow book. I was considering buying the Wordpress Quickstart book which comes out at the end of June. But that version is already out of date and the Wordpress site has enough supporting documents to fill a small library. So why either the book when Google is better?

And why buy another geewhizz book, which has one shallow chapter on Flickr ( google it if you don't know what it is, visit the site, save a few photos and you have what is in the Flickr chapter).

Most books like this agree books are going out of fashion. But they keep spewing out over priced books like this. Still the big font was easy on the eyes.

Also, teachers have to generally work to a platform, a curriculum that has been externally set. But the book does not delve into that; instead it goes on about a teacher here and another there doing some seemingly cool things with the kids in their class. Gee whiz.

My verdict: worth skimming through if you find a discarded copy hangiing around.

Podcasting Pocket Guide

2006-07-28T23:27:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Jack Herrington, Kirk McElhearn, Richard Giles
Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (January 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0596102305
Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.4 x 0.3 inches

Book Description :

With more than three thousand feeds in the iPodder directory and at least ten more being added every day, podcasting is undeniably hot. Podcasting Pocket Guide is a non-technical guide for the non-geek who wants in on this revolutionary new online medium--for those interested in enjoying the best podcasts or producing them.

While podcasts seem like Internet "radio programs," they are definitely not radio. And that's a very good thing for people like you with something to say. Radio waves, after all, are heavily regulated, which means you can't say whatever you want on them (in fact, most of you can't say anything on them, assuming you don't happen to be DJs). But anyone who can make an MP3 recording, host it on a web site, and publish a "feed" for it can be a podcaster. And anyone who wants access to opinions and ideas that you won't get on the radio can find them on a podcast.

Small enough to fit in your pocket, the portable and affordable Podcasting Pocket Guide shows you how to tune into the best podcasts and download them to your favorite portable device so you can listen to them wherever and whenever you want. This handy reference even includes a listener's guide with reviews of some of the most interesting and unusual podcasts available today. From unique views on current events to music you'd never hear otherwise to soundseeing tours that take you all over the world, there's something for everyone on virtually every conceivable topic.

For aspiring podcasters, Podcasting Pocket Guide introduces you to the tools and techniques you'll need to make and publish podcasts with the most basic of equipment: a computer, a microphone, and some free software. It includes practical tips and how-tos for creating, recording, editing, and uploading your own, professional-quality podcast. Once you've made that first recording, you can publish it online, get it listed, and start obsessing over the size of your audience!

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States)
If you're new to the podcasting arena (either as a listener or producer) and you want a quick overview on the subject, you can find a pretty good one with Podcasting Pocket Guide by Kirk McElhearn, Richard Giles, and Jack D. Herrington.

Contents: Finding, Subscribing to, and Listening to Podcasts; Starting Out in Podcasting; Formats for Your Podcast; Editing Your Podcast; 30 Great Podcasts; Index

Because it's a pocket guide and meant to be small, you're not going to get a lot of technical detail in this volume. The authors cover getting and managing podcasts primarily through iTunes and an iPod, which is a relatively common combination. The chapters on creating your podcast are also fairly high level, but there's enough there to at least get your feet wet. The Audacity software is the primary choice they have for sound editing, but they also list a sizable number of options in addition to that. I'm not sure I would have included the 30 Great Podcasts section, however. Everyone's tastes and interests are different, and that seemed to be 30 pages that might have been better spent with more technical detail on creating podcasts. Still, if you happen to find one or more in that list you like and didn't know about, then you'd probably disagree. :)

If you're an experienced podcaster, or if you've been listening to podcasts for awhile and have no desire to create your own, there might not be much appeal in this book. But given the right target (podcast newbie), it's a non-threatening intro to the subject.

Reviewer: Warren Kelly (Southern Ohio)

Back in October, I had the opportunity to review Jack Herrington's book Podcasting Hacks. This book is a sort of condensation of much of the information in that book, though it's presented differently and is targeted at beginning podcasters. This book shouldn't be thought of as a replacement for the other book. This is a great beginners manual, and has actually been useful for me in explaining what podcasting is to people who are less technologically astute than I am.

I wish that this book were required reading for anyone who wants to podcast. I've listened to several shows that would benefit from this book (and no, I'm not mentioning names). One of the most valuable sections is on How To Be a Critical Listener. I mentioned before that to podcast, you have to listen to podcasts. But you don't listen to them the way a music fan, for example, would. You are looking for tips and ideas -- suggestions for your own podcast. What's the format? What software are they using? What mic do they use, and how does it sound? How are they promoting their podcast? Listening to podcasts can only help you in creating your own.

To that end, a list of 30 Great Podcasts is included in this book. I was pleased to see many of the podcasts I listen to included on the list, including several fellow-members of the Association of Music Podcasting. What surprised me was that many well-known podcasts were not included. What is there is a wide variety of styles, formats, and genres of podcasts produced by amateur podcasters who are doing it because they love it. And that is the best example of what podcasting is all about that there is.

The book will fit in your pocket, right next to your iPod. If you aren't sure about this podcasting thing, and want to find out more information about it before you start doing it, this is a great reference for you. And in no time, you'll graduate to Podcasting Hacks.

CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions

2006-07-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Andy Budd, Simon Collison, Cameron Moll
Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: friends of ED (February 13, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1590596145
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches

Book Description
This book is your indispensable guide to cutting-edge CSS development--all you need to work your way up to CSS professional.

You'll learn how to:

Plan, organize, and maintain your stylesheets more effectively

Apply the secrets of liquid, elastic, and hybrid layouts

Create flickr™-style image maps, remote rollovers, and other advanced CSS features

Lay out forms using pure CSS

Recognize common browser bugs, and how to fix them

While CSS is a relatively simple technology to learn, it is a difficult one to master. When you first start developing sites using CSS, you will come across all kinds of infuriating browser bugs and inconsistencies. It sometimes feels like there are a million and one different techniques to master, spread across a bewildering array of websites. The range of possibilities seems endless and makes for a steep and daunting learning curve.

By bringing all of the latest tips, tricks, and techniques together in one handy reference, this book demystifies the secrets of CSS and makes the journey to CSS mastery as simple and painless as possible. While most books concentrate on basic skills, this one is different, assuming that you already know the basics and why you should be using CSS in your work, and concentrating mainly on advanced techniques.

It begins with a brief recap of CSS fundamentals such as the importance of meaningful markup, how to structure and maintain your code, and how the CSS layout model really works.

With the basics out of the way, each subsequent chapter details a particular aspect of CSS-based design. Through a series of easy-to-follow tutorials, you will learn practical CSS techniques you can immediately start using in your daily work. Browser inconsistencies are the thorn in most CSS developers' sides, so we have dedicated two whole chapters to CSS hacks, filters, and bug fixing, as well as looking at image replacement; professional link, form, and list styling; pure CSS layouts; and much more.

All of these techniques are then put into practice in two beautifully designed case studies, written by two of the world's best CSS designers, Simon Collison and Cameron Moll.

Summary of Contents:

Chapter 1: Setting the Foundations

Chapter 2: Visual Formatting Model Recap

Chapter 3: Background Images and Image Replacement

Chapter 4: Styling Links

Chapter 5: Styling Lists and Creating Nav Bars

Chapter 6: Styling Forms and Data Tables

Chapter 7: Layout

Chapter 8: Hacks and Filters

Chapter 9: Bugs and Bug Fixing

Case Study 1: More Than Doodles

Case Study 2: Tuscany Luxury Resorts

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Frank Stepanski (Philadelphia)
When I heard Andy Budd (http://www.clearleft.com/, http://www.andybudd.com/)was writing a CSS book I knew I had to get it. Andy is one of the top UK web designers for past years and anything he has to say you should listen. :)

This book is for anybody who has played around with CSS a little and wondered "what the h*ll can I do with this stuff?". CSS has been around for awhile now, but only recently has the most current browsers been able to support the cool stuff you can do with it. What cool stuff? You need to buy the book to find out, but I'll give you some highlights...

First off, the first chapter explains how to use document types, divs and spans, validation, basics of CSS (selectors, pseudo-classes, child and sibling selectors, attribute selectors, etc), how cascade and specifity works, and how to organize your style sheets. A great primer to the rest of the book.

The 2nd chapter focuses visual formatting with CSS with the Box Model, Positioning and Floating. This is an important topic because creating CSS layouts requires a good understanding of how these topics work (and work together) in creating "real-world layouts.

Chapter 3 talks about using background images and replacement in creating rounded corner effects, drop shadows (4 different kinds), and some cool image replacement for optimizing search engines and screen readers (accessibility).

Chapter 4 has some great examples on styling links to create efficient CSS buttons without the images or the JavaScript for the "roll-over" effect. Yes, CSS can create some cool buttons without you ever having to use Photoshop. :)

Chapter 5 continues with styling links but extends it in showing you how to create button nav bars (horizontal and vertical) and adds a few tricks with using some image placeholders and sections to create some nice looking professional navigation for your website.

Chapter 6 focuses on the right way to use tables: for displaying data (not layout for web sites - no more nested tables). With the use of the very popular border-collapse property and others, Andy shows some very eye-please table layouts.

Chapter 7 in my opinion is the meat-and-potatoes of the book. Its goes over some how to use CSS in creating some standardized layouts. The whole point of CSS is to separate your content and layout and this is the way to go. It is explained in a very easy to follow manner with plenty of screenshots to show you each step.

The rest of the book (Chapter 8 and Chapter 9) review the common and not-so-common CSS hacks that are used to overcome some browser deficiencies. I can't tell you how many website I had to search to find out about these, and its all here in these 2 chapters!.

The last part of the book has 2 Case Studies that show how a website created purely with CSS was created from beginning to end. A great finish to a great book.

Throw out all your other CSS books and just get this one.

Reviewer: D. Anderson (Seattle, WA United States)
Having taught myself CSS layout from what I could g00gle on the net I often found CSS-P more trouble than it was worth. CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions helped me understand things that weren't so obvious to me like specificity, browser incompatibilities and hacks, and how to debug a layout. I can honestly say this book has saved my designs from eternal cross browser debugging. It is a wonderful book for anyone who understands CSS but hasn't grasped it fully. The book also explains some of the limitations of CSS confirming that CSS is not the final solution for web design.

The only minor disappointment was when I finished the book and wished there was more. There are only two case studies at the end of the book, websites that Andy explains how to build, but they are fairly thorough examples. I feel like I am now ready to create more complex CSS based web designs.

Adobe Photoshop CS2 Classroom in a Book (Classroom in a Book)

2006-07-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Adobe Creative Team
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Adobe Press; Bk&CD-Rom edition (May 24, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321321847
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches

Book Description
Photoshop is one of those programs that's so cool you just want to dive right in and start creating–but by plunging in head-first, without any guidance, you're likely to miss a lot. There's a solution: With this book, you learn by doing, getting your feet wet immediately as you progress through a series of hands-on projects that build on your growing Photoshop knowledge. Simple step-by-step instructions, review questions at the end of each chapter, and a companion CD with all of the book's project files make learning a breeze as the Adobe Creative Team takes you on a self-paced tour of the image-editing powerhouse. This bestselling guide has been completely revised to cover all of Photoshop CS2's new features, which include advanced tools for digital photographers, such as a new Spot Healing Brush for correcting scratches or blemishes, and Smart Sharpen for fixing photo blurring. Photoshop CS2 also includes loads of new creative tools, such as Vanishing Point and Image Warp. This comprehensive guide starts with an introductory tour of the software and then progresses on through lessons on everything from Photoshop's interface to more complex topics like color management, Web graphics, and photo retouching.

About the Author

The Adobe Creative Team is made up of designers, writers, and editors who have extensive, real-world knowledge of and expertise in using Adobe products. They work closely with the Adobe product development teams and Adobe's Instructional Communications team to come up with creative, challenging, and visually appealing projects to help both new and more experienced users get up to speed quickly on Adobe software products.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Spencer Hall (Baltimore, MD)

I have been using Adobe Photoshop since version 5.5, but didnt really get into it seriously until Photoshop CS (8). When I purshcased CS, i bought Jan Kabili's "Complete Course" title, because I considered the Classroom In a Book series to be too dry and technical. It seems that most PS books are either completely tutorial based (meaning you have to follow that sample projects in order to get anything from the lessons) or a cut-and-dry reference that doesnt go too in depth on explainations. "Complete Course" was the former, a big disappointment, and I never finished it. I have since upgraded to CS2, and wanted to get THE most comprehensive and most importantly, versatile book, that would provide explainations as well as serve as a reference.

I have not been disappointed in my purchase of Adobe Photoshop CS2 Classroom in a Book. From what I have seen, the book has chapters that suit everyone, whether you have years of experience with photoshop or are a complete beginner. I am somewhere in between, but found even the most basic "beginner" chapters contain some very useful information. As the book progresses the concepts become more complex and allow you to greatly expand your knowledge of PS.

But what impressed me most about Classroom in a Book was that it can be molded to fit your learning style. Included is a CD with example files for you to follow along with each lesson, trying out features as you go. However, if you are like me and do not learn as well from following a tutorial step-by-step, you dont have to use the CD. This book is written well enough and includes plenty of color screenshots that you can do just as well without the sample files. I am about halfway through the book, feel very confident in what I learned from those lessons, and have yet to pop in the CD. Using it (at least for the first half of the book) is up to you and depends on how you like to learn.

I also purchased this book, because sometime in the not-too-distant future, I am planning to take the exam to become an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Photoshop CS2. For anyone else considering taking the exam, this is the official Photoshop book. Not only is this the guide that Adobe recommends as preparation for the ACE exam, but it is also highly recommended by many of those who have taken the exam and are now certified experts in photoshop.

This book was definitely one of my best book purchases to date; I am looking forward to the release of Adobe's Classroom in a Book for GoLiveCS2!

Reviewer: mashny "mashny" (New York)
This was the first book I used (the CS version) when I started learning Photoshop a few years ago. While it was helpful, the book is divided into specific lessons, with little time spent on how Photoshop's tools work together or in what sequence they should be used. The lesson on masking, for instance, shows you how to create and work with a mask, but spends almost no time discussing the logic behind masks or or how they make your photo-editing tasks easier. I guess what is missing is a "holistic" feel to the book. When I finished, I certainly had a better knowledge of some of Photoshop's features, but the knowledge was disjointed.

The next book I read, and one which every Photoshop user should have, is Katrin Eismann's "Photoshop Restoration & Retouching." It is the best book I've seen on Photoshop, whether for the beginner or an advanced user. I won't review that book here -- you can look it up on Amazon. I use Photoshop now at my job and as a hobby, and credit Eismann's book with most of my Photoshop knowledge and confidence.

The Classroon in a Book is helpful, but once you finish it and begin using Photoshop, you probably won't ever look at it again (I haven't). Eismann's book, however, continues to be an essential reference and guide for me.

Computer Security Basics

2006-07-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Rick Lehtinen
Paperback: 310 pages
Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 2 edition (June 13, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0596006691
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.0 x 0.7 inches

Book Description

This is the must-have book for a must-know field. Today, general security knowledge is mandatory, and, if you who need to understand the fundamentals, Computer Security Basics 2nd Edition is the book to consult.

The new edition builds on the well-established principles developed in the original edition and thoroughly updates that core knowledge. For anyone involved with computer security, including security administrators, system administrators, developers, and IT managers, Computer Security Basics 2nd Edition offers a clear overview of the security concepts you need to know, including access controls, malicious software, security policy, cryptography, biometrics, as well as government regulations and standards.

This handbook describes complicated concepts such as trusted systems, encryption, and mandatory access control in simple terms. It tells you what you need to know to understand the basics of computer security, and it will help you persuade your employees to practice safe computing.

Topics include:

Computer security concepts
Security breaches, such as viruses and other malicious programs
Access controls
Security policy
Web attacks
Communications and network security
Encryption
Physical security and biometrics
Wireless network security
Computer security and requirements of the Orange Book
OSI Model and TEMPEST

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: calvinnme "Texan refugee" (Fredericksburg, Va)
This book is the long awaited second edition of a classic book in basic computer security. It is an introduction to the field, not a technical reference. If you need details on a particular aspect of computer security, you should refer to another more specialized book. Since Amazon does not show the table of contents, I review this book in reference to its table of contents:

Part I, SECURITY FOR TODAY
Chapter 1, Introduction
Introduces computer security: what it is and why it's important. It summarizes the threats to computers and the information stored on them, and it introduces the different types of computer security. It notes that if you ignore computer security you could not only be a crime victim but an unwitting partner in crime.
Chapter 2, Some Security History
Describes how we got to where we are today. It summarizes key events in the history of computer security, discusses some of the government standards and programs involved with computer security, and introduces the concept of computer databases and the preservation of privacy.

Part II, COMPUTER SECURITY
Chapter 3, Computer System Security and Access Controls
Introduces computer system security and describes how it controls access to systems and data.
Chapter 4, Viruses and Other Wildlife
Explores viruses, worms, Trojans, and other types of malicious code. The financial effects of malicious programs are discussed first, including that of wasted time. Next it equates viruses and public health - in that once your computer is infected others can be too using your computer as a jumping off point. The history of viruses is also discussed, including the fact that today's viruses and worms are basically malware written by malicious individuals, not computer scientists exploring the limits of technology as was once the case. Remedies, and more importantly, prevention is discussed.
Chapter 5, Establishing and Maintaining a Security Policy
Describes the administrative procedures that improve security within an organization and the three general categories of administrative security. It also introduces business continuity and disaster recovery as part of security. It also introduces the large numbers of laws now on the books relating to computer security, many that carry heavy fines in case of violation. It also mentions that it is important to implement separation of duties so no one person carries the load of security-related tasks.
Chapter 6, Web Attacks and Internet Vulnerabilities
This chapter deals with the basics of the Internet and the Web, as well as several important Internet protocols that keep the Internet humming from behind the scenes. The chapter then discusses vulnerabilities of several of these services, as well as exploits that can be used to attack them. Finally, this chapter gives several suggestions of how users can defend against those who misuse the Internet to steal or annoy.

Part III, COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY
Chapter 7, Encryption
This chapter explains what encryption is and how it protects data. The chapter discusses encryption definition and history. It also discusses DES (the Data Encryption Standard), as well as listing the acronyms of many other encryption algorithms. The chapter also defines message authentication, and lists several government cryptographic programs as well as mentioning cryptographic export restrictions.
Chapter 8, Communications and Network Security
Introduces network concepts and discusses some basic communications security issues. These issues include what makes communications secure, and the definition of modems, networks, and network security. Appropriate steps to keep your computer network safe from attack are outlined.

Part IV, OTHER TYPES OF SECURITY
Chapter 9, Physical Security and Biometrics
Introduces physical security and describes different types of biometric devices. Physical security is largely a system of common sense precautions and photo IDs, where biometrics is a new science where an individual's retina patterns, iris patterns, voice patterns, signatures, and keystroke patterns are measured and identified.
Chapter 10, Wireless Network Security
Describes the workings of wireless networks and the security ramifications of this access medium. Shows that although wireless computing is very convenient, it opens up a whole new world to hackers. Proper antenna selection to keep radio signals confined to the appropriate area is discussed. Careful attention to network cabling--all wireless networks end up connecting to a wired network at some point--also help assure security for the wireless environment.

In summary, this is a great little book for those just entering the field of computer security, as well as individual computer users who want to learn how to not be the weak link in either their professional or home network. It carefully defines terms and even has some good general advice on securing your computer and your network, but you should consult other books for details. I highly recommend it to the beginner who is interested in the field.

Ajax Design Patterns

2006-07-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Michael Mahemoff
Paperback: 655 pages
Publisher: O'Reilly Media (June 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0596101805
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.0 x 1.2 inches

Book Description

Ajax, or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, exploded onto the scene in the spring of 2005 and remains the hottest story among web developers. With its rich combination of technologies, Ajax provides a strong foundation for creating interactive web applications with XML or JSON-based web services by using JavaScript in the browser to process the web server response.

Ajax Design Patterns shows you best practices that can dramatically improve your web development projects. It investigates how others have successfully dealt with conflicting design principles in the past and then relays that information directly to you.

The patterns outlined in the book fall into four categories:

Foundational technology: Examines the raw technologies required for Ajax development
Programming: Exposes techniques that developers have discovered to ensure their Ajax applications are maintainable
Functionality and usability: Describes the types of user interfaces you'll come across in Ajax applications, as well as the new types of functionality that Ajax makes possible
Development: Explains the process being used to monitor, debug, and test Ajax applications

Ajax Design Patterns will also get you up to speed with core Ajax technologies, such as XMLHttpRequest, the DOM, and JSON. Technical discussions are followed by code examples so you can see for yourself just what is-and isn't-possible with Ajax. This handy reference will help you to produce high-quality Ajax architectures, streamline web application performance, and improve the user experience.

Michael Mahemoff holds a PhD in Computer Science and Software Engineering from the University of Melbourne, where his thesis was "Design Reuse in Software Engineering and Human-Computer Interaction." He lives in London and consults on software development issues in banking, health care, and logistics.

"Michael Mahemoff's Ajax Design Patterns is a truly comprehensive compendium of web application design expertise, centred around but not limited to Ajax techniques. Polished nuggets of design wisdom are supported by tutorials and real-world code examples resulting in a book that serves not only as an intermediate to expert handbook but also as an extensive reference for building rich interactive web applications."
--Brent Ashley, remote scripting pioneer

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: E. Wuehler (Portland, OR)
Very nicely done. The author spends time analyzing the problems various Ajax implementations are trying to solve and abstracts the concepts into a "pattern". I appreciated the author's attempt to allocate an "established use" value to each pattern described, which ranges from "widespread usage" to "purely speculative".

The book is very nicely put together; the analysis and explanations are well thought through. As it is a book on design patterns for Ajax, it is appropriately geared more toward the explanations than code snippets, but there is still plenty of example code and (as expected) plenty to download or view online.

For each of the approximately 70 patterns described, there is a discussion of the factors for why the pattern exists as well as descriptions of solutions and a real-world example or two (or more). While I think calling some of the solutions in the book "design patterns" is a bit generous, it is definately a worthwhile book to pick up if you're looking to understand how to solve a variety of web site issues using Ajax.

Web Designer's Guide to Adobe Photoshop (Wordware Applications Library)

2006-07-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Chris Tull
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Wordware Publishing, Inc. (February 25, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1598220012
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches

Book Description
Web Designer's Guide to Adobe Photoshop covers these topics and more. A one-stop source of web-specific production methods necessary to create well-designed, functional, and aesthetically pleasing web pages, this book provides readers with real how-to information on web design. You'll learn to build buttons, logos, web headers, and other web graphics, pull them into a web editing program, and even go live with your masterpiece. Whether you goal is to expand your professional skills or simply handle your local club's web site, Web Designer's Guide to Adobe Photoshop will help you create web pages and get them working properly.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: W Boudville (US)
Photoshop is the most common program for graphics design. But Web designers live in a different space. If you are one of the latter, then perhaps your graphics skill is minimal. You can remedy this with Tull's book. He provides a fairly thorough explanation of Photoshop. Granted, there are more comprehensive books on it. But he directs his text to Web designers. Showing how you can integrate Photoshop skills with web pages.

Refactoring in Large Software Projects: Performing Complex Restructurings Successfully

2006-07-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Martin Lippert, Stephen Roock
Paperback: 286 pages
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (June 5, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0470858923
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches

Book Description
Large Refactorings looks at methods of establish design improvements as an important and independent activity during development of software, and will help to ensure that software continues to adapt, improve and remain easy to read and modify without altering its observable behaviour. It provides real-world experience from real refactored projects and shows how to refactor software to ensure that it is efficient, fresh and adaptable.

About the Author
Stefan Roock works as a consultant and coach for it-agile GmbH (located in Germany). His areas of expertise include agile software development, refactoring techniques and agile project management and among his special interests are refactoring, incremental design and agile customer coaching. Stefan also is frequently a speaker at technical conferences and has published a number of papers and articles. He is co-author of the book "Extreme Programming in Action". You can contact him at stefan@stefanroock.de or http://www.stefanroock.de.

Martin Lippert works as a consultant and coach for it-agile GmbH (located in Germany) and is an expert on agile software development, refactoring techniques and Eclipse technology. His special interests include aspect-oriented programming, refactoring, incremental design and the Eclipse platform. Martin is a frequent speaker at technical conferences and has published a number of papers and articles. He is co-author of the book "Extreme Programming in Action". You can contact him at lippert@acm.org or http://www.martinlippert.com

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States)
The concept of refactoring code shouldn't be a new idea to most software developers, but often it's done on a very limited basis. In those cases, it may be possible to allow the IDE to take care of much of the renaming and such. But what happens when you want to make a major refactoring change that spans the entire system? Resources and best practices are a little more rare in that case. Stefan Roock and Martin Lippert attempt to address that situation in their book Refactoring in Large Software Projects.

Contents: Introduction; Refactoring - An Overview; Architecture Smells; Large Refactorings; Refactoring of Relational Databases; API Refactorings; Tool-Based Detection and Avoidance of Architecture Smells; Conclusion; Glossary; Index

This book will be most helpful at the architecture level of a system; that is, when you determine that you've painted yourself into a design corner. It may be necessary to introduce a new feature that is somewhat similar to an existing one, but you can't just kill off the old feature due to unknown usage by others. Roock and Lippert show how it's possible to make these wholesale changes in a manner that allows for a graceful degradation of current functionality without sacrificing the new design. It's also helpful if you've solely focused on refactoring at the code level. The term "code smells" refer to situations where code develops a "stench" due to bad design or practices. This book takes that concept and stretches it out to the design level. Even if you're not in a situation where you need to redesign a system to remove some architectural smells, you'll learn what types of designs will introduce those "aromas" and how to avoid them. Much better not to make the mistake up front, than to have to refactor it out later.

Not an easy read, and you'll probably find some areas a bit more useful or applicable to where you're at. But if you're responsible for a system that is showing some age and getting harder to maintain, this might be a book that helps you turn the situation around.

Effective Use of Microsoft Enterprise Library: Building Blocks for Creating Enterprise Applications and Services (Microsoft .Net Development Series)

2006-07-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author :Len Fenster
Paperback: 736 pages
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1st edition (June 9, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321334213
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.3 x 1.4 inches

From the Back Cover

Writing robust enterprise applications presents a special challenge for developers, but Microsoft has addressed that challenge with the free, downloadable Enterprise Library for the .NET Framework.

Enterprise Library is a collection of application blocks and guidance documents that together provide functionality common to enterprise applications; each application block includes full source code. Lacking in the guidance provided by Microsoft is an overall roadmap to the process of using the application blocks. Effective Use of Microsoft Enterprise Library is that roadmap.

Microsoft application development lead architect Len Fenster explains exactly how to build applications using Enterprise Library application blocks. Fenster covers all seven application blocks as implemented for .NET Framework 1.1, shows how to develop and use a new application block, and explains how Enterprise Library is changing for .NET Framework 2.0.

Readers will learn

How the Configuration Application Block is designed and can be used at runtime to easily read and write configuration data
How the Configuration Application Block works at design time for all blocks
How to use the Data Access Block to create a portable data layer
How to use the Exception Handling Application Block to implement a policy-driven, application-wide exception handling system
How to use the Logging and Instrumentation Application Block to log and instrument messages independent of the message destination
How to add authentication, authorization, role membership, security cache, and profile membership features to an application with the Security Application Block
How to use the Cryptography Application Block to add functionality to encrypt and decrypt data and create and compare hashes
How to build your own application block and providers that “snap” right into Enterprise Library

Whether you plan to extend Enterprise Library for your organization, or just use the existing application blocks to add functionality to your architecture in a consistent, extensible, integrated way, this book will guide you through the complexities and help you find a clear path to success.

About the Author

Len Fenster is the lead architect for .NET Development for Microsoft Consulting Service’s U.S. East Region. During his last eight years at Microsoft, he has focused on helping many enterprises create robust applications based on Microsoft technology. Most recently, Len has been working with the Microsoft patterns & practices team on the next version of Enterprise Library. Even before his career with Microsoft, Len led a global team of developers and architects that built distributed applications based on Microsoft technologies. Since the advent of .NET, Len has served as an enterprise architect for Microsoft Consulting Services and has leveraged his considerable experience to help many enterprises incorporate .NET into their own technology strategies. Len speaks on a regular basis to companies and at architecture forums about architecting solutions based on .NET and service oriented architecture.

Developing applications that fit the needs of many enterprises is of keen interest to CIOs, CTOs, architects, and developers because it typically requires many resources in terms of time and money to develop the core foundational services needed to support these applications. Microsoft has provided guidance for developing these services and code for supporting them. Effective Use of Microsoft Enterprise Library fills the void on how to “put all the blocks together.” With this void filled, architects and developers will be equipped to create solid Service-Oriented Architectures (SOAs) based on the Microsoft recommended best practices in an easy and repeatable manner.

How, you ask? Read on.

Today many companies are faced not only with the challenge of how to create a robust application that leverages as many of the features and functions of Microsoft .NET as they can, but they are also faced with the challenge of architecting these applications so that they can reap the benefits that Service-Oriented Architectures are promising to deliver both now and in the future. Imagine helping your child to create a model of the Sphinx from a box of several hundred random Lego blocks and you might get a good sense of an architect’s emotions when first faced with the prospect of designing an enterprise-level application for a particular CxO.

Microsoft provides help, though, by delivering guidance on how to architect enterprise-level applications so that they can leverage the features and functions of .NET. It provides this help in the form of Prescriptive Architecture Guidance (PAG) documents. PAG documents detail the different layers, components, and services that architects should consider when designing their applications. Think of the PAGs as the picture of the Sphinx on the Lego blocks box. Microsoft also provides the Lego blocks—in the form of the application blocks for .NET. An application block is code that implements one of the components or services in one of the layers that make up an application.

So, what’s the problem?

The problem is that there is no instruction manual or documented process for using the Lego blocks to create the application blocks. With which block should you start? Should all the blocks be used? Are there blocks missing from the box? How should they best be assembled together?

This book will serve as the instruction manual for how to take the blocks that Microsoft provides to create the picture on the box. This book will help you reshape some of the blocks as needed and see how new blocks can be created. It also looks at the tools Microsoft provides to help you fit the blocks together and where the new initiatives from Microsoft around Service-Oriented Architecture fit with the current application blocks for .NET.

A Brief History of Application Blocks

The benefits associated with reusing software assets have been touted for many years. Today developers spend a significant amount of time and energy searching for software libraries or code that provides functionality they need in an effort to avoid “reinventing the wheel.” It is commonplace for developers to first search the Internet for code samples or reusable software libraries with the thought that “this must have been done before.” Sometimes solutions can be located; other times they cannot. However, even when software libraries that solve common application problems can be located, using them is not without its challenges. The design and quality of an asset, as well as the future direction of that asset, must be assessed. Any dependencies upon which the asset relies must also be evaluated to determine whether using it will cause a company to move away from its own strategic vision.

The Microsoft application blocks were intended to help by providing a library of core assets needed for most enterprise applications. This began with the introduction of the original Data Access Application Block in April 2002. The block was popular because it was simple to understand (it had a very simple interface and no dependencies) and it covered the majority of common operations most projects required for accessing a Microsoft SQL Server database.

Over the next few years, more application blocks were introduced; however, those that followed the Data Access Application Block were met with varying degrees of acceptance. Overall, each application block was considered successful, but as more and more application blocks were created, issues began to arise about using them. These issues revolved around the following matters.

Consistency. The application blocks were created by different teams at Microsoft over several years with no overall guidelines for consistency. The result was that application blocks varied widely in their approach and packaging. Users of the application blocks found it difficult to understand how each new block fit together. Additionally, because the blocks were inconsistent in their approach, many users found it difficult to get them to work together in the same project.
Configuration. Most of the application blocks relied on complex configuration with little or no tooling support or validation that could help configure the application correctly. Configuring an application block entailed manually creating and modifying XML files and testing the results at runtime. This was one of the most common problems that users of the original blocks faced when trying to use them.
Complexity. Many of the application blocks that followed the Data Access Application Block were difficult to understand. Yet to become productive with an application block, a developer needed to quickly ramp up by understanding how to configure, develop, and extend the block. There was a lack of samples and tutorials that could help a developer get up to speed very quickly on an application block. Additionally, the documentation that was provided with the application blocks did not convey enough information for most developers to understand how to use the blocks.
Dependencies. Companies sometimes wanted to use a block but found that they didn’t want to accept the dependencies of that application block. Many times an application block had a hard dependency on other application blocks. For example, many blocks relied on the Exception Management Application Block. However, if an enterprise had no desire to use the Exception Management Application Block, it had to choose between removing the dependency manually or not using the application block at all. Also, the original Logging Application Block had a dependency on the Enterprise Instrumentation Framework (EIF). Users who didn’t want to use the EIF could not use the logging block.

Enterprise Library is the evolution of the application blocks. It is not a product from Microsoft insomuch that you don’t purchase a license for it. Additionally, all the source code for Enterprise Library is released to the public. These facts alone make it much different from any product that Microsoft releases. Enterprise Library’s seven application blocks—Configuration, Data Access, Caching, Exception Handling, Logging and Instrumentation, Security, and Cryptography—are truly a library that can solve common challenges encountered in enterprise applications. It is not a part of the .NET Framework, but rather it is intended to fill what may be perceived as “gaps” in the Framework until such time that the .NET Framework absorbs those features.

The vision for Enterprise Library was to take the lessons that were learned with the original application blocks to not only create a set of the most fundamental application blocks needed for most enterprise applications, but to create an entire ecosystem in which Microsoft customers, partners, community members, and the patterns & practices team can deliver reusable assets that can be combined into code libraries based on the needs of an enterprise. The core philosophy behind Enterprise Library is defined by four principles that guide the development of all of the application blocks in the library.

Consistency. Every application block should apply consistent design patterns and implementation approaches. This should make it easy for someone who understands one block to understand and use another block and thus become productive quickly.
Extensibility. Application blocks must include defined extensibility points that let developers customize the behavior of the blocks by plugging in their own code. The goal is to anticipate the need for extensions and minimize the need to modify the core elements through custom code. By designing an application block for extensibility, the application block is able to adapt to different environments and has a greater chance of “fitting” into an enterprise than it might otherwise have had were it not designed this way.
Ease of Use. For developers to embrace an application block, it must be easy to use. Therefore, the Enterprise Library team provided

The Enterprise Library Configuration Tool. As configuring the application blocks proved to be one of the most difficult aspects of usability, a graphical configuration tool was created to improve on this experience. The Configuration Tool makes it much easier to create, modify, remove, and validate configuration information for all of the application blocks that ship with Enterprise Library. This eliminates the need to have to manually modify XML files to get an application block to function correctly.
A simpler installation procedure. Setting up a development environment to use any of the application blocks has been made simpler.
Clear documentation and samples. The documentation for every application block includes key scenarios for how that application block might be used and includes walkthroughs for how to perform the most common tasks.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: W Boudville (US)
You might think of Microsoft Enterprise Library as a refactoring of many tasks common to applications. These could be for standalone machines or perhaps the application offers a network service, like a Web Service. Fenster describes how MS reworked earlier generations of application blocks into a more consistent offering, presented here. There have been numerous improvements to make your programming life easier.

A key plus is simply not having to edit an XML file that describes the configuration of an application, in order to change and test a new configuration. Instead, there is now an Enterprise Library Configuration Tool. This actually reads and writes to the XML files. Much overdue. Your interaction is now easier to perform, and more robust. Manual editing of those files is highly
error prone. Using the tool is easy and intuitive, as shown in many screen shots. Not so different from changing Registry values, which you may well have already done, if you work with Microsoft operating systems.

The book also offers many code examples, typically written in both C# and VB. These illustrate how to use the Enterprise Library. The style is a little verbose, a function of both the authors' programming styles and the naming conventions of EL. Caused by a natural tendency to use descriptive names for classes and fields (variables). Anyway, the examples in each chapter demonstrate the modular nature of EL. So that you can easily add in a Security Application Block or a Caching Application Block, say. And possibly modify these for your situation.

The overall claim is that all this is far simpler than in the past.

Linux Phrasebook

2006-07-25T00:34:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Scott Granneman
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Sams (June 12, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0672328380
Product Dimensions: 7.0 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches

Book Description
Linux Phrasebook is sure to become the pocket guide that you keep within reach at all times. This concise, handy reference can be used "in the street," just like a language phrasebook. Skipping the usual tutorial on Linux, the Linux Phrasebook goes straight to practical Linux uses, providing immediate applicable solutions for day-to-day tasks. It includes code phrases that allow Linux users to employ the command line to complete onerous and repetitive tasks, as well as flexible code and commands can be customized to meet the needs of any Linux user. The concise information combined with random accessibility makes the Linux Phrasebook a robust, yet agile, reference guide that no Linux user should be without.

About the Author
Scott Granneman is a monthly columnist for SecurityFocus and Linux Magazine, as well as a professional blogger on The Open Source Weblog. He is an adjunct Professor at Washington University, St. Louis and at Webster University, teaching a variety of courses about technology and the Internet. As a consultant, Scott has worked with clients including Anheuser-Busch, the National Football League, St. Louis Zoo, and the American Civil Liberties Unions of Eastern Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Anthony Lawrence "Unix, Linux and Mac OS X" (Middleboro, MA USA)
I liked this - a lot.

The goal here is to more thoroughly discuss usage of command line tools. Scott gives examples and discussion of just about everything you are likely to do at the command line.

I have quibbles, yes. Throughout the book I kept thinking "but why didn't you mention this?" or "I would have been sure to add x". But when all is said and done, so what? You can't cover every single thing that everyone might want to mention - or if you did the "book" would fill a room.

The new Linux user will definitely learn a LOT here. Old hands at the Linux command line may find it slightly less valuable, but if you are coming to Linux from other Unixes, this is a handy and concise reference that will make you more aware of the Linux differences.

Scott has done a great job here and deserves applause.

C++ GUI Programming with Qt 4

2006-07-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Jasmin Blanchette, Mark Summerfield
Paperback: 560 pages
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR; Bk&CD-Rom edition (June 26, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0131872494
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.0 x 1.1 inches

From the Back Cover

The Only Official Best-Practice Guide to Qt 4.1 Programming

Using Trolltech's Qt you can build industrial-strength C++ applications that run natively on Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac OS X, and embedded Linux--without making source code changes. With this book Trolltech insiders have written a start-to-finish guide to getting great results with the most powerful version of Qt ever created: Qt 4.1.

Using C++ GUI Programming with Qt 4 you'll discover the most effective Qt 4 programming patterns and techniques as you master key technologies ranging from Qt's model/view architecture to Qt's powerful new 2D paint engine. The authors provide readers with unparalleled insight into Qt's event model and layout system. Then, using realistic examples, they introduce superior techniques for everything from basic GUI development to advanced database and XML integration.

Includes new chapters on Qt 4's model/view architecture and Qt's new plugin support, along with a brief introduction to Qtopia embedded programming

Covers all Qt fundamentals, from dialogs and windows to implementing application functionality

Introduces best practices for layout management and event processing

Shows how to make the most of Qt 4's new APIs, including the powerful new 2D paint engine and the new easy-to-use container classes

Contains completely updated material in every chapter

Presents advanced Qt 4 techniques covered in no other book, from creating both Qt and application plugins to interfacing with native APIs

Contains an in-depth appendix on C++/Qt programming for experienced Java developers

The accompanying CD-ROM includes the open source edition of Qt 4.1.1 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and many Unixes, as well as MinGW, a set of freely available development tools that can be used to build Qt applications on Windows, and also the source code for the book's examples.

About the Author

Jasmin Blanchette, Trolltech's documentation manager and a senior developer, has worked at Trolltech since 2001. He is editor of Qt Quarterly, Trolltech's technical newsletter, and coauthored C++ GUI Programming with Qt 3.

Mark Summerfield works as an independent trainer and consultant specializing in C++, Qt, and Python. He was Trolltech's documentation manager for almost three years and coauthored C++ GUI Programming with Qt 3.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: W Boudville (US)
When C++ was first put together in the 80s, it was just before the advent of GUIs for many programs. But as Java arose in the 90s, and then C#, the need for easy UI coding in C++ became very clear. Hence Qt was developed. Now in its 4th version. And available for Microsoft Windows, linux, Macintosh and several unixes. The accompanying CD has version 4.1.1. Though by the time you get this book, you might want to scout the Web, either for patches to this version, or a more recent version.

The text takes you thru Qt 4. Showing that it is a fairly complete set of widgets for making a UI front end to your C++ code. Basically, if you have coded in any other UI package, like Java, then you can quickly find the equivalent functionality of many common types of widgets. For such things as drop down menus or toolbars. Or a layout manager for a composite window that will hold several widgets.

Some of you will be glad to see that the Qt widgets can be subclassed or extended, for your custom needs.

For actual rendering of images, Qt can also interact with OpenGL. Which is good because OpenGL is widely used, and there was little point to Qt reimplementing that functionality.

There are also some non-graphical classes that perhaps strictly do not belong in Qt. But which have been added due to perceived user demands. Notably a SAX parser for reading XML data files. It seems competent enough. Though I am unsure why the Qt designers didn't just refer programmers to other SAX parsers that have been written for C++.

Administrator's Guide to SQL Server 2005 (Microsoft Windows Server)

2006-07-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Buck Woody
Paperback: 648 pages
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1st edition (June 8, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321397975
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.5 x 1.2 inches

From the Back Cover

“Buck Woody’s new book will help new and experienced users alike in getting productive with SQL Server 2005 quickly. His special attention to security and performance make this an exceptional reference that is sure to remain relevant for some time.”

–Chip Andrews, CISSP, MCDBA, Director of Research and Development Special Ops Security, Inc.

“SQL 2005 is the most exciting upgrade to come out of Redmond in years; this book will help you get up and running quickly to take full advantage of it! If you are looking for a book about upgrading to SQL 2005, look no further, this one is all you need. It gives you all you need to take advantage of everything SQL 2005 has to offer, and that is a lot!”

–Doug Ellis, Area Technical Manager, Cognos

“Buck Woody provides insight into administering SQL Server 2005 that all developers and database administrators will find useful; the book assumes very little knowledge by providing ‘DBA 101’ sections which will not alienate the experienced reader while providing the necessary introduction to topics for those less experienced.”

–Doug Holland, Visual C# MVP, Precision Objects

“SQL Server 2005 is a landmark release and this title does an awesome job of hitting everything new in SQL 2005. It covers new and improved administration tools, and contains an overview of Notification Services, SQL Server Service Broker, Reporting Services, Integration Services, and Analysis Services. As a result, you’ll be able to work on your own SQL Server 2005 solutions quickly and painlessly. Ultimately, this book provides you with a starting point, a roadmap, and then the tools and knowledge to exploit this powerful new database server to its fullest power. So, start your computer and get ready to learn SQL Server 2005!”

–Alexzander N. Nepomnjashiy, SQL Server DBA, NeoSystems NorthWest

“A solid introduction to administering SQL 2005. The ‘DBA 101’ sections provide useful tips for the new DBA, good review for the experienced DBA, and the 101 label enables the seasoned DBA to skip basic material and jump ahead to where the REAL action is…. Buck’s conversational writing style makes this an enjoyable and refreshing contrast to the majority of tech books written these days.”

–Brad Russell, MCDBA, Visionary Integration Professionals

The Complete, Practical, 100% Useful Guide for Every SQL Server 2005 DBA!

This book has one goal: to help database administrators and their managers run SQL Server 2005 with maximum efficiency, reliability, and performance. Renowned SQL Server expert Buck Woody covers every facet of database administration, from installation and configuration through maintaining enterprise-class business intelligence environments.

If you’re a new SQL Server administrator, Buck will help you master core tasks rapidly–and avoid costly mistakes that only show up when it’s too late. If you’re familiar with previous versions of SQL Server, he’ll get you up-to-speed fast on everything new that matters, from high availability improvements and Integration Services to the SQL Server Management Studio. Whatever your background, you’ll find best practices, real-world scenarios, and easy-to-use automation scripts–all grounded in Buck’s unsurpassed SQL Server knowledge.

• Timesaving tips, practical applications, and start-to-finish examples throughout

• Understand the key “decision points” at every stage of your SQL Server deployment

• Perform day-to-day maintenance more efficiently, from hotfixes to backup/recovery

• Automate maintenance tasks with the SQL Server Agent

• Establish and audit security on SQL Server 2005 and the underlying Windows Server platform

• Monitor and optimize SQL Server: baselining, profiling, index strategies, query refactoring, and more

• Maximize availability using replication, clustering, mirroring, and SQL Server’s new online indexing

• Leverage important new improvements in Integration Services and Reporting Services

• Use Analysis Services to support enterprise-class Business Intelligence deployments

• Even set up a simple configuration of SQL Server 2005 for free–legally!

About the Author

Buck Woody has been working with technology since he built his first computer (with 1 whole kilobyte of RAM) in 1980. He has worked every position from the help desk to software design, with stops along the way as an IT manager here and there. He has been a database administrator since 1995, when he managed an Oracle system on an HP 9000. Buck also served for five years as the president of the Tampa SQL Server User Group (TSUG). He is a Microsoft MVP (2006, SQL Server) and holds the MSCE and MCDBA certifications. He currently works at Jabil Circuit as a database architect and hosts a weekly “Guide” for SQL Server at InformIT.com.

Administrator's Guide to SQL Server 2005

Preface

SQL Server 2005 represents one of the most sweeping changes to the platform since Microsoft rewrote the engine from Sybase long ago. As with most Microsoft products, first attempts often turn into market standards—and that is definitely the case with this release.

So many things have changed from previous versions. If you just dive into the product after having used SQL Server for years, you will be able to find your way around, but you will miss the true power of new paradigms such as schema abstraction, nonmodal windows, a full management studio, and more. If you are completely new to the database administration world, you have a lot to learn.

This book is designed to aid the technical professional tasked with managing a SQL Server 2005 system. I have divided the chapters into concepts starting at the beginning (installation and configuration) all the way through to using the platform as a full-scale business intelligence landscape. In this version, Microsoft has it all.

If you need to learn to manage a system quickly, the chapters are laid out in a chronological order of what you need to understand first. I have included not only the technical information you need to set up and maintain a server (or set of servers), but also years of tricks and tips learned at the helm of several database environments. Using this information, you will be able to avoid some of the mistakes that only tend to show up after the system is in full use.

If you are already familiar with SQL Server in previous versions but need to come up to speed on the features and new paradigms, I have covered everything from Integration Services and business intelligence to all the things you need to know about upgrading your current servers.

Although the book is arranged chronologically, I have encapsulated each chapter as much as possible so that you can quickly locate what you are interested in. I present the material in a concept-to-practical use format, and you can follow along on a test system. I even show you how to set up a simple configuration of SQL Server 2005 for free (and legally)!

At the end of the day, database administrators are rated on what value they add to the organization. At the end of each chapter, I have included a section called "Take Away" that provides practical applications and examples from the chapter.

I hope you have as much fun reading this book as I had writing it. I kept you in mind the whole time.

Buck

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Brian Woodrow "Brian" (California)
I bought Buck's other book because I was new to being a DBA, and needed a quick guide. I looked at this one and bought it as well. It has all the features in SQL 2005 that I needed to know, without focusing on programming. I really liked the chapter on the Service Broker, because I heard a few people trying to explain it that just confused me. This one did a great job of laying it out in plain English. He didn't do as well a job on Reporting Services, but he does cover the basics and even shows you how to create a report.

XML Problem Design Solution (Programmer to Programmer)

2006-07-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author :Mitch Amiano, Conrad D'Cruz, Kay Ethier, Michael D. T
Paperback: 333 pages
Publisher: Wrox (June 13, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0471791199
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches

Book Description

Offering a unique approach to learning XML, this book walks readers through the process of building a complete, functional, end-to-end XML solution
Featured case study is an online business product catalog that includes reports, data input/output, workflow, stylesheet formatting, RSS feeds, and integration with external services like Google, eBay, and Amazon
The format of presenting a problem and working through the design to come up with a solution enables readers to understand how XML markup allows a business to share data across applications internally or with partners or customers even though they might not use the same applications

From the Back Cover
This nuts-and-bolts guide shows you the power of XML by presenting an enterprise application problem that you'll design a program to solve throughout the book. Each chapter takes one part of the featured project and leads you through the design of its solution. The team of experienced authors gradually walks you through sections of increasing depth, each one developing a more advanced treatment of XML than the previous.

You'll learn various resolutions to common business and technology needs that are best solved using XML. Plus, you'll get under the hood of everyday applications and web services and discover how to tackle XML markup. By the end of the book, you will understand how to leverage XML applications in order to build a complete, functional, end-to-end XML solution.

What you will learn from this book

How to share XML data with both internal and external users
Ways to style XML so that it can be used for browser presentation
Techniques for converting XML content online using XSLT, the XML transformation language
How to search, merge, and transform XML documents
Strategies for designing enterprise solutions using XML, workflow engines, and business process management systems
How to create PDF output and produce RSS feeds

Who this book is for

This book is for programmers new to XML who want to grasp the concepts of XML markup and understand the diversity of its potential uses.

Wrox Problem – Design – Solution gives you solid, workable solutions to real-world development problems. Each chapter is devoted to a single application, analyzing every problem, examining relevant design issues, and implementing the ideal solution.

About the Author
Mitch Amiano began his career developing process automation applications for small businesses. Quietly using markup languages since 1994, and database management systems since 1989, Mitch has worked in process/quality teams and advanced tool departments at Fortune 500 companies, as well as consulting to small and medium-sized businesses. In 2003, Mitch founded Agile Markup Corporation where he provides XML and open source training and development services. In his spare time, Mitch plays with number theory and edible landscaping. He also serves on his town’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, of which he was 2005 Chair.

Conrad D’Cruz, an independent consultant with more than 14 years’ experience, loves to work in the area where business meets technology. He is active in the technology and business users’ groups in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. He was contributing author for Enterprise Integration Patterns: Designing, Building, and Deploying Messaging Solutions and coauthored Cocoon 2 Programming: Web Publishing with XML and Java. When he is not working, he can be found at the controls of a light aircraft exercising the privileges of his private pilot’s certificate or participating in search and rescue exercises with the U.S. Civil Air Patrol.

Kay Ethier is an Adobe Certified Expert in FrameMaker with long experience in structured document publishing with SGML and XML. She is also a certified trainer with WebWorks University. Kay instructs in XML and other training classes, consults, and provides hotline support for clients in a variety of industries. In 2001, Kay coauthored the book XMLWeekend Crash Course. That same year, she was technical editor for GoLive 6 Magic. In 2004, Kay was a contributing author for Advanced FrameMaker, and sole author of XML and FrameMaker. Her most recent collaboration was on a Korean-English book, Learning Korean: Martial Arts Terminology.

Michael D. Thomas is a technical architect with SAS. He has authored two other books, Java Programming for the Internet and Oracle XSQL. He is a frequent conference speaker on XML, Java, and web services topics. Throughout his career, he has designed and implemented enterprise-class web-based systems. While working at IBM, he was one of the youngest people to ever receive an Outstanding Technical Achievement Award, due in part to his work with web services.

The Business of WiMAX

2006-07-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author :Deepak Pareek
Hardcover: 248 pages
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (June 16, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 047002691X
Product Dimensions: 1.0 x 6.2 x 9.2 inches

Book Description:

WiMAX holds great promise for the future of broadband communications.

Companies and consumers are increasingly dependent on broadband and are committed to taking broadband to the next level with mobile broadband or 802.16e, the WiMAX standard. The Business of WiMAX offers a complete guide to this exciting technology, addressing the critical issues surrounding WiMAX and its future. The author discusses the need for the technology, before explaining its architecture and deployment, modulation technology, wireless standards, spectrum issues, and network topology. Applications and the market for these are covered in-depth, and the exciting future of WiMAX is discussed. The book provides strategy and recommendations for achieving success in such a dynamic scenario.

The Business of WiMAX:

Offers a uniquely balanced business and technology perspective on the critical issues surrounding WiMAX and its place in the evolving broadband wireless industry.
Explains the need, use, market, trends, business models, and the future road map for WiMAX technology.
Provides strategy and recommendations to a variety of different players, including service providers, equipment manufacturers and chip makers.
Supports practical insights with numerous examples and real-world case studies.

This text is essential reading for professionals, strategists, leaders, researchers, analysts, investors and others in the IT and Telecoms domain. Managers planning to deploy wireless networked computing devices in their organisations, ICT consultants, business strategists, systems engineers and architects, and final year undergraduate and postgraduate students and academics will also find this an invaluable guide to WiMax.

From the Back Cover
Companies and consumers are increasingly dependent on broadband and are committed to taking broadband to the next level with mobile broadband or 802.16e, the WiMAX standard. The Business of WiMAX offers a complete guide to this exciting technology, addressing the critical issues surrounding WiMAX and its future. The author discusses the need for the technology, before explaining its architecture and deployment, modulation technology, wireless standards, spectrum issues, and network topology. Applications and the market for these are covered in-depth, and the exciting future of WiMAX is discussed. The book provides strategy and recommendations for achieving success in such a dynamic scenario.

The Business of WiMAX:

Offers a uniquely balanced business and technology perspective on the critical issues surrounding WiMAX and its place in the evolving broadband wireless industry.
Explains the need, use, market, trends, business models, and the future road map for WiMAX technology.
Provides strategy and recommendations to a variety of different players, including service providers, equipment manufacturers and chip makers.
Supports practical insights with numerous examples and real-world case studies.

This text is essential reading for professionals, strategists, leaders, researchers, analysts, investors and others in the IT and Telecoms domain. Managers planning to deploy wireless networked computing devices in their organisations, ICT consultants, business strategists, systems engineers and architects, and final year undergraduate and postgraduate students and academics will also find this an invaluable guide to WiMax.

About the Author
Deepak Pareek is Principal Consultant, Information & Communications Technology, Resource4Business, India. He also holds the position of Consultant with the Affiliate Institute of Management Consultants, The World Bank, Asian Development Bankand the Centre for Excellence in Wireless Technology. He has a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics with specialization in Telecom & Information Technology, a Masters in Business Administration with specialization in Strategic Management and an Advanced Diploma in Information Technology. Deepak's key areas of expertise are Information Technology, Telecom, Information Technology, Networks, Broadband & IT Infrastructure (ISPs, ASPs, WSPs), Wireless Technology (J2EE, UML, e & m Com, GPRS, WAP, GSM, CDMA, 3G, WiFi, WiMAX, WLL, BWA)

Firewall Fundamentals (Fundamentals (Cisco Press))

2006-07-20T04:39:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Wes Noonan, Ido Dubrawsky
Paperback: 408 pages
Publisher: Cisco Press; 1st edition (June 2, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1587052210
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches

Book Description

The essential guide to understanding and using firewalls to protect personal computers and your network

An easy-to-read introduction to the most commonly deployed network security device
Understand the threats firewalls are designed to protect against
Learn basic firewall architectures, practical deployment scenarios, and common management and troubleshooting tasks
Includes configuration, deployment, and management checklists

Increasing reliance on the Internet in both work and home environments has radically increased the vulnerability of computing systems to attack from a wide variety of threats. Firewall technology continues to be the most prevalent form of protection against existing and new threats to computers and networks. A full understanding of what firewalls can do, how they can be deployed to maximum effect, and the differences among firewall types can make the difference between continued network integrity and complete network or computer failure. Firewall Fundamentals introduces readers to firewall concepts and explores various commercial and open source firewall implementations--including Cisco, Linksys, and Linux--allowing network administrators and small office/home office computer users to effectively choose and configure their devices. Firewall Fundamentals is written in clear and easy-to-understand language and helps novice users understand what firewalls are and how and where they are used. It introduces various types of firewalls, first conceptually and then by explaining how different firewall implementations actually work. It also provides numerous implementation examples, demonstrating the use of firewalls in both personal and business-related scenarios, and explains how a firewall should be installed and configured. Additionally, generic firewall troubleshooting methodologies and common management tasks are clearly defined and explained.

About the Author

Wesley J Noonan (Houston, Texas) has been working in the computer industry for over 12 years, specializing in Windows-based networks and network infrastructure security design and implementation. He is a Staff Quality Engineer for NetIQ working on their security solutions product line.

Ido Dubrawsky (Sliver Springs, MD) is a Senior Security Consultant with Callisma, an SBC subsidiary. He advises customers on a wide variety of security issues. Previously he was a Network Security Architect with Cisco Systems SAFE Architecture Team

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Joel E. Natt (Orlando, FL USA)

Firewall Fundamentals provides what I see as the first clear book in many years on the oldest known protection for the Information Technology field. Authors Wes Noonan and Ido Dubrawsky take the concepts of protection at the basic level and slowly walk the reader through protection and defense from the introduction of threats to the details of advanced firewalls like the Cisco PIX and ASA appliances to Microsoft's ISA application. While this book may to be advanced in nature, it explains in detail the simple items that make the understanding of Firewalls and their technology important. Even from the goal of the book "...personal and desktop..." where the authors clear state that no level will be untouched does this book make one feel comfortable and unafraid.

Considering that this is a Cisco Press, book it surprised me that the amount of non-Cisco detail the authors' included, from Checkpoint and Microsoft ISA in the larger areas to Trend-Micro in the smaller areas. These guys ensured in this book a level of detail and understanding that will guarantee a complete read; even a Security Engineer, like myself who has learned the advanced concepts and deployment methods/reasons for security, gained new insight into the world I work in. For both Noonan and Dubrawsky present the items I sometimes miss, the obvious and clear issues that the regular individuals encounter and need to help them.

Noonan and Dubrawsky start with the simple items and basic concepts slowly and adding to them while not forgetting the assumed reader. This book is divided into four sections including the Appendixes: The first of the major section as always the Introduction which covers the basics from what a threat is to the difference between a personal (computer) based firewall to a network firewall.

After the basics are covered the authors' begin moving into the how of firewall technology from the personal computer to the common home-office like Linksys and finally into the realm of small office and hardware that include the Cisco platforms. While these chapters may appear to focus more on the Cisco Products they do include important other chapters that deal with items like where a firewalls belongs within the network. Within this section of the book we see items as mentioned like the Linksys and Cisco products, but we also see NetFilter and other freeware and pay products including Microsoft's ISA and Checkpoint mentioned, configured and discussed in detail. Within Chapter 7 the Linux products that are slowly advancing in the industry due to their cost and availability are detailed with the NetFilter product. Flow-charts and diagrams again help to explain not only this product, but the key concepts behind firewall technologies and examples of scripting help individuals learn and understanding what should be occurring with the product.

Finally the last key section deals with the importance of Managing and Maintenance any Firewall. From policy management to troubleshooting they do not leave anything out. I personally found the chapter entitled "What is My Firewall Telling Me?" very different from what I would expect in a simple how to read the logs chapter. The authors took time to explain the concepts of logging, the importance and different methods to read the log. Again they showed that this is not a book that is Cisco centric on Cisco heavy by using products and screen shots of non-Cisco items like Microsoft and NetIQ.

What this book is missing is a disclaimer that while published by Cisco Press it is not entirely Cisco Centric and this is a good thing. Yes as many people know Cisco is a large player in the field of networking and information security these author's do everything to ensure a fair and equal play of the others I have mentioned before. I feel that if you where looking for a book to help anyone with a small or home office environment protect it, this is the book you need. While I found adding it to my collection a positive and enjoyable experience, I can only hope that you will too.

Reviewer: John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV)

Perhaps the most striking thing about this book is that it is not totally Cisco based. Often books from Cisco Press seem like they are really Cisco manuals that have been rewritten. When I picked this book up I was expecting to see nothing but the Cisco PIX Firwall and of course the new Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA). And yes, Chapter 6 is on the PIX/ASA Firewall. But then you go to Chapter 7 and it's about Linux based firewalls that can be put on a basic generic PC at a dramatically lower cost.

Also, somewhat surprising to see a chapter on what you might call personal firewalls, where it specifically covers the firewall that comes with Windows XP and the very popular Trend Micro's PC-cillin.

Basically this excellent book starts with a definition of firewalls, what they are, what they are supposed to do, why they sometimes fail. In short everything you need to know about firewalls. This includes some information that goes down to the basics of TCP/IP through what the screens look like for setting up the common firewalls. I also liked where he talks about points where some experts don't agree with others. When they do this, they point out the good and bad points of both positions.

All in all, an excellent book that meats the goals of discussing the fundamentals of firewalls.

Reviewer: W Boudville (US)
So what is a firewall? Noonan and Dubrawsky explain, at a sophisticated level far deeper than a "Dummies" book. Starting with the basics. Namely, why you should have one. As a major defense against a bevy of malware attacks on your network. These include worms, Trojans, Denial of Service and the always popular and pernicious social engineering.

Given this motivation, the book classifies the different types of firewalls available. There are various ways to do this. One is simply to divvy up all firewalls into software, appliance or integrated classes. Another method, which might be more meaningful, focuses on the technology used by a firewall. Regardless of whether it's provided by hardware or software. The technology classification gives you packet filtering, NAT, circuit level, proxies, stateful and others. To understand the distinctions, the book also gives a quick education about TCP/IP.

One noteworthy take home message provided by the book is that a NAT firewall is a pretty simple functionality. It really doesn't give that much protection, despite what you might read elsewhere on the Web. The details given in the book should disabuse you on relying on a NAT as your firewall.

I looked and looked for a Cisco bias in the book. It comes from ciscopress.com, after all. But the authors furnish a pretty objective analysis. Yes, at various points, they talk about what Cisco provides in this arena. But Cisco is a major player, and needs to be discussed. It's a disservice to the reader to omit it. Plus, other vendors also get fair play, like Trend Micro or Microsoft.

MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-536): Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Application Development Foundation

2006-07-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Product Details :

Author :Tony Northrup, Shawn Wildermuth, Bill Ryan
Hardcover: 1088 pages
Publisher: Microsoft Press; Bk&CD-Rom edition (June 5, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0735622779
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.0 x 2.1 inches

Book Description:

Announcing an all-new MCTS Training Kit designed to help maximize your performance on Exam 70-536, a core exam for the new Microsoft Technology Specialist and Professional Developer certifications. This kit packs the tools and features that exam candidates want most—including in-depth, self-paced training based on final exam content; rigorous, objective-by-objective review; exam tips from expert, exam-certified authors; and a robust testing suite. It also provides real-world scenarios, case study examples, and troubleshooting labs for skills and expertise that you can apply to the job.

Focusing on the .NET Framework version 2.0, this official study guide covers topics such as .NET Framework fundamentals, I/O, graphics, collections, serialization, application domains and services, application and user security, threading, instrumentation, reflection, and installing and configuring applications.

Ace your exam preparation and ramp up quickly on the .NET Framework by working at your own pace through the lessons, hands-on exercises, and practice tests. The flexible, best-of-class test engine on CD features 300 practice questions and pre-assessment and post-assessment capabilities. Choose timed or untimed testing mode, generate random tests, or focus on discrete objectives or chapters, and get detailed explanations for right and wrong answers—including pointers back to the book for further study. You also get a 90-day evaluation version of Microsoft Visual Studio® 2005 and a 15 percent exam discount voucher—making this kit an exceptional value and a great career investment.

From the Publisher
Key Book Benefits: - Comprehensive study guide written by exam-certified authors - Deeper, more focused coverage of exam objectives and suobjectives—plus instructive case studies and troubleshooting scenarios to enhance your performance on the job - 300 practice questions on CD, wita test engine that enables customized testing, pre-assessment and post-assessment, and automated scoring and feedback - Complete objective-by-objective review section, plus a tear-out exam-mapping grid - Exam tips based on real-world test experience - 90-day evaluation version of Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition - 15 percent exam discount voucher from a leading authorized testing center (limited time offer) - Microsoft Encyclopedia of Networking, Second Edition, eBook - Practice files on CD - Entire study guide in searchable eBook format

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Robert A. Blinzler (Spokane, WA United States)
I bought this book in preperation for my first MC exam. It does a good job of getting across what material will be covered on the exam, but that's about it.

Much of the material lacks context and is poorly written. I spent more time on the internet looking up material that was in the book in order to get an understanding of it adequate to answer the sample questions than I did in the book itself.

This book, like many I've bought from Microsoft Press, has many editing errors, but I found many of the exercises, labs, and sample questions contained errors, making study for the exam very frustrating.

The practice tests and lesson review application that shipped with the book is also disappointing. You can't choose, for example, which lessons or Chapters you want to practice, instead you have to choose groupings of topics that include topics scattered throughout the book and that aren't necessarily related. The menu and interface layout is difficult to use, I mention this only because I find it ironic that such a poorly thoughout app is shipped with a book essentially about application design...

Reviewer: KG "KG"
The book is too long, with irelevent information for the reader. The book covers all samples in both Visual Basic and C Sharp, making the volume twice the size (and probably price). However, the exam lets you pick one language. Why spend time covering the differences between VB and C#?

The authors completely ignore C++. This is a valid language choice for exam 70-536. (Look at the microsoft website, under 70-536). So if you are a C++ developer, you need to reintepret the C# samples. However the authors have no problem giving every example in both VB and C# to make their book bigger.

I gave this book two stars instead of one. This is only because of the 90 day 2005 Professional edition, and the Exam discount.
The discount runs all the way to 2010.

After reading their book I am considering writing my own. I can give examples in all three languages. That way I can charge one third more money!!!

Professional C# 2005

2006-07-18T14:54:00.000-07:00

Product Details

Author : Christian Nagel, Bill Evjen, Jay Glynn, Morgan Skinner, Karli Watson, Allen Jones
Paperback: 1416 pages
Publisher: Wrox; 3Rev Ed edition (November 7, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0764575341
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 2.0 inches

Book Description :

Professional C# 2005 prepares you to program in C#, and it provides the necessary background information on how the .NET architecture works. It provides examples of applications that use a variety of related technologies, including database access, dynamic web pages, advanced graphics, and directory access. The only requirement is that you are familiar with at least one other high-level language used on Windows – either C++, VB, or J++.

It starts with a tutorial on C# and the .NET framework. This introduction assumes no prior knowledge of .NET, but it does move rapidly, on the assumption that the reader is an experienced programmer. Once this background knowledge is established, the book starts to sweep through the vast .NET class library, showing how you can use C# to solve various tasks. This comprehensive coverage is one of the key selling points of previous versions of the book, and is maintained and enhanced with this new edition by adding new chapters on Generics, ObjectSpaces, Yukon, and Indigo. Some reference material is included either as appendices or is available to download from the Wrox website.

After the introduction and initial chapter, the book is divided into a number of sections that cover both the C# language and its application in a variety of areas. Coverage includes:

• Writing Windows applications and Windows services

• Writing web pages and web services with ASP.NET

• Manipulating XML using C# 2005

• Understanding .NET Assemblies

• Using ADO.NET to access databases

• Integration with COM, COM+, and Active Directory

• Distributed applications with .NET Remoting

• Generating graphics using C# 2005

• Accessing files and the Registry, and controlling .NET security

From the Back Cover
Professional C# 2005

C# and .NET are set to revolutionize the way that you write programs. Updated for .NET Framework 2.0 and Visual Studio® 2005, this bestselling book will give you the tools to program in C#, while also providing you with the necessary background in how the .NET architecture works.

You'll first explore the fundamentals of C#, including its basic syntax, data types, and object-oriented features. You'll then discover how to apply the language to a number of innovative applications that use related technologies, including database access and advanced graphics. This approach will help you gain a well-rounded understanding of C# so that you can begin programming like an expert right away.

This book covers everything you need to know in order to write dynamic Web pages, an XML Web service, a component of a distributed application, a classic Windows® desktop application, and much more.

What you will learn from this book
*The principles of programming in the .NET environment
*Ways to create Windows applications and Windows services
*How to use existing COM components with .NET applications
*Steps for writing dynamic Web pages and Web services with ASP.NET
*Techniques for manipulating XML using C# 2005
*How to access databases with ADO.NET and interact with directories
*Tips for writing cutting-edge components that will run on Web sites

Who this book is for

This book is for the experienced developer, although no previous knowledge of C# or .NET programming is assumed. It is also for programmers who know .NET 1.0 and are interested in getting up to speed with .NET 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005.

Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: R. ANALYTICS (Tampa, FL)
PROS: I liked the book, and learned a lot from it. It is both a very broad and deep view of C# and .NET, covering more than most other books. It has good explanations of things like delegates, properties, indexers, and differences between C# and java, C++ and other languages. The section on ADO (SQL Database classes) is especially good, tho it goes pretty fast. This is a professional book, not for beginning programmers, but especially good if you know java or C++ already (I know both, so it helped even more).

Between this book and the Microsoft web site, I now have a firm understanding of the basics of C#, and a start in learning a good chunk of .NET. Much more to do on learning .NET, of course.

CONS: The problem with the book was a lack of quality control -- many more errors in the code snippets and some detailed explanations than there should have been -- all someone has to do is copy them into a program and try compiling them, and verify it at least compiles! Some were corrected in the downloadable code, but still a lot that weren't (I got tired of submitting errata reports). There were even some simple speling errors (sic) that a simple spell checker could have caught! Jeez guys, come on!

I was forced to go to the Microsoft web site and get accurate data on many occasions. Lost confidence in Wrox.

I got the impression that much of the data had started in one of the other C# books, got edited, and now there are holes, references to code and items that don't exist, etc. More a fault of the editors than the original authors.

Wrox -- put some pressure on your quality control people! These aren't romance novels, people like us actually read these things and USE THEM!!!

Reviewer: F. A. Umukoro (Ontario, Canada)
I bought this book to upgrade my .NET 1.1 skills to .NET 2.0. So my focus was more on the new features of .NET 2.0. While I do agree with most of fellow reviewers that the book covers most .NET 2.0 topics I am disappointed at its handling of generics in chapter 10.

In the code examples of chapter 10 generics are combined with anonymous delegates (see pages 281 and 283). This takes the focus away from the subject being discussed and does not promote professional software development practices which usually encourage simple and readable code. I would like to see this chapter re-written.

Pro EJB 3: Java Persistence API (Pro)

2006-07-17T23:09:00.000-07:00

Books Details :

Author : Mike Keith, Merrick Schincariol
Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Apress (May 8, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1590596455
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.0 inches

Book Description

EJB 3.0 sets a new precedent. It has made huge advances in ease of development, and its drastically simplified programming model has been widely acclaimed. This book is the definitive guide to EJB 3.0 persistence technology. The authors provide unparalleled insight and expertise on this topic, fully examining and explaining EJB 3.0 persistence specification. They describe how to use this sophisticated technology to its full potential, including

The new EntityManager API
The new features of EJB Query Language (EJB QL)
Basic and advanced object-relational mapping
Advanced topics like concurrency, locking, inheritance, and polymorphism

Assuming a basic knowledge of Java, SQL, JDBC, and some J2EE experience, this book teaches you EJB 3 persistence from the ground up. After reading it, you will have an in-depth understanding of the EJB 3.0 Persistence API and how to use it in your applications.

About the Author
Michael Keith is the co-specification lead of EJB 3.0 and also a member of the Java EE 5 expert group. He holds a master's of science in computing from Carleton University and has over 15 years of teaching, research, and practical experience in object persistence. He has implemented persistence systems for Fortune 100 corporations on a host of technologies, including relational and object databases, XML, directory services, and custom data formats. Since the fledgling EJB days he has worked on EJB implementations and integrations of multiple application servers. He has written various papers and articles and spoken at numerous conferences about EJB 3.0. He is currently employed at Oracle as a persistence architect. Merrick Schincariol is a senior engineer at Oracle and a reviewer of the EJB 3.0 specification. He has a bachelor's of science in computer science from Lakehead University and has over 6 years of experience in the industry. He spent some time consulting in the pre-Java enterprise and business intelligence fields before moving on to write Java/J2EE applications. His experience with large-scale systems and data warehouse design gave him a mature and practiced perspective on enterprise software, that later propelled him into doing EJB Container implementation work. He was a lead engineer for Oracle's EJB 3.0 offering.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: magf "Mag" (MI, USA)
This is almost a definitive guide to Java Persistence API (JPA). No matter if you are new to JPA or have some previous experience with other frameworks, you need this book as a reference. It covers most of the basic and advanced topics.
My only comment about this book is that there are some typos and wrong references to figures and listings.

The Microsoft Data Warehouse Toolkit: With SQL Server 2005 and the Microsoft Business Intelligence Toolset

2006-07-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

Product Details :

Author : Joy Mundy, Warren Thornthwaite, Ralph Kimball
Paperback: 792 pages
Publisher: Wiley (February 13, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0471267155
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.6 inches

Book Description:

This groundbreaking book is the first in the Kimball Toolkit series to be product-specific. Microsoft’s BI toolset has undergone significant changes in the SQL Server 2005 development cycle. SQL Server 2005 is the first viable, full-functioned data warehouse and business intelligence platform to be offered at a price that will make data warehousing and business intelligence available to a broad set of organizations. This book is meant to offer practical techniques to guide those organizations through the myriad of challenges to true success as measured by contribution to business value.

Building a data warehousing and business intelligence system is a complex business and engineering effort. While there are significant technical challenges to overcome in successfully deploying a data warehouse, the authors find that the most common reason for data warehouse project failure is insufficient focus on the business users and business problems. In an effort to help people gain success, this book takes the proven Business Dimensional Lifecycle approach first described in best selling The Data Warehouse Lifecycle Toolkit and applies it to the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 tool set.

Beginning with a thorough description of how to gather business requirements, the book then works through the details of creating the target dimensional model, setting up the data warehouse infrastructure, creating the relational atomic database, creating the analysis services databases, designing and building the standard report set, implementing security, dealing with metadata, managing ongoing maintenance and growing the DW/BI system. All of these steps tie back to the business requirements. Each chapter describes the practical steps in the context of the SQL Server 2005 platform.

Intended Audience

The target audience for this book is the IT department or service provider (consultant) who is:
Planning a small to mid-range data warehouse project;
Evaluating or planning to use Microsoft technologies as the primary or exclusive data warehouse server technology;
Familiar with the general concepts of data warehousing and business intelligence.

The book will be directed primarily at the project leader and the warehouse developers, although everyone involved with a data warehouse project will find the book useful. Some of the book’s content will be more technical than the typical project leader will need; other chapters and sections will focus on business issues that are interesting to a database administrator or programmer as guiding information.

The book is focused on the mass market, where the volume of data in a single application or data mart is less than 500 GB of raw data. While the book does discuss issues around handling larger warehouses in the Microsoft environment, it is not exclusively, or even primarily, concerned with the unusual challenges of extremely large datasets.

About the Authors

JOY MUNDY has focused on data warehousing and business intelligence since the early 1990s, specializing in business requirements analysis, dimensional modeling, and business intelligence systems architecture. Joy co-founded InfoDynamics LLC, a data warehouse consulting firm, then joined Microsoft WebTV to develop closed-loop analytic applications and a packaged data warehouse.

Before returning to consulting with the Kimball Group in 2004, Joy worked in Microsoft SQL Server product development, managing a team that developed the best practices for building business intelligence systems on the Microsoft platform. Joy began her career as a business analyst in banking and finance. She graduated from Tufts University with a BA in Economics, and from Stanford with an MS in Engineering Economic Systems.

WARREN THORNTHWAITE has been building data warehousing and business intelligence systems since 1980. Warren worked at Metaphor for eight years, where he managed the consulting organization and implemented many major data warehouse systems. After Metaphor, Warren managed the enterprise-wide data warehouse development at Stanford University. He then co-founded InfoDynamics LLC, a data warehouse consulting firm, with his co-author, Joy Mundy. Warren joined up with WebTV to help build a world class, multi-terabyte customer focused data warehouse before returning to consulting with the Kimball Group. In addition to designing data warehouses for a range of industries, Warren speaks at major industry conferences and for leading vendors, and is a long-time instructor for Kimball University. Warren holds an MBA in Decision Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, and a BA in Communications Studies from the University of Michigan.

RALPH KIMBALL, PH.D., has been a leading visionary in the data warehouse industry since 1982 and is one of today's most internationally well-known authors, speakers, consultants, and teachers on data warehousing. He writes the "Data Warehouse Architect" column for Intelligent Enterprise (formerly DBMS) magazine.

From the Back Cover

As longtime data warehousing practitioners and former Microsoft insiders, authors Joy Mundy and Warren Thornthwaite have extensive experience in building and managing data warehouse (DW) and business intelligence (BI) systems. With this book, they share best practices for using SQL Server 2005 to build a successful DW/BI system. Covering the complete suite of data warehousing tools that accompanies SQL Server 2005, they focus on the full project lifecycle, including design, development, deployment, and maintenance.

You'll learn how and when to use BI tools such as Analysis Services, Integration Services, and the SQL Server database to accomplish various data warehousing tasks. A helpful case study used throughout the book provides examples of the techniques presented. You'll find practical guidance for every member of the data warehouse team and learn how to:
*Identify high-value business requirements and build organizational support for the project
*Design an information infrastructure for the enterprise using established dimensional design
*Design and build a flexible and powerful ETL system to clean, align, and restructure data for business use
*Provide decision makers with tools to analyze business problems and opportunities
*Use data mining to uncover data relationships and trends
*Build BI applications in Reporting Services
*Maintain, secure, and operate the DW/BI system

Visit the companion Web site at www.wiley.com/go/MsftDWToolkit

The companion Web site contains all the code samples, the sample database used throughout, sample templates, and other job aids.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Jim Stagnitto (New Hope, PA USA)
Perhaps, like me, you consider yourself a data warehousing professional with some hard-won expertise? Perhaps you too have stockpiled a number of assumptions about "what works" and "what doesn't" when it comes to building large, grown-up data warehouses? Candidly - for me - the "what doesn't" category - for some years now - has included the Microsoft SQL Server DBMS. This perception was shaped by some bad experiences - 100 years ago - with early SQL Server products. Beautiful interfaces and literature promising administration-lite databasing did little to instill confidence back then, and (in my unscientific survey) the products failed way too frequently (and sometimes in spectacular fashion) when dealing with data volumes larger than a breadbox. But, in typical Microsoft fashion, the shortcomings of these early releases get addressed - slowly yet relentlessly - over time. And I've known for awhile that I'm seriously remiss in having a second serious look at Microsoft's data warehousing suite.

Enter Warren Thornthwaite and Joy Mundy's terrific new book: "The Microsoft Data Warehouse Toolkit":

The clearly written and lint-free text describes the now-mature suite of Microsoft data warehousing technologies and tools in the context of the super-powerful Ralph Kimball design techniques that are now fully recognized as best practice in the field. Warren & Joy provide expert advice in how to leverage these tools to build industrial-strength, contemporary, end-to-end business intelligence solutions.

This is another home run from the Kimball Group.

None of the tough design challenges in the Kimball Toolkit series have been glossed over, and the authors are refreshingly candid in their advice on how best to exploit the MS tools' strengths - with pragmatic advice on how best to dodge their weaknesses.

The power of Ralph's design techniques, in concert with the undeniably compelling price/performance of the MS product line, is going to be very disruptive to the data warehousing status quo. I believe that we specialists in the field have a choice: embrace this new reality, or quietly fade away. Sadly, I'm in no position to retire yet, so I choose the former. The "Microsoft Data Warehouse Toolkit" has actually got me excited about building my first end-to-end Microsoft data warehouse. Given my historical biases - believe me - there can be no stronger endorsement!

Congratulations to the authors for a wonderful contribution to the field.

Jim Stagnitto
Data Warehouse Architect
Llumino, Inc. (www.llumino.com)

Reviewer: JP O'Connor "Avocation: Olympic Shooting Coach - Vocation: Data Warehouse Designer" (Marietta, GA USA)

It should come as no surprise to readers of Ralph Kimball's work that this latest offering from two members of the Kimball Group is every bit as insightful, practical, and useful as previous books in the toolkit series.

This book is not another "condensed software manual" nor is it an idealized or theoretic idea of how someone thinks a project ought to be done. Rather, this book is "roll up your sleeves, hands on, this is how to make it work in the real world" kind of material from authors who have been there and done that many times over.

Experience is a dear teacher, especially in data warehousing, and Joy, Warren, and Ralph freely share their insights. At pertinent points, they provide pointers to external references for digging deeper. An example of this are the references provided on page 411 related to image density and information display. The companion web site already has several useful tools and the collection will likely grow in the coming weeks.

While this book builds on the previous Data Warehouse Toolkit, Data Warehouse Lifecycle Toolkit, and Data Warehouse ETL Toolkit books, it is self contained and comprehensive. The previous books provide much additional detail of course. This book takes those ideas and shows us how to implement them using Microsoft's SQL Server 2005 suite of tools.

Instead of providing a bunch of disjoint "tips" or examples, a complete project is taken from start to finish to show how the design choices and strategies - based on requirements - lead to implementation choices and techniques and how all the components are brought together in a comprehensive end result.

The book hadn't been on my desk 30 minutes before co-workers were already trying to borrow it. I think they each need to buy their own copy!

Macromedia Studio 8: Training from the Source

2006-07-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

Product Details :

Author : Shaowen Bardzell, Jeffrey Bardzell, Bob Flynn
Paperback: 560 pages
Publisher: Macromedia Press (January 31, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321336208
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.1 x 1.2 inches

Book Description:

Learn by doing! Macromedia Studio 8: Training from the Source provides a comprehensive, working introduction to the most powerful Web design and development suite available. Starting from the ground up, you’ll build two Web sites. In the first half of the book, you’ll combine the strengths of Macromedia Flash, Fireworks, and Dreamweaver to create an attractive, yet maintainable site. In the second half of the book, you’ll focus on building a powerful and dynamic user experience by combining Macromedia Flash, Dreamweaver, Contribute, FlashPaper, and ColdFusion. The enclosed CD-ROM contains all the files you need to complete the projects, plus completed files for you to compare with your results and use as models for future projects.

You learn how to:

Optimize graphics in Fireworks, balancing quality and file size
Design in a standards-compliant, all XHTML-CSS workflow
Insert and format text, images, and CSS layers in Dreamweaver
Master multimedia concepts, such as timelines, libraries, and file architecture
Create Flash animations, using frame-by-frame and tweened animation techniques
Create functional buttons using Flash symbols and ActionScript
Integrate video into Flash projects
Use ColdFusion to display live database data on a Web page
Send data in and out of Flash movies to server scripts and databases
Leverage the power of Contribute to maintain, distribute, and control Web content and FlashPaper to create, share, distribute, and use documents in a secure, universal format

About the Author
Shaowen Bardzell, Ph.D. currently is Visiting Assistant Professor of sport communications and sport informatics in the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University, specializing in digital media and virtual communities. She has published on application development and multimedia authoring for Macromedia Press and Wiley, including being the co-author of the previous edition, Macromedia Studio MX 2004: Training from the Source.

Jeffrey Bardzell, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Indiana University School of Informatics Human-Computer Interaction Design program, focusing in the areas of new media and design criticism. He has developed many courses and authored numerous books on Macromedia Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks, and ColdFusion, including Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 with ASP, ColdFusion, and PHP: Training from the Source, as well as co-authoring the previous edition.

Bob Flynn is the technology director for the System and Accounting Graduate Programs at the Kelley School of Business, the manager of the Indiana University Macromedia User Group, and webmaster for Bloomingfoods Cooperative Grocery. This is his first book with Macromedia Press

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Solo Goodspeed (Granada Hills, CA United States)
A nice overview of the workflow of Macro/Adobe's well-entrenched, tightly integrated website creation suite; This collection of tutorials is both a good introduction and a decent update to the current versions of Fireworks, Dreamweaver and Flash, without going too deeply into any of those programs (which would be way too much for one book). It's well written, better explained than some books I've read on the subject, with some errors (par for the course with Training From the Source), but nothing too debilitating.

The first half of the book has you designing a site for an organic food provider, creating and optimizing images in Fireworks, incorporating those into Dreamweaver templates, creating page styles (a bit more complex than that would seem), linking pages together, adding interest and interaction in Flash, right up to the point of uploading to publish. With that under your belt, the second half gets more deeply into using Flash as a site creator, though still incorporating DW, delving more into database-driven sites with ColdFusion (not part of Studio 8 but downloadable from Macromedia in a developer's edition); incorporating onsite/offsite work groups with Contribute, and finally preparing the entire package for uploading to a domain. The book takes on the challenge of balancing both a comprehensive and basic real-world-type tour of Studio 8, and pulls it off nicely ..... though definitely allow time for breaks and review.

I found the sections on HTML and ActionScript a bit frustrating, and when a teaching book contains errors it's hard to tell if you're the one doing something wrong; with the current software versions there is no way around some coding and tag orientation, and now that CSS has become such a necessity, we can't expect this toolset to become anything intuitive for some time. Fortunately, with the aforementioned integration, it's at least easier to get a concept of how it all works together, and it's good to see more tutorials appearing that address the workflow of this dedicated web suite and giving us a basic start in just one book.

Again, one star off for proofing (sorry but when a book goes for $45 MSRP it needs to be perfect; MM Press needs beta testers), but better than most from this publisher.

Reviewer: V. Massey (UK)
Having only just recently purchased the Studio 8 suite and having no previous experience of this particular package, I found this book very good for getting to know the basics of Dreamweaver, Flash and Fireworks, it also covers a very basic knowledge of Contribute.

The book is broken down into small step by step guides on how to complete many tasks and is easy to understand and time is also spent to explain why things are done the way they are.

I felt this book was ideal for me as a beginner to the Studio 8 package and would recommend to anyone else in a similar situation, however now I know the capabilities of the package I realise I have needed to buy further books to expand my expertise however I do not need to buy the very basic books but those which are more targeted to my needs and an Intermediate level.

Overall an excellent quick start guide to Studio 8 and well worth spending time and money on.

Macromedia Dreamweaver 8: Training from the Source

2006-07-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

Product Details :

Author :Khristine Annwn Page
Paperback: 608 pages
Publisher: Macromedia Press; Bk&CD-Rom edition (March 28, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0321336267
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches

Book Description :

Learn by doing! The lessons in this book guide you step-by-step through the creation of a project Web site, “Yoga Sangha.” With Macromedia's official guide, you’ll learn how to use the leading, best-selling Web editor and gain a thorough understanding of how you can use Dreamweaver 8 to effectively manage and maintain Web sites, develop sites that are accessible to a wide audience, and work in an environment that integrates visual and code editing. As you complete the tasks, you’ll develop the skills and techniques that you need to create Web sites on your own. In addition to the basics of creating a Web page that incorporates text, graphics and tables, you'll learn about all that's new in Dreamweaver 8: visual authoring with XML data, advanced CSS support including a unified CSS panel and a style rendering toolbar, integration with the latest Web technologies and standards, and more. The companion CD-ROM contains all of the lesson files as well as a free trial version of Dreamweaver 8.

About the Author
Khristine Annwn Page is the author of the previous edition, Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004: Training from the Source from Macromedia Press. She's the Director of NorthWind Studios, a collective of artists and writers [www.northwindstudios.com], and the editor/publisher of Crescent Magazine. She has taught Dreamweaver and Web Design classes at San Francisco State University’s Multimedia Studies program and given training in Dreamweaver for the Reuters Digital Vision Fellowship program at Stanford University. She has worked as a Multimedia Specialist at the San Francisco Exploratorium and as a Senior Web Designer at Ideum, a company devoted to producing Web sites for museums, non-profits, and socially responsible companies. Khristine holds a BFA with a Senior Award for Excellence from Rhode Island School of Design [www.risd.edu]. She has received awards from Adobe and her artwork has been shown in galleries in Providence, RI, New York City, and Palo Alto, CA.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Chris Roberts (Birmingham, AL)
I recently picked up a copy of Dreamweaver 8 as a possible alternative for my current development environment. I can be a bit old fashioned and am much more experienced using emacs rather than any other tool for developing websites. Having zero experience with Dreamweaver or other similar tools I decided I needed a good reference to help me jump in, and this book has served that function well.

The writing is clear and generally concise, the information is easy to follow and has done a good job of helping me jump in to this new world.

Microsoft Visual Basic 2005 Step by Step (Microsoft)

2006-07-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Product Details :

Author : Michael Halvorson
Paperback: 560 pages
Publisher: Microsoft Press; Bk&CD-Rom edition (October 5, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0735621314
Product Dimensions: 9.0 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches

Book Description :

Visual Basic 2005 focuses on enabling developers to rapidly build applications, with enhancements across its visual designers, code editor, language, and debugger that help accelerate the development and deployment of robust, elegant applications across the Web, a business group, or an enterprise. Now you can teach yourself the essentials of working with Microsoft Visual Studio® 2005 and the new features of the Visual Basic language—one step at a time. With STEP BY STEP, you work at your own pace through hands-on, learn-by-doing exercises. Whether you’re a beginning programmer or new to this specific language, you’ll understand the core capabilities and fundamental techniques for Visual Basic 2005. Each chapter puts you to work, showing you how, when, and why to use specific features of Visual Basic and guiding as you create actual components and working applications for Microsoft Windows®. You’ll also explore data management and Web-based development topics.

From the Publisher
The popular STEP BY STEP approach provides hands-on guidance to beginning-level programmers and those new to Visual Basic, covering key features and fundamental techniques to accelerate their productivity. The companion CD includes data sets and sample code for all exercises.

Key Book Benefits:

• This immensely popular tutorial for Visual Basic has been fully revised for the newest version of the technology.

• Provides step-by-step guidance on how to use Visual Basic 2005 with Visual Studio 2005 to create smart-client and Web applications.

• Features easy-to-follow, logically planned lessons, with necessary data sets and additional code samples on the CD.

• STEP BY STEP is ideal for anyone with a fundamental understanding of computer programming.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: bobbyD
After reading "Build A Program Now Using VB 2005 Express Edition", I bought this book in the hopes of getting a lot more detail. I'm happy to say that I got alot more than I expected. Mr. Halvorson did a great job introducing the basic concepts of the language.

As someone who is returning to VB after a 5 year hiatus this book was a perfect fit. I also reccomend viewing the VB training videos at Microsoft's web site. They're FREE and make a great companion to this book.

By the way you don't need the full version of VB 2005 to go through the excercises of this book. I got through 99% of the book using the Express Editions of VB and the Web Developer. From what I remember only the "Inheritence" Form was missing...Good Luck!

Reviewer: Anthony D. Roane "Black Likorice" (Provo, UT)
Being completely new to VB programming this book has been quite helpful in that it explains concepts thouroghly and goes step by step in depth. However, it does get a little redundant even for the beginner after about three or four chapters. The wording that was nice at the beginning to understand concepts becomes burdensome. The book doesn't serve as a good reference to go outside the realm of what the book dictates. But I guess there are other books for that.

Ubuntu Hacks : Tips & Tools for Exploring, Using, and Tuning Linux

2006-07-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Author : Jonathan Oxer, Kyle Rankin and Bill Childers
Paperback: 426 pages
Publisher: O'Reilly Media (June 14, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0596527209
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches

Book Description

The Ubuntu distribution simplifies Linux by providing a sensible collection of applications, an easy-to-use package manager, and lots of fine-tuning, which make it possibly the best Linux for desktops and laptops. Readers of both Linux Journal and TUX Magazine confirmed this by voting Ubuntu as the best Linux distribution in each publication's 2005 Readers Choice Awards. None of that simplification, however, makes Ubuntu any less fun if you're a hacker or a power user.

Like all books in the "Hacks" series, Ubuntu Hacks includes 100 quick tips and tricks for all users of all technical levels. Beginners will appreciate the installation advice and tips on getting the most out of the free applications packaged with Ubuntu, while intermediate and advanced readers will learn the ins-and-outs of power management, wireless roaming, 3D video acceleration, server configuration, and much more.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer : Ravi

"I recently got hold of a very nice book on Ubuntu called Ubuntu Hacks co-authored by three authors - Kyle Rankin, Jonathan Oxer and Bill Childers. This is the latest of the hack series of books published by O'Reilly. They have made available a rough cut version of the book online ahead of schedule which was how I got hold of the book but as of now you can also buy the book in print. Put in a nutshell, this book is a collection of around 100 tips and tricks which the authors choose to call hacks, which explain how to accomplish various tasks in Ubuntu Linux. The so called hacks range from down right ordinary to the other end of the spectrum of doing specialised things."

The book is divided into 10 chapters each containing a collection of hacks on a particular topic.

In the first chapter titled - Getting Started, the authors explains how to install Ubuntu on a Mac and Windows PC, moving data like mail from windows Outlook express to Ubuntu, setting up a printer and more. This chapter contains a total of 14 hacks. And my favorite hack is the one where the authors explains how to create a customized version of Ubuntu Live CD containing ones favourite applications.

The second chapter dwells on the topics related to customizing the Ubuntu desktop. Here the authors give tips to install Java, customize Ubuntu desktop, install additional window managers, synchronizing ones PDA and Pocket PC, just to name a few. This chapter contains around 27 tips. My favourite one here would be how to create PDF files by using the print command from any application in Ubuntu.

Ubuntu like other main stream GNU/Linux distributions is encumbered by the patent restrictions related to various popular multimedia file formats. The net result is one cannot play multimedia files like mp3, wmv or quick time in a default Ubuntu installation. In the chapter titled "Multimedia", one gets to know how to enable audio and video applications bundled with Ubuntu to play these restricted media files.Topics like CD ripping, playing encrypted DVDs and playing any media formats using the all time popular mplayer are also explained in simple detail. But the one hack which takes the prize is that which explains how to buy songs at the iTunes music store and download the music on Linux.

Laptop users have some advantages as well as disadvantages over people using the desktop. And considering that the number of laptop users are ever increasing, there is a need to explain how to configure and take care of ones laptop running Ubuntu - like prolonging the battery life, configuring the wireless card on the laptop, hibernating, setting up bluetooth connection and so on. The 4th chapter contains around 8 detailed tips which deals with these interesting topics related to a laptop. I really liked the tip explaining how to make ones laptop settings roam with ones network which could be quite useful for people who are always on the move.

Chapter five of this well structured book deals exclusively with configuring and fine tuning X11 - the X Windows System. Here one gets to know how to configure ones mouse the old fashioned way by editing the requisite section in the X configuration file.As an example, the authors elaborate on a special case of configuring a seven button mouse with a tilted scroll wheel to work properly in Ubuntu. This chapter additionally contain a slew of tips to configure different difficult to configure hardware like the touch pad, setting up dual head displays, installing and configuring Nvidia, ATI and Matrox proprietary graphics drivers to work in Ubuntu and more.

The next chapter titled "Package Management" has a collection of tips in managing packages. Over and above explaining how to install, remove and update packages using apt-get, synaptic and Adept, this chapter also contain tips on creating ones own Ubuntu package from source, cache packages locally from source and more. I especially found the hack where the authors explain how to create ones own Ubuntu package repository really informative.

The seventh chapter dwells exclusively on Security. Usually Ubuntu for the desktop comes with all the ports closed by default which makes it relatively secure. But in these times of cheap high speed Internet access when a home network is connected to the Internet at all times, it is always prudent to run a firewall on ones machine. In this chapter, the authors explain how to setup a robust firewall using iptables and firewallbuilder and then manage it from the Ubuntu desktop. But that is not all, there are tips on configuring SUDO to limit permissions to different users where one gets to know how to do it the command line way. But my favourite tip in this chapter is the one which explains how to encrypt the file system to protect important data. This chapter contains a total of six in-depth hacks all related to enhancing the security of the machine running Ubuntu.

Ubuntu developers have always persevered in providing easy to use front-ends for conducting the most common system administration tasks - be it creating additional user accounts or managing the services running on ones machine. But at times the user is forced to do system administration tasks the command line way. In this chapter titled "Administration", the authors explain for instance how to compile a kernel from source the Ubuntu way and also ways of installing multiple copies of one kernel version on the same machine which could be useful for testing purpose. There are tips for taking backups as well as restoring them. I found the hack titled "Rescuing an unbootable system" really useful. This hack is in fact a collection of tips where common rescue scenarios are elaborated. I found this chapter full of very useful tips as varied as ways of synchronizing files between different machines, mounting a remote filesystem and even a tip on creating videos by capturing what is done on the desktop which could be really useful when shared with others while seeking help on a particular error.

A virtual machine is a simulated computer-inside-another-computer, allowing one to boot an extra operating system inside the primary environment. The next chapter titled "Virtualization and Emulation" explains the different virtualization and emulation technologies available which allow one to run windows/Dos applications and games in Ubuntu, running Ubuntu inside Windows and so on. Here the authors gives in-depth step-by-step walkthroughs in configuring and running virtualization and emulation technologies such as Xen, VMWare server and Wine which imparts a lot of importance to this chapter.

The final chapter of this excellent book which is also the 10th chapter deals with setting up a small home/office server. Here one gets to know how to install and configure a Ubuntu server from scratch. All the topics like setting up quotas to control disk space usage among users, setting up an SSH server, configuring Apache web server, building an email server, DHCP server, DNS server and so on which are a part and parcel of an office server setup have been given due importance in this chapter.

All the ten chapters combined, there are a total of 100 tips (Oops! hacks) in this unique book which are based on the latest version of Ubuntu - Dapper Drake. What is worth noting is that one is not expected to read the book from cover-to-cover rather, you can flip to the hack you are interested in and carry on from there which makes this book a very good reference for setting up and configuring all things related to Ubuntu. At this point, one might have questions in ones mind whether many of the solutions listed in this book aren't already available on the net in popular Linux/Ubuntu forums. True, with some searching one might be able to get what one is looking for. But if you ask me, it is always nice to have something tangible in ones hands while reading instead of having to stare at the monitor for hours on end. More over, each and every tip in this book has been tested by the authors on the latest version of Ubuntu (Dapper Drake) and is guaranteed to work. In writing this book, it is clear that the authors have put in a lot of hard work in covering all facets of configuring this popular Linux distribution which makes this book a worth while buy.

Beginning ASP.NET 2.0 in C# 2005: From Novice to Professional

2006-07-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

Product Details :

Author : Matthew MacDonald, Julian Templeman
Paperback: 1184 pages
Publisher: Apress (January 27, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1590595726
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.0 x 2.1 inches

Book Description:

Beginning ASP.NET 2.0 in C# 2005: From Novice to Professional steers you through the maze of ASP.NET web programming concepts. You will learn language and theory simultaneously, mastering the core techniques necessary to develop good coding practices and enhance your skill set.

This book provides thorough coverage of ASP.NET, guiding you from beginning to advanced techniques, such as querying databases from within a web page and performance-tuning your site. You'll find tips for best practices and comprehensive discussions of key database and XML principles.

The book also emphasizes the invaluable coding techniques of object orientation and code-behind, which will enable you to build real-world websites instead of just scraping by with simplified coding practices. By the time you finish this book, you will have mastered the core techniques essential to professional ASP.NET developers.

About the Author
Matthew MacDonald is an author, educator, and MCSD developer who has a passion for emerging technologies. He is a regular writer for developer journals such as Inside Visual Basic, ASPToday, and Hardcore Visual Studio .NET, and he's the author of several books about programming with .NET, including User Interfaces in VB .NET: Windows Forms and Custom Controls, The Book of VB .NET, and .NET Distributed Applications. In a dimly remembered past life, he studied English literature and theoretical physics. Send e-mail to him with praise, condemnation, and everything in between, to p2p@prosetech.com

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: D. Hill "digahill" (Columbus, Ohio)
While I have only read around 200 of the 1000 pages in this book, I must say it is everything I expected and more. I would suggest having a general understanding of the syntax of Java or C/C++ before reading, but if you have no programming experience at all you could probably work through the initial learning curve.

The author covers most of the C# fundamentals as well as explaining why there is a need for ASP.NET. This is not a book for someone who simply wants to learn the basics of .NET 2.0 (for that, I suggest Bill Hatfields ASP.NET 2.0 for Dummies), but this is the meat, potatoes, and gravy of the framework. Matthew MacDonald explains the "whys" of the techniques he presents as well as the "hows", without being wordy or overly complex. Because of this, I find it hard to put this book down.

So far, there has not been much explanation of (X)HTML or CSS, because this book is more focused on development rather than design. While you don't need to know the intricate details of HTML or CSS to use .NET, you should have at least a basic understanding if you expect to create decent looking webpages. (There are so many resources for XHTML and CSS...try w3cshools.com for starters.)

I am a working web designer who has a need to begin developing in ASP.NET, so I knew I needed an in depth book like this. If you are unsure if .NET is right for you, I recommend reading a lighter book, such as Bill Hatfield's ASP.NET 2.0 for Dummies, before tackling what will probably be at least a two month course in learning the framework.

The only flaws I have seen in the first 200 pages are subtle, such as using the the "b" tag for bold instead of the current standard, "strong". That may be nitpicking, but I must point it out.

This book is perfect for someone who knows they want to create websites in ASP.NET, understands the basic concepts of OOP, has an intermediate knowledge of HTML and CSS design principals, and is willing to take the time to practice the examples demonstrated in the text.

Reviewer: Yi Lei Wu (Guangzhou, China)
I am an experienced web developer and just begin my study of ASP .NET 2.0 technology. Compare to the other books that I read, this book is very easy to follow and learn from. It introduces the core concepts and techniques of ASP .NET 2.0 in easy and concise way such that there is no gibberish.

I personally do not like books that talk a lot of useless stuff and complicated concepts that serve no practical use, such as most of the J2EE books.

This book is so easy and simple to follow such that anyone with a little programming background can read. Besides, it has many useful examples to introduce the techniques in making ASP .NET 2.0 applications.

Moreover, it uses Visual Studio 2005 as its core IDE. This is a very cool tool!
One major drawback of J2EE is also its lack of a generic and full-featured IDE like Visual Studio.

I tried Eclipse and various others... so far only Oracle's JDeveloper satisfied me. Most others are so complicated to use such that the learning curve is just too high!

I gave this book a 4 star because I hardly gave any book a 5 star. It's a good book, but the term "perfect" in my mind doesn't come easily.

Sams Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL and Apache All in One (3rd Edition)

2006-07-10T02:02:00.000-07:00

Product Details :

Author : Julie C. Meloni
Hardcover: 624 pages
Publisher: Sams; 3 edition (June 30, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0672328739
Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 7.0 x 9.0 inches

Book Description :

Three popular Web development tools, covered together in an easy-to-understand book. Carefully steps the reader through the basic installation and set-up of PHP, MySQL, and Apache. Shows the beginner how to combine these technologies to quickly create simple interactive Web applications.

CD-ROM Starter Kit allows the reader to easily install a safe, foolproof learning environment for either a Windows- or Linux-based PC. Sams Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL, and Apache in 24 Hours combines coverage of these three popular open-source Web development tools into one easy-to-understand book -- and it comes packaged with one easy-to-use Starter Kit CD for Windows or Linux.

The book teaches the reader to install, configure and set up the PHP scripting language, the MySQL database system, and the Apache Web server. By the end of this book the reader will understand how these technologies work, and--more importantly-- how they can work together to create a dynamic Web site. After creating a simple Web site using these tools, the reader will be able to manage a simple mailing list, and to create an online address book, shopping cart, and storefront. The book also teaches the reader how to fine tune Apache and MySQL, and covers simple Web server security.

Julie Meloni is the technical director for i2i Interactive, a multimedia company located in Campbell, CA. She has been developing Web-based applications since the early days of the Web, and is the author of several books and articles on Web-based programming languages and database topics, such as Sams Teach Yourself MySQL in 24 Hours.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Christopher J. Abraham "Blogger" (Washington, DC USA)
Sams Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL and Apache in 24 Hours is the kind of book I wish I had had when I started developing enterprise-level web applications for zdev Corporation back in the 90s.

Back then, it was all about scouring USENET, Listservs, How-Tos, and FAQs while incessantly scratching your head. Although this book is very introductory, there are some good habits and excellent insights that even the more tried and true code-hacker might consider useful even after years of PHP/MySQL development (such as authentication schemes and some inner working of MySQL).

It is astounding how simple the tools, techniques, and technology is seen through the eyes of Julie Meloni. Much simpler than I had believed since I really had to be baptised by fire, and the simplicity and easy-of-use of the package -- MySQL, PHP, and Apache -- is indisputable.

Postnuke, PHP-Nuke, and the other Open Source CMSs are true killer apps today, and there are a million more open source applications your can easily download, install, and start using within a week if you first still your mind and enthusiasm long enough to work through the easy-to-grok lessons as they are laid out in Sams Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL and Apache in 24 Hours.

No doubt. You won't be sorry you took the time to measure twice before you cut once.

Reviewer: O. Obijiaku "computerGuy" (Los Angeles, Ca)
I love this book. When I initially purchased this book I had a pretty good handle on PHP already, but with the examples and carefully crafted explanations this book became a great asset. This book is great at explaining the fundamentals of PHP, MySQL and Apache system configurations, scripting and much more. The book comes with a CD that is loaded with example scripts that you can use as foundations to build more complex scripts.

Microsoft Windows Vista Unveiled

2006-07-09T21:44:00.000-07:00

Product Details :

Author : Paul McFedries
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: Sams; 1st edition (June 9, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 0672328933
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches

Book Description

Look beyond the hype–new and noteworthy and what Vista really means
for tomorrow’s desktop.

Covers the Beta 2 release of Windows® Vista

An unbiased, unvarnished sneak peek at everything that’s new, noteworthy, and ready for prime time in Windows Vista.

Microsoft Windows Vista Unveiled is an in-depth exploration of the public release Beta 2 version of Windows Vista, Microsoft’s next major operating system and the successor to Windows XP. Whether you’re just planning ahead for a future upgrade or running Beta 2 already, Microsoft Windows Vista Unveiled takes you on a detailed tour of all the new and improved technologies, features, tools, and programs that Microsoft programmers have stitched into the Vista fabric. You will learn not only what features are new in Vista, but also why they’re important (or not), who they were designed for, and how they will affect your computing life. The goal of this book is to give you an exhaustive sneak preview of Vista’s innovations and changes so that by the end of the book you should know whether Vista is for you and what you can expect when you sit down in front of this new operating system.

Here’s what you’ll find inside…

In-depth coverage of all the new and improved Windows Vista tools and technologies
A tour of the new Windows Vista interface, including Aero Glass
What hardware you need to get the most out of Windows Vista
Vista’s file system improvements, including tags, Quick Search, and virtual folders
A review of Vista’s new performance and stability features
A critical look at the beefed-up security features, including Windows Defender, the new Firewall, and User Account Control
A complete look at Vista’s totally redesigned networking tools
In-depth coverage of Vista’s new and improved tools for notebooks and Tablet PCs, digital media, and gaming

Paul McFedries is the president of Logophilia Limited, a technical writing company. He has been working with computers for more than 30 years, has been using Microsoft Windows since version 1, and is widely viewed as an expert in explaining Windows and Windows technology. Paul has written more than 40 books that have sold nearly three million copies worldwide, including Microsoft Windows Vista Unleashed, available January 2007.

About the Author
Paul McFedries is the president of Logophilia Limited, a technical writing company. He has been working with computers for over 30 years, has been using Microsoft Windows since version 1, and is widely viewed as an expert in explaining Windows and Windows technology. Paul has written more than 40 books that have sold nearly three million copies worldwide.

Welcome to Windows Vista Unveiled!
Being a computer book author offers many advantages to those of us with an inner geek: working at home, enjoying the satisfaction of a freshly printed book, and having a good excuse to purchase (and write off) new tech toys. Another big advantage that comes around every so often is the chance to work with a new version of a software program before it's released to the public. Working with pre-release software is like parachuting into a territory that only a few other people have seen. There are always lots of new things to see and try out, and an in-depth exploration is rewarded with finds and experiences that are unique, interesting, and often quite useful.

This book is a record of my in-depth exploration of several prerelease versions of Windows Vista, Microsoft's next major operating system (OS) and the successor to Windows XP. Don't have Windows Vista yet? That's not a problem because this is not a "how-to" book. Instead, it's more of a "what-is" book. That is, Windows Vista Unveiled takes you on a detailed tour of all the new and improved technologies, features, tools, and programs that the Microsoft programmers have stitched into the Vista fabric. You'll learn not only what features are new in Vista, but also why they're important (or not), who they were designed for, and how they will affect your computing life. My goal is to give you an exhaustive sneak preview of Vista's innovations and changes so that by the end of the book you know whether Vista is for you and what to expect when you sit down in front of this new OS.

Beginning ASP .NET 2.0 E-Commerce in C# 2005: From Novice to Professional

2006-07-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

Product Details :

Author : Cristian Darie, Karli Watson
Paperback: 704 pages
Publisher: Apress (October 17, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 1590594681
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches

Book Description

You will learn how to build a complete e-commerce web site, following the entire design and build process. The website will be constructed following industry best practices in a modular mannerandemdash;with a new module introduced and completed in each chapter.

About the Author
Cristian Darie is a software enginner with experience in a wide range of modern technologies, and is the author of numerous technical books, including the popular "Beginning E-Commerce" series. Having worked with computers since he was old enough to press the keyboard, he initially tasted programming success with a first prize in his first programming contest at the age of 12. From there, Cristian moved on to many other similar achievements, and now he is studying distributed application architectures for his Ph.D. He always loves hearing feedback about his books, so don't hesitate to drop a "hello" message when you have a spare moment.Cristian can be contacted through his personal website at www.CristianDarie.ro. Karli Watson is the technical director of 3form, as well as a freelance IT specialist, author, developer, and consultant. For the most part, he indulges in .NET and related technologies and has written numerous books about them. He has extensive knowledge of programming database-driven websites and has authored on the titles Beginning ASP .NET 2.0 E-Commerce, Beginning ASP.NET 1.1 E-Commerce, The Programmer's Guide to SQL, Professional C#, Second Edition, and Professional ASP.NET 1.0.

Spotlight Reviews :

Reviewer: Cameron (milo) (Phoenix, AZ United States)
If you're reading this then you're probably new to ASP.NET 2.0 or you want to build an online store using ASP.NET. This is money well spent. This book is an excellent step-by-step tutorial for building an online store. AND it's just packed with ASP.NET, C# and SQL Server programming tips. I bookmarked these tips as I was building my web site and now I find myself turning back to it to implement these goodies.

The authors have outdone themselves. I really really like this book. I own the 2002 Wrox version as well so I can tell you that "ASP.NET 2.0 E-Commerce in C# 2005" has been completely updated! It is a fantastic tutorial for anyone new to ASP.NET and the best reference for more experienced programmers who may be new to e-commerce. The authors will walk you through (in detail) the creation of a fully functional online store.

One nice feature is that the authors don't assume anything. They explain each step as the book progresses. Are you in a hurry? No problem. The first few chapters are enough to get a basic store up and running. Subsequent chapters continue to build onto this existing solution. So you can get started fast and then add on features as you learn or have time.

I also find this book to be a valuable reference to more experienced programmers because it is chock full of developer tips. There is a great example of building a key word search, and search ranking system with SQL Server. The authors touch on error handling and how to show custom error messages in a way that anyone will find helpful. Other handy tips include:
* Real-word examples of how to use SQL OUTPUT parameters.
* How to send automatic email alerts when the application encounters an error.
* How to use C# static classes to cache information and improve performance.
* How to build an order pipeline!

The information on using PayPal's payment gateway, PayPal API and credit card processing is worth the cover price alone. There are five chapters on how to wire up your own order processing system. There's even a whole chapter devoted to integrating your ASP.NET web site with Amazon's web services.

I highly recommend this book for anyone new to ASP.NET or new to e-commerce. It's hands down the most thorough ASP.NET e-commerce book I've ever read. And I can also recommend it to more experienced programmers who are looking for a good e-commerce reference. Don't let the title fool. It's a great tool for anyone who wants to make money using ASP.NET. I cannot say enough good things about it so I'll close with the table of contents...

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Starting an E-Commerce Site
2. Laying Out the Foundation
3. Creating the Product Catalog: Part I
4. Creating the Product Catalog: Part II
5. Searching the Catalog
6. Improving Performance
7. Receiving Payments Using PayPal
8. Catalog Administration
9 . Creating a Custom Shopping Card
10. Dealing with Custom Orders
11. Making Product Recommendations
12. Adding Customer Accounts
13. Advanced Customer Orders
14. Order Pipeline
15. Implementing the Pipeline
16. Credit Card Transactions
17. Integrating with Amazon
A: Installing the Software
B: Project Management Considerations

Reviewer: John Nelson (Alameda, CA USA)
There's not much more I could add to these reviews, because they are the exact same thing that I have been telling every one concerning this book. The thing I can add about this book, and all of the other ones Cristian has written is this: When ever you look through his errata sections for any corrections to the books, you'll mostly just find corrections to the paragraphs with descriptions, and not the code. It's as solid as it gets, solid as it gets. Most books that I own have at least two very garish errors, or typos in the code examples it's self.

In all his books you'll find the best practices you could ever find, so it's almost recomended to pick up this book (or the PHP version of the same book) when initially learning ASP.net 2.0, because you'll learn a lot more in a lot less time than reading tomes on the details and theory that a lot of the other books offer.

The man is better than a master of his craft, and his books are some of the best books you'll ever read world wide. He makes even the hardest technical chalanges fun and friendly, and in the end, you'll feel encoraged to want more.

Reviewer: Zarif Alimov "Unix Fan" (USA)
The book is truly for a novice, but only newbies to C# and not, say, Java, will survive chapter 3 of the book. I am a Java programmer and to me all that was the same idea with different syntax. In order not to get lost in varioius detailes of different C# object, the reader must be well familliar with OOP principles. Experience with other OO programming languages will undoubtedly help.
Other than that, which is typical of any programming book, the book is very informative and well organized. The author does a good job explaining various possibilities for working with databases in C#. I really like it. Recommended.